#2: [10-Aug-02]

08-Aug-2002 -- Drove along highway 11 west of Nordegg to the Forestry Trunk Road access. We turned south onto the road and traveled 57 km south to the Hummingbird Staging Area where we parked. Both ATV’s and horses use the area heavily. We loaded our packs and proceeded along a well-traveled horse path up a small valley. After two hours we set our camp for the evening with the intent of attempting the confluence the next day with daypacks.

Awoke to a bright blue sky and proceeded southwest along the valley towards our quest. After one hour, our trail broke into a large 2 km wide valley of the Ram River. We were only 4 km east of the confluence with a well traveled and flat ATV trail. This trail led us to within 200 m of the confluence. Our quest was obtained at 12 Noon. My Lowrance GlobeMap indicated accuracy of 12 M and an elevation of 1885 M. The area is heavily wooded with Jack and Lodgepole Pine and little undergrowth, typical of a Boreal Forest. I carved the confluence markings on an upright dead tree approximately 3m south of the point (Marked with elk bones). Our trip was successful!!