Ride at your own risk. Cell phone service is spotty once you get on to Moosepackers Trail and Ridgeback.
This is a classic ride, updated for modern times. From Station Flats, ride Elbow Valley to Sulphur Springs, and then climb up Pneuma. Feel free to bail to the road if Pneuma isn't working for you. You can stay on Pneuma all the way to the end, or if you took the road from Special K, Race of Spades or lower, continue on the road until you get to the top. On your right will be a gravel access road with a gate. This is the trail to the Kananaskis Fire Lookout. Follow that until the turnoff to Moosepackers appears on your right [there's a sign], at the bottom of a long gravel downhill. Moosepackers leads into Ridgeback and back to Station Flats.
Just shy of 25 km, fast riders will get it done in less than 2.5 hours, but it can take much longer if you have mechanicals, or cough up a lung on Pneuma. The original loop involved taking Sulphur Springs and then heading directly up the road. Once you got to the bottom of Moosepackers you would take the access road to Tom Snow and ride that all the way back.
The vast majority of people ride this loop clockwise. It can be done counter-clockwise, but that eliminates almost all the fun downhills, which would suck.
Check the individual trail descriptions for more details.
Trails in Route
4,629 ft | |||||
2 miles | |||||
3 miles | |||||
2 miles | |||||
2 miles | |||||
6 miles | |||||
1,250 ft |
Details
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Riding area
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Primary ActivityMountain Bike
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Difficulty ratingBlue
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Route TypeLoop
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Bike typeAM
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DirectionBoth Directions
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Physical ratingHard
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Ridelogs
More Stats for Moosepackers Loop mountain bike route
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Altitude min4,686 ft
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Altitude start4,691 ft
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Altitude end4,698 ft
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Grade max-80.4%
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Grade min41.5%
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Distance climb7 miles
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Distance down6 miles
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Distance flat1 mile
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
- Ideal
- Dry
- Very Dry
The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
- > 96%
- > 90%
- > 80%
- > 70%
- > 50%
- < 50%
- < 2 days
- < 1 week
- < 2 weeks
- < 1 month
- < 6 months
- > 6 months
- Downhill Only
- Downhill Primary
- Both Directions
- Uphill Primary
- Uphill Only
- One Direction
- Description
- Photos
- Description & Photos
- Videos
- most popular
- popular
- less popular
- not popular
- Access Road/Trail
- White
- Green
- Blue
- Black
- Double Black Diamond
Trail Report Status
- Clear / Green
- Minor Issue / Yellow
- Significant Issue / Amber
- Closed
- Land Owner Overlay
- Wilderness (typically no bikes in USA)
- BLM (public)
- USFS (Wildlife sanctuaries darker than usfs)
- State land
- Indigenous
- Military
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
- Ideal
- Dry
- Very Dry
- Map Markers
Trail Head
Photo
Directory Listing
Riding Area
TTF
Parking
Viewpoint
Information
Warning
Directions
Sight
Restrooms
eBike Charging Point
Water Fountain/Source
Gate
Trail Sign
Table or Bench
Ladder
Stairs
Bridge
Boardwalk
Camping
Cabin
Lodge
Bear Cache
Dock
Ranger Station
Summit
Other
Photos
Videos



Recent Trail Reports Along Route
- embed Moosepackers Loop route on your website
- By pinkrobe CMBA & contributors
- #492 - 4,550 views
- login to download gpx or kml files.