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The White buda – Vents Ridge hike is perfect for those of you who want a short climb and steep descent with a great view of Elbow Valley, not far from Bragg Creek. You can turn it off within a few hours, even after work on a summer evening. It’s also interesting – you’ll likely see climbers rock climbing onto the White Buddha – or onto the rock during the descent.

If you are a regular on Prairie Mountain HikeThen I think you’ll love this hike – simply as a way to change things up and get a different view – and get a decent workout (although not as much of a hike as the prairie) in just a few hours.

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We loved the steep hike from the top of Vents Ridge to meet the Prairie Creek Trail

White Buddha Vents Ridge Trip Summary

distance: Approximately 6 km hike starting at the Powderface Creek trailhead and ending at the Prairie Creek trailhead on Interstate 66 Near Elbow Falls.

Height gain: 360 meters or 1,181 feet to Vents Ridge

Time needed: 2 – 3 hours

difficulty: Moderate – due to the steep incline off Vents Ridge. Younger kids can reach White Buddha or the top of Vents Ridge, but I wouldn’t recommend hiking down.

Good to know: The White Buddha Path is sometimes referred to as the Cory Rob Path.

Dogs: Allowed on leash.

Wildlife: Although I’ve never seen a bear on any of the hikes I’ve taken in the area, I still recommend quick access to bear spray.

Permits: You will need to Kananaskis Conservation Trail.

Don’t forget: pack Hiking basics And practice the seven Leave no trace principles. Be sure to tell someone where you are going and please take out any trash.

Walking equipment: Hiking poles and small spikes are useful in the shoulder season when exposed to snow or ice.

Trail descending Prairie Creek to access Highway 66 and parking

Road head location

Take Highway 66 to Elbow Falls. You can park at the Elbow Falls parking lot, along Highway 66 as shown below – about 300 meters after the Elbow Falls turnoff, or at the Powderface Creek Trail parking lot. Arrive early on weekends with good weather.

If you park on Highway 66, you are halfway between the start and end points of the White Budda Vents Ridge hike

A very rough map of the White Budd Vents Ridge hiking trip

Best time for hiking

The best time to trek White Budda Vents Ridge is from mid-spring through November. I know people hike back and forth to White Buddha in the winter because the upper section is in the sun, but I wouldn’t recommend doing Vents Ridge in the winter. A steep descent on a narrow road is not safe when it is covered in snow and ice.

At the bottom of the steep incline, you’ll cross Prairie Creek, and in the spring the flow can be quite high. The bridge is narrow, and some hikers may find it a bit uncomfortable.

Crossing Prairie Creek on a narrow bridge in early November

Who will enjoy the outing?

If you’re a regular visitor to Prairie Mountain – and want to switch it up occasionally, hiking White Buda Vents Ridge is a great option. You’ll get a great workout with just a half-day commitment. It’s great to see the cliffs (and rock climbers) that form the White Buddha – and the views from Vents Ridge are fantastic.

John along the path next to the white Buddha climbing rock

White Buddha – description of the height of Vents Ridge

My description takes you clockwise – so count on a steep incline to the Prairie Creek Trail. If you prefer to hike to Vents Ridge and drop off White buda, simply follow the directions in the opposite direction.

We started at the Powderface Creek trailhead. The track is largely in the forest with little views over the first 1.1 km. If you are doing this hike in shoulder season, I recommend this Small forks Because it can be very icy in shaded sections.

About 100 meters after crossing the bridge, 1 km into the hike, look for a narrow path on your right heading steeply upward. See the image showing the sharp turn below. Also notice how icy the Powderface Creek Trail is in early November.

Start your hike to Vents Ridge on the Powderface Creek Trail if you want to hike as a clockwise loop

Gain about 200m on the 700m trail to reach White buda once you leave the Powderface Creek trail.

Make a sharp right turn off the Powderface Creek trail into a gorge that leads to White buda

It's a tough climb on the so-called Kori Robe Trail towards the White Buddha — It’s a tough climb on the so-called Kori Rope Trail towards the White Buddha Cliffs

A view overlooking the Powderface Creek Trail

There is a good trail next to the White Buddha Cliffs. Do not stay where falling rocks could be a problem. At the far end of the slopes, there is a final, steeper section to reach Vents Ridge – and then the views unfold.

The cliffs at White Buddha Rock Climbing are a sight to behold

We spent a few minutes watching this fellow dangling from the cliffs of the White Buddha

Final climb to reach the top of Vents Ridge

John enjoys expansive views of Prairie Mountain and Elbow Valley from the top of Vents Ridge

Descend from Vents Ridge

From the top of Vents Ridge, you can simply retrace your steps back to the car for 5 km. If you are a family with younger children, this would be the smart thing to do.

Otherwise, head into the forest on a good path. It is about 1.3 km to meet the Prairie Creek Trail. Most of it is quite steep – but it’s also beautiful with all the white and gray rocks and fun hiking. The rock is surprisingly tall. There were several occasions when John and I thought we had reached the end of it, only to see it continue.

Wait until it snows to do this, unless you are a very experienced hiker with the proper equipment such as poles and small spikes.

A great start to the hike from White buda and Vents Ridge

Looking steeply from Vent Ridge to the Prairie Creek Trail — Looking sharply from Vents Ridge to the Prairie Creek Trail

Take a well-defined path through the trees — Stay on a well-defined path through the trees

The hiking is very nice next to the slopes

The hill slopes steeply to your right as you descend Vents Ridge

Note the Vents Ridge sign visible from the Prairie Creek Trail

Once you reach the Prairie Creek Trail, you’ll walk home free. It is located just 2 km off Highway 66 from here on a good wide road. Most of it is downhill – but nothing too steep.