Elbow lake

[Flieguy]

I've fished it a few times in summer and winter. But it's ALWAYS been windy for me, morning and afternoon. Is it always like this or am I just unlucky? It's a beautiful spot and I'd like to take my girlfriend ice fishing there but I don't want to drag her out to a miserable windy day!

[Moefoe]

It is a beautiful spot but unless you have a sleigh and half a dozen dogs it's a no go...they close the gate as soon as the snow flies at the K lakes turnoff!

[Flieguy]

I thought it was always mid december that they close the gate?

[jaymack]

As far as I know it's mid-December that they close the gate, according to the Alberta parks website the road is still open all the way to Cataract creek.
I've only been to Elbow in the summer, and I remember the weather being awesome. Can't imagine what winter is like at that altitude though.

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by Moefoe

It is a beautiful spot but unless you have a sleigh and half a dozen dogs it's a no go...they close the gate as soon as the snow flies at the K lakes turnoff!

I think the gate is closed from Dec. 15 - June 15. If it was closed as soon as the snow flies, it would have been closed in September.

[Heavy K]

I know you've had a number of replies, but the gate is most certainly shut from Dec 1st - June 15th. So, you've still got a couple days to get up there. Otherwise you can ski in from the winter gate at the Kananaskis Lakes turn off. It'll add several hours of travel onto your day though. Keep in mind that even from the summer trailhead, you go through significant avalanche terrain to access the lake, and the north side of the lake is exposed to overhead avalanche hazard. I wouldn't go there unless you and your party are properly equipped and educated for travel in avalanche terrain.

It will probably be chilly, so be prepared for cold weather. If it's warm, it'll be because it's chinooking, and it will almost certainly be the windiest place on planet earth (and I'm only partially kidding). That valley can produce some wind!

That said, the fish are plentiful, but very small and stunted.

HK

[South west trappin RG]

Parts of the lake never get compleatly frozen just a warning I go there in the winter allot but I will never cross the lake.

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by South west trappin RG

Parts of the lake never get compleatly frozen just a warning I go there in the winter allot but I will never cross the lake.

I've never been up there in the winter time, but I'm curious now. Why wouldn't parts of a near alpine lake freeze in the winter?

[jstelfox]

Because there are a number of springs that feed Elbow Lake. All you have to do some summer is wade the shoreline without waders to find where some of the springs are, because the water is a lot colder where the springs are near shore than in the rest of the lake.

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by jstelfox

Because there are a number of springs that feed Elbow Lake. All you have to do some summer is wade the shoreline without waders to find where some of the springs are, because the water is a lot colder where the springs are near shore than in the rest of the lake.

That's interesting to know Jim, I had no idea Elbow Lake was spring fed.

[Flieguy]

kinda figures, lots of water flows out but little flows in. certainly is a beautiful spot

[Heavy K]

The west side where the trail comes in has a lot of variability in ice thickness. It's also often the first place people tromp out onto the lake.

HK