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Hike Maze Peak

Clearwater County, Alberta

4.0/5
based on 2 reviews

Details

Distance

5.3 miles

Elevation Gain

2624.7 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by James Hueser

For anyone wanting to do something different during shoulder season, Maze Peak brings you out into the relatively unused area around the Ya Ha Tinda Ranch.

There's not much of a trailhead for Maze Peak - in fact there isn't a trailhead at all. Bring up the start location from this post and pull over on the side of the dirt road once you get to it! The hardest part about this trail is just kind of finding it, really. The good news is that you're going to stumble across it eventually as long as you keep gaining elevation!

As you move up the southwest side of the mountain, bear a bit more west than northwest as you'll end up working your way to the end of the ridge which is a bit easier than the scramble to the top of it. The way up to the ridge is a bit of a slog, and it gets sloggier once you hit some really thin limestone scree. At that point, it felt steeper than it probably was, but take your time: the mountain isn't going anywhere.

Once we were on the ridge, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the ridge walk was actually really nice! One side is forested, the other side is scree. The view through the trees gives you small glimpses of the rest of Maze Peak and its summit, and it was enough to keep me motivated to explore the mountain. 

Once you get in the alpine, you'll be able to see the path you need all the way to the top. Pretty simple, but there are some bits of scrambling and down-climbing to be aware of. Nothing too hinky though!

For me, Maze Peak was exactly what I needed in the middle of April. It was such a beautiful day and such a peaceful area we ended up spending an hour on the summit. Not much talking, just soaking it all in.

I apologize for all of the pictures of my roommate! I'm just going through these for the first time in a few months and realize how much I'm enjoying the photos. The ridge is a really neat place and it was really cool to observe him as he was doing his own exploring.

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Dog Friendly
Forest
Scenic

Hike Maze Peak Reviews

A good, challenging summit. Steep and loose at times, but no real exposure and no route finding required. Just keep going up. I was 3.5 hours car to car and used the western (northern) of the two trailheads

This is a challenging hike, no doubt about it. The views from the summit are 100% worth it though. Wear boots with good ankle support and bring layers, when it gets windy it's rather chilly. We hiked this April 1 2017 and there was minimal snow even on the summit. I'd recommend this hike to anyone!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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