Tuff Puff Hike

Trailhead: Park next to the David Thompson #11 highway at the Kinglet Lake – Tuff Puff Trailhead 3.5kms west of Two O’clock Creek Campground. 211kms west of Rocky Mountain House.

Description: The trailhead is marked with a wooden sign post located next to an unnamed creek. Park in the ditch then follow an old road for a few hundred meters. Locate a well defined trail that starts to gain the ridge in front of you. Continue on while avoiding trails to your right that lead to the Icefalls Loop. Stay on the trail as it works it way up towards the left side of the ridge.

You’ll soon arrive at a grassy clearing which is the start of what looks like a never ending trail to the top of the mountain ridge you see in the distance. Continue up the grassy ridge until you pass a large rocky outcrop on your left. Keep your eyes on the ground here and look for trail markings to Kinglet Lake and Tuff Puff Ridge. At your feet you’ll see the words KING -> and TUFF -> spelled out with flat shale rocks.

The trail to your left leads to Kinglet Lake and the trail straight ahead leads towards Tuff Puff. Continue on as the trail climbs towards the ridge in front of you for another 2+ hour grind to the top of Tuff Puff. Once you reach the bottom of the ridge avoid the temptation to detour straight up the false ridge on your left. Stay on the trail as it works it’s way around the right side of the ridge then climbs again.

In a short distance you will arrive at the bottom end of Tuff Puff ridge offering outstanding views of the Saskatchewan River Valley that will renew your energy for the final push. With the end now in sight keep going up past a few cairns until you reach the bottom cliff of the unnamed peak straight ahead.

Views from here are absolutely stunning. You’ll see Two O’clock Ridge across the meadow valley to the north. Looking east you can see the Siffleur River, Saskatchewan River Valley and Loudon Creek. Kinglet Lake is located across the meadow below you. If you make it this far you can add a side trip by dropping drop down to Kinglet Lake then back to the trailhead. This will add approximately 2kms but it’s all down hill from here.

From the top of Tuff Puff ridge there is no defined trail down to Kinglet Lake, however the going is easy as you descend the ridge and cross the meadow to the lake. Once you arrive at Kinglet Lake locate the well defined trail on the north east side of the Lake that leads back down to the parking area. You are in bear country

Kootenay Plains Brochure