Using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) AlbertaWestCountry.com is collecting trail information for West Central Alberta. This information can be used in combination with a GPS unit to navigate and explore many areas of Alberta.

See all the trails at AlbertaWestCountry.com

Banff National Park Trail GPS Downloads
Status	Trail	Download for Oziexplorer	Open in Google Earth
	Assiniboine Pass Trail
	Aylmer Pass Trail
	Badger Pass Trail
	Baker Lake Trail
	Boom Lake Trail
	Borgeau Lake Trail
	Bow Lake Trail
	Bow Peak Trail
	Brewster Creek Trail
	Bryant Creek Trail
	Carrot Creek Trail
	Cascade River Trail
	Castellija Lake Trail
	Citadel Pass Trail
	Consolation Lakes Trail
	Coral Creek Trail
	Cory Pass Trail
	Deception Pass Trail
	Divide Pass Trail
	Dolomite Pass Trail
	Dormer River Trail
	Dormer Trail
	Edith Pass Trail
	Eiffel Lake Trail
	Elk Lake Summit Trail
	Elk Lake Trail
	Escarpment River Trail
	Fairview Mountain Trail
	Fatigue Pass Trail
	Fish Lakes Trail
	Forbes Creek Trail
	Forbidden Creek Trail
	Forty Mile Trail
	Fresh Field Creek Trail
	Gamble Mountain Trail
	Ghost River Trail
	Glacier Lake Trail
	Glacier Trail
	Goat Creek Trail
	Haiduk Lake Trail
	Harrison Lake Trail
	Hawk Creek Trail
	Healy Pass Trail
	Hector Lake Trail
	Hidden Lake Trail
	Howse Pass Trail
	Howse River Trail
	Ink Pots Trail
	Isabella Lake Trail
	Johnston Canyon Trail
	Lagoon Lake Trail
	Lake Agnes Trail
	Lake Margaret Trail
	Lake Minnewanke Trail
	Lake of the Falls Trail
	Larch Valley Trail
	Marvel Creek Trail
	Marvell Pass Trail
	Mirror Lake Trail
	Mistaya Canyon Trail
	Molar Pass Trail
	Mosquito Creek Trail
	Mount Rundle Trail
	Mummy Lake Trail
	Mystic Lake Trail
	Og Pass Trail
	Oyster Lake Trail
	Paradise Valley Trail
	Peyto Lake Trail
	Pharoh Creek Trail
	Pharoh Lake Trail
	Pinto Lake Trail
	Pipestone Trail
	Plain of the Six Glaciers
	Porcupine Lake Trail
	Protection Mountain Trail
	Ptarmigan Lake Trail
	Red Deer Lakes Trail
	Red Deer River Trail
	Red Earth Creek Trail
	Rock Bound Lake Trail
	Saddle Mountain Trail
	Sawback Lake Trail
	Scalp Creek Random Sledding Trail
	Scalp Creek Trail
	Sentinel Pass Trail
	Shadow Lake Trail
	Skoki Lakes Trail
	Skoki Valley Trail
	Spray River Trail
	Sulphur Mountain Trail
	Sundance Pass Trail
	Talc Lake Trail
	Taylor Lake Trail
	Twin Lakes Trail
	Tyrrell Creek Trail
	Valley of the Ten Peaks Trail
	Verdant Creek Trail
	White Goat Creek Trail
	Wigmore Creek Trail

Flight over the South Ram River area in the Bighorn Backcountry. See more at AlbertaWestCountry.com

An interesting video clip from youtube

(http://www.youtube.com/user/humblefisherman)

Do you have a photo of the Headwaters Patrol Cabin on the South Ram River? If you do, please consider visiting AlbertaWestCountry.com and contributing the image.

The historic Headwaters Patrol Cabin over looks the South Ram River. The patrol cabin is a historic treasure, and is a true landmark. This cabin is rich in history of early explorers of the area.

A sign at the cabin reads:

Construction of the Headwaters Forestry Patrol Cabin was done by the Dominion Forest Service.  Construction commenced in 1914 with the felling and skidding of the building logs to the site.  An abundance of fire killed timber was available nearby, from which the cabin was constructed.  This may have contributed to the cabins longevity as fire killed timber is generally more resistant to deterioration.  In the summer of 1915, a ranger and an assistant completed the log work including a pole roof.  The cabin was liveable, but not water tight.  Metal shingles were packed in and installed during the summer of 1916 and the cabin was completed.

Total construction cost:

Materials $ 6.00
Hired labour $ 66.00
Ranger labour $ 112.99
Maintenance $ 26.08

TOTAL $ 211.07

The purpose of the Headwaters Cabin was to provide accommodation for forest officers on patrol, and for the storage of firefighting tools.  Patrol cabins were constructed approximately 29 km (18 miles) apart, which was considered to be an average distance to travel on a day with patrol horses.  Other patrol cabins within a one day ride of the Headwaters were the Whitegoat, Onion Lake, Ram Falls, and Indian Head (now Banff National Park).

The cabin is accesible using the South Ram River Trail, or the White Rabbit Creek Trail. Access by OHV to the cabin ended in 2003 when the sourth ram river trail was closed.

Click to view more photos at AlbertaWestCountry.com

The South Ram River confluence point is located at 54° N 116° W. The confluence point is approximately 300 meters north of the South Ram River Trail around kilometer 11.5. The South Ram River Trail begins at the South Ram River staging area, west of Ram River Falls Provincial Park.  The trail is approximately 30 km in length, and follows the South Ram River past the historic headwaters patrol cabing, to the upper falls, north of the headwaters of the Ram Glacier.  The trail is closed to all OHV vehicles since 2003.  We visited the confluence point in July 2010. Camp was set up just below the confluence point in one of the established camp sites. This camp has a fresh water spring flowing directly behind. Hunters left an ample wood supply for cooking and warming.

The confluence point was not clearly visible as shown in this 2002 trip to the location (http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?visitid=5815). No visible flagging or blazed trees were found. GPS technology has improved in 8 years and the previous visitors were possibly not at the true confluence point. Or another factor, a different map projection was used in the 2002 GPS unit. After searching the surrounding area, nothing was found from the previous visit. We did not mark the confluence location in the event we were at the wrong location, but it’s not likely. If you decide to find the confluence point, please take a photo in all four cardinal directions to compare. The confluence point is a small natural opening in the lodgepole pine stand. The site slopes to the south east.

AlbertaWestCountry DEM Topographic Map

Saskatchewan River Crossing, from 38,000 feet.  Pinto Lake is on the bottom left, and hiway 93 runs up the valley to the east.

For more details see the Banff National Park Trail GPS download page.