We ended up on Sunrise Hill by accident after missing the pullout for another hike. When we parked at the junction of Powderface Trail and Highway 66 to stretch our legs and get our bearings, we realized we were at the Powderface Ridge trailhead. While it was late in the day for a 14 km hike, there were two bumps on the topo map that looked like promising viewpoints. Both ended up being worthy objectives with awesome views and best of all, no bushwhacking was required! We christened the first bump Powder Puff. The second, taller bump was Sunrise Hill, also known as Rainy Summit Overlook.
Route Description
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Trail to Sunrise Hill |
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Heading up Powder Puff |
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Fun boulder on Powder Puff |
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Sweet view from Powder Puff โ only 1.5 km from the trailhead! |
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Making our way from Powder Puff to Sunrise Hill (hill on the right) |
Carrying on, the trail narrows and can be quite snowy in late fall or spring. There was about a foot of snow on the trail on October 30th! After about 900 metres (2.4 km from the trailhead), start making your way up Sunrise Hill, the treeless hill on the right. You canโt miss it as thereโs a large cairn on top with a wooden sign. The ascent is steep and rocky, but short (about 300 metres) and nontechnical.
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Sunrise Hill/Powderface Ridge Trail |
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Almost at the top! |
At the top, sit back and enjoy the view. The cool, prominent ridge to the right is Nihahi Ridge, Forgetmenot Ridge is to the left, and the blue-green pond below is Forgetmenot Pond. Looking east, you can see Calgaryโs skyline! We could see for miles in every direction! What we didnโt see were people โ there was only one person on the trail all afternoon!
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Sunrise Hill Summit Cairn |
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Nice view of Nihahi Ridge from Sunrise Hill |
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Looking south from Sunrise Hill |
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Family photo on Sunrise Hill |
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Chasing the sun |
For the perfect Elbow Valley day trip, hike the hill before or after a picnic atย Forgetmenot Pond, then hit up Elbow Falls on the drive home. This is also a great trail to do if youโre camping at Little Elbow Campground. For a longer hike, explore Powderface Ridge! We will definitely do this hike again!
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Sunrise Hill Panorama |
Sunrise Hill at a Glance
Distance: 5.7 km round trip
Elevation Gain: 504 m
Difficulty: Moderate (steep, nontechnical hike)
Stroller Friendly: No
Going further: Option 1) The Powder Puff extension adds on about half an hour max. Option 2) For a longer hike, descend Sunrise Hill and continue on the main trail to Powderface Ridge (9.6 km round trip from trailhead to ridgetop; several extensions/loops possible).
Seasonal Road Closure: The winter gate on Highway 66 (at Elbow Falls) is closed from December 1 โ May 14.
Parking: Park at the junction of Hwy 66 & Powderface Trail in the pullout on the right side of the road (if driving south on Hwy 66 from Calgary). **There is no sign at the pullout.** The trailhead is straight up the grassy hill on the same side of the road. See photo above.
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Sunrise Hill Parking โ park at Hwy 66 & Powderface Trail |
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Sunrise Hill Map (follow the Powderface Ridge Trail) |
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING WINTER CONDITIONS: Avalanche danger exists on steep, snowy slopes. At the time of our visit, Sunrise Hill and Powder Puff were quite windswept, but conditions can change quickly. Research conditions before heading out and avoid high risk areas. Avalanche training is recommended for all winter mountain activities (so you can learn which areas are highest risk and how to determine the safest lines). For more information, seeย Why You Need Avalanche Skills Training.
Fun Fact: Sunrise Hillโs official name is Rainy Summit Overlook. Which name do you prefer?
Other Hikes You Might Like
West Wind Pass
Prairie Mountain
Edworthy Falls (great dayhike from Elbow Lake)
The Ice Falls and Caves of Fish Creek Park, Calgary
The Best Short Hikes Near Calgary
More Best Short Hikes Near Calgary โ Kananaskis Version
2 comments
Stunning hike! My only complaint is that we didn't find out about this hike sooner ?
Thanks!! We felt the same way!!! I just love the views and proximity to Forget me not pond and Elbow Falls!
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