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The White Buddha and Vent's Ridge Hike via Powderface Creek Trail
- andrewsco3
- Jan 9
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 20
The White Buddha and Vent's Ridge hike is a short, family friendly hike, located in the Elbow Valley near Bragg Creek, and just 45 minutes away from Calgary. It's proximity to Calgary makes it a convenient hike when tight on time or on Summer evenings. For such a short hike, it packs a punch in terms of views, with some wonderful views of the Elbow Valley and Prairie Mountain. It's often possible to do this hike well into December if a warm spell hits, as well as being one of the first hikes to open up in the Spring.
Keep reading this blog post for all the information you’ll need to hike White Buddha, including key details of the hike, information on which route to take on AllTrails, and plenty of photos!
WHITE BUDDHA VIA POWDERFACE CREEK TRAIL HIKE OVERVIEW
To jump ahead to a certain section, click the links below:
WHITE BUDDHA HIKE - KEY INFORMATION
Here is the key hike information:
What is the Distance of the White Buddha Hike?
There are two trail options to summit White Buddha. The most popular route is an 'out and back' trail that starts at the Powderface Creek Trail car park. This trail is known as the White Buddha via Powderface Creek Trail on AllTrails, and is a 3.5 km in length.
There is a second option, that involves navigating your way down the East side of the mountain and joining Prairie Creek (a different trail). This hike is called the White Buddha Loop on All Trails. I don't recommend this hike in the winter, as the hike down can be a little more difficult with children, plus there is a creek crossing on this route, which I'm always a little concerned about during warm weather conditions!
This blog post describes the out and back route (the first option).
Is the Hike Difficult??
I would consider the trail to be moderately difficult. There isn't anything particularly technical about the hike, but it is steep in places. With kids you might get a bit of complaining (we certainly did) but it's worth it for the views at the top!
How Long Does it Take to Complete the Hike?
It took us around 2.5 hours to complete the out and back hike, with a fairly short stop at the top to take some photos. Depending on your pace, and whether you have kids in tow, you could probably complete it a bit quicker.
When is the Best Time to Climb White Buddha?
You can technically hike to the summit of White Buddha year round, but I would recommend hiking the route when the snow and ice is mostly melted, either as an early season hike, or a late season outing. It can get busy in the summer so we tend to avoid hiking it at that time.
Do I need a Permit or Park Pass?
A reminder that this hike is in Kananaskis country and you need to purchase a Kananaskis Conservation Pass. This can either be purchased online or at designated kiosks in the area.
HOW TO GET THERE
For directions to the parking lot, search for 'Powderface Creek Trail Parking lot' in Google Maps. If you're traveling from Calgary, head west on the 22x towards Bragg Creek, but instead of continuing on the 22x into Bragg Creek, take Highway 66 towards Elbow falls. The start of the trailhead is just a few minutes past the Elbow Falls parking lot.
The Powderface Creek Trail Parking lot is a fairly large parking lot, but at busy times it can be difficult to find a spot (it's used quite a bit by mountain bikers in the summer). If you are unable to find a spot in the car park, people usually park along the roadside, or use Beaver Lodge day use area.
Depending on where you are coming from, the drive from Calgary should take around 45 minutes to an hour. In the winter, Highway 66 is closed just a few meters past the parking lot, so you can't go too far (The gate is closed December through May).
White Buddha via Powderface Creek Trail Trail Map (3.5km):
THE POWDERFACE CREEK TRAIL
At the start of the trailhead you will see a wooden information board, which is where you will start the hike.
As you can see, in the winter, the first part of the hike is largely in the shade, so it tends to get quite icy, so cleats are highly recommended! In the summer, it's a relatively uninteresting gravel path, until you turn up towards Vent's Ridge.
After around 1 km you will come to a bridge, that in the winter at least, serves no real purpose apart from being a fun detour for the kids to explore. During Spring run off and when there is significant rainfall, there is a path that forks to the left just prior to the bridge (around 100m back) that allows you to cross the creek via the bridge.
Continue past the bridge and after just a few meters you will arrive at a path on your right hand side that starts to wind up the hill to Vent’s Ridge and the White Buddha.
CLIMBING VENT'S RIDGE TO WHITE BUDDHA
The trail (known as Corri Robb trail) is relatively short but quite steep, and there is a small amount of scrambling required over some rocks near the start of the climb. It’s nothing technical at all but worth mentioning. I feel like a broken record, but it’s definitely worth having some ice cleats on when attempting this in the winter.
The path winds up the hill with a number of switchbacks.
Part way up the hill you will see two fairly large boulders. This is a good spot to take a quick break, grab a sandwich, drink, or photo, before continuing on up the hill.
About half way up the climb we finally emerged from the shade and got blasted by the sun – what a difference the sun makes to your warmth and morale on a winter hike!
At this point you will start getting some really nice views across the valley.
THE WHITE BUDDHA
After around 800m in distance, and 300m of elevation, you will arrive at the 'White Buddha' which is the large rock face that towers in front of you as you get close to the top. Follow the trail to your right, and you will likely pass climbers working their way up bolted climbing routes. Give climbers space and don’t hang around unnecessarily; always be wary of potential rock falls.
A word of warning – watch your head on the crag overhang! Evelyn bashed her head on the rock and was in floods of tears. We almost thought we might have to call it a day and head back down early, but thankfully the tears subsided and she soldiered on.
Eventually the crag will start to open up a bit and you will see a few scramble routes start to appear. You don't have to take these (you can continue along, following the path), but for those of you with adventurous kids, there are a few opportunities to scramble up the rock. Me and the kids found a nice little (and safe) route up, while Susie and Ellie continued along the path. Just watch out for loose rock.
VENT'S RIDGE
Once at the top there are some great views, including the nearby prairie mountain. The views are actually way better than I expected for a relatively short and sweet hike. Due to the views to effort and time ratio, the ridge can be busy in the summer with plenty of people trying to get the perfect Instagram shot.
As mentioned at the start, we decided to do the out and back version of this hike, rather than the loop, so we carefully made our way back down towards the crag and back down the switch backs back to the parking lot.
Hiking poles were definitely helpful when making our way down – it’s quite steep (so helps the knees) and at the top in particular there is quite a lot of loose rock.
THE WHITE BUDDHA AND VENTS RIDGE HIKE - FAQ
Is the Hike Suitable for Children?
Yes, absolutely. It's one of the best family-friendly hikes in Kananaskis and one of the first 'summits' that young children can realistically attempt..., although it is quite steep in parts so you'll have to judge your children's capabilities. Our 7 year old did it quite easily, but with a bit of moaning!
What is the difference between Vent's Ridge and the White Buddha?
Vent's Ridge is the ridge at the top of the hike that connects Powderface Creek Trail and Prairie Creek (if you were to take that route).
The White Buddha is the climbing crag that you pass on the way to the top of the ridge.
Hopefully that clears it up as I was confused at first too!
Is the Hike Dog Friendly?
Yes, the trail is very dog friendly. We took our golden retriever and had no issues at all. Just remember to keep dogs leashed.
Is the Hike Accessible when the Road is Closed in the Winter?
Yes, the Powderface Trail is actually as far as you can drive along Highway 66 as it is closed for the winter from December 1st through May 14th. You can check the latest road closures in the area here: https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/kananaskis/kananaskis-country/advisories-public-safety/annual-road-closures/
What Wildlife Might I Encounter on the Trail?
As with all of the Canadian Rockies, this is bear country, so carry if visiting outside of deep winter, carry bear spray and know how to use it. We didn't see any wildlife on the trail though.
WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU
Good Hiking boots – Make sure the whole family has some good hiking boots. In the winter you will need some form of traction device, as the trail does get icy.
Hiking poles – Hiking poles may be useful as it is quite a steep descent from the top.
Ice Cleats - we recently bought the girls these Kids Ice Cleats by High Stream Gear off Amazon. They've worn them a few times and we are really happy with them so far. Me and Susie both have the Kahtoola MICROspikes and really like those as well. Neither of these are affiliate links; just products that we like.
Phone – it's worth noting that there is no signal on the hike, but I always carry it anyway.
Food and Water – We recently bought both of our kids Camelbaks so that they can drink on the go and it has been a game changer! Bring plenty of snacks and gummy treats!
Dress in Layers - Weather can change quickly in the mountains. Dressing in layers lets you adjust to whatever comes your way
First Aid Kit – I always recommend bringing a basic first aid kit in your bag as a precaution.
Bear spray – This hike is in bear country so bring bear spray if doing this hike in the summer.
ENJOY EXPLORING VENTS RIDGE AND THE WHITE BUDDHA
In summary, the hike to Vent's Ridge, via the White Buddha is a great early or late season hike, as well as being a great first summit for young children. It's a fun hike that is perfect for families, but definitely worth doing in the off season to avoid the crowds.
If you enjoyed this hike, why not try some of the others in the area?
Grotto Canyon
As always, if you have any questions about the hike feel free to ask away in the comments section!
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