Rae Glacier Hike via Elbow Pass

Rae Glacier hike is a wonderful moderate 8 km trail up to two cirques high in the alpine. The right cirque screed trail will take you to the snow-capped glacier where it’s likely to see skiers slalom down off the slope. The left cirque has a spectacular stream meandering down with many waterfalls to enjoy.

Where is Rae Glacier?

Rae Glacier trail can be located off Hwy 40 in Kananaskis Country at Elbow Pass day use.

The trail starts off a bit steep for 1.5km until reaching Elbow Lake, but very doable for most people. Once at the lake, follow the trail to the right alongside the campsites and the lake eventually leading to the creek bed. The trail can get tricky and easy to lose but follow the tree line right of the creek and it will eventually get back to the beaten path.

Waterfalls

There is no shortage of water features along this trail. The creek alone has many falls throughout, so following the sounds of water is vital to finding some unique sights along the way. Coming out of the trees on the right the sound of water will be present from a rock formation full of moss and trickling water, a tranquil place to cool off.

Love waterfalls? Find 40 plus of the best falls in Alberta here.

The creek continues up to the left cirque where a couple more stunning falls welcome you. While resting on the rocks I encountered a fuzzy friend. I must say this spider which is believed to be an alpine black wolf spider was one of the biggest I’ve ever seen. Size range of 1-inch body size with another inch in leg span. My husband saw one as well so I’m sure it’s not rare however it was kind of a shocker although very intriguing to where I had to investigate and zoom in for a shot.

Reach for the top

At the top of the stream near the bowl, you can cross the water or the rocks to a ridge on the left. Go up as high as you can and walk to the edge. The view here is phenomenal overlooking the start of the hike from Elbow Lake as well as looking onward to the valley to Edworthy Falls on the right. We found this peak to be the best view with little effort as climbing to the glacier on the right really is a lot of scrambling for less view however, watching the skiers is pretty cool if you happen to catch them.

Among the creatures found in the alpine Marmots are also roaming the area however, the ones we saw were camera shy.

Conclusion:

All in all, this was another spectacular hike for the books. This hike has it all, lake, creek, waterfalls, alpine, and glaciers. For the most part, the hike is quite easy with the most effort at the begging 1.5 km of a steady ascend to the lake.

Good footwear is recommended as there is lots of rock and scree in the alpine. I find trekking poles are a must on every hike. So many benefits as they have saved me many times at water crossings, steep areas, and walking on scree.

See more in the video below?

Feeling energetic? Why not include Edworthy Falls in this hike for a total of 17 km. It’s tiring but very rewarding.