Kananaskis Volunteers Put in 11,676 Hours of Trail Work in Record-Breaking Season

If you've hiked or biked through Kananaskis this year, there's a good chance you've benefited from some volunteer handiwork without even realizing it.

Behind the cleared fallen trees and repaired creek crossings are hundreds of volunteers who spent thousands of hours keeping the region's trails in shape. And in 2026, they were busier than ever.

Friends of Kananaskis Country wrapped up its official trail season on Oct. 31 after completing a record 214 trail days and logging 11,676 hours of work, an increase of more than 2,000 hours over the previous year.

The organization also welcomed 73 new individual volunteers who completed at least one shift, while volunteers collectively worked 1,444 shifts throughout the season.

Trevor Julian, executive director of Friends of Kananaskis Country, said a combination of enthusiastic volunteers and favourable weather helped make the record year possible.

A mild winter allowed crews to get an early start clearing fallen trees left behind by powerful windstorms in late 2025.

"We had a lot of keen volunteers who are happy to get out and clear some of that deadfall," Julian told Bow Valley Insider.

That enthusiasm continued throughout the year, with crews working on trails around the Canmore Nordic Centre, Jumpingpound, Sibbald Lake, Mesa Butte and the High Rockies Trail.

Floods, Fallen Trees and Some Very Heavy Rocks

While volunteers were already expecting a busy season, this summer's flooding added another challenge.

Heavy rainfall damaged roads, bridges and sections of trail in Kananaskis, raising concerns about how much repair work would be needed.

Fortunately, Julian said the damage to most well-built trails wasn't as severe as initially feared.

"We were fortunate to learn that the damage wasn't nearly as bad as we thought it was going to be," he said.

Much of the work involved repairing erosion, improving drainage and addressing smaller washouts.

Trail repairs weren't the only cleanup efforts taking place in Kananaskis this year. A separate volunteer cleanup along Highway 40 also highlighted the amount of litter being left behind in the region.

While most trails escaped major damage, the High Rockies Trail was a different story.

The roughly 90-kilometre route, popular with hikers and mountain bikers, experienced significant washouts as swollen creeks rushed down the mountainsides.

Some sections remained closed throughout the summer, and Julian said repairs to a couple of bridges were still being addressed by provincial parks staff.

For volunteers, repairing smaller washouts often involves a technique called rock armouring.

The process involves digging out the damaged section, placing large rocks beneath the trail surface and filling the gaps with smaller rocks and gravel.

The catch? Some of those rocks weigh 40 to 50 pounds.

When done properly, the buried rocks help stabilize the trail while allowing water to pass through, reducing the likelihood of another washout.

Crews completed multiple rock-armoured crossings this year, hoping the repairs will withstand future spring runoff.

And getting those rocks into place is only part of the challenge.

"It is physical work and it's a great workout," Julian said.

"But it's a great day with volunteers. I can tell you that. It's a lot of fun."

The Work Doesn't Stop When the Trails Reopen

Not every trail needs repairs following a flood or storm. Sometimes, the biggest challenge is simply keeping up with the number of people using it.

During the trail maintenance season, a dedicated group of Friends of Kananaskis Country volunteers works on mountain biking trails at the Canmore Nordic Centre nearly every Thursday.

Their work includes maintaining berms, repairing worn sections and addressing braking bumps, those frustrating ripples that develop on heavily used trails.

Julian said the sessions give mountain bikers a chance to learn what goes into building and maintaining the trails they enjoy riding.

"It's a lot of fun just to show up at the Nordic center to work on the trails that you like to ride," he said.

The organization also manages 67 trails on public lands, with crews regularly checking for fallen trees, drainage problems and other maintenance needs.

And with mountain biking continuing to grow in popularity, Julian doesn't expect the workload to slow down anytime soon.

"We're never gonna run out of work," he said.

What's Next for 2027?

Although the official season has ended, Friends of Kananaskis Country is already looking ahead to next year's projects.

Julian said crews plan to continue improvements throughout the Jumpingpound trail network, where progress can take several seasons because much of the work is completed by volunteers using hand tools.

The organization is also discussing a potential reroute of the Blue Rock Connector trail with Alberta Parks.

Julian is also looking ahead to the Canmore Area Trails Master Plan, which he expects could be approved over the winter, opening opportunities to improve existing trails and potentially develop new routes in the Bow Valley.

Regular maintenance at the Canmore Nordic Centre and along the High Rockies Trail will also remain priorities.

To help support future work, Friends of Kananaskis Country is preparing to launch its annual Trail Love fundraising campaign, with a goal of raising $60,000.

Julian said donations help cover the practical costs of keeping volunteers on the trails, including transportation, safety equipment, insurance and experienced staff who supervise trail work.

Thirty Years of Giving Back to the Trails

The record-breaking season also marked a milestone for Friends of Kananaskis Country, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026.

And while the organization has spent three decades maintaining trails, Julian hopes there's plenty more to come.

For anyone interested in getting involved, he said there's no need to be an experienced trail builder or particularly skilled at hauling heavy rocks.

Volunteers can help with everything from raking and sweeping to more demanding repair work.

"There's room for everyone and there's all different kinds of jobs," Julian said.

"You don't need special skills. We'll give you the work gloves, we'll give you the safety glasses, just come out and join us, we'll have a great time."

With another busy year ahead, it seems there will be no shortage of opportunities to put those gloves to work.