| Elk Pass | |
|---|---|
  Location in Alberta Show map of Alberta Location in British Columbia Show map of British Columbia | |
| Elevation | 1,905 m (6,250 ft)[1] |
| Traversed by | Trans Canada Trail(proposed) |
| Location | Alberta–British Columbia border,Canada |
| Range | Canadian Rockies |
| Coordinates | 50°35′10″N115°04′27″W / 50.58611°N 115.07417°W /50.58611; -115.07417[2] |
| Topo map | NTS82J11Kananaskis Lakes |
Elk Pass (el. 1,905 m or 6,250 ft) is a highmountain pass in the Canadian Rockies, traversing thecontinental divide. It connects theElk Valley in the province ofBritish Columbia with theKananaskis Valley inAlberta.
The pass is unusual by its 4 km (2.5 mi) width, as the two valleys were created from a single glaciated trench. The 1916 Alberta/British Columbia Provincial Boundary Surveyors subdivided it into two routes labeled as "West Passage" and "East Passage." These would later be gazetteered asWest Elk Pass andEast Elk Pass.[3]
Elk Pass is inaccessible to conventional road traffic. On the Albertan side it reaches intoPeter Lougheed Provincial Park, while on the British Columbian side it is slightly east ofElk Lakes Provincial Park.
TheTrans Canada Trail has hoped to designate preexisting hiking trails through the Elk Pass as its continental divide-crossing section, but has come into conflict with coal mines in the Upper Elk Valley over the impacts such a routing would have on their ability to expand their mine sites. In the past, residents ofElkford, British Columbia had proposed extendingBritish Columbia Highway 43 over the pass and into Alberta, creating a new all-weather route from B.C. to Calgary, but in light of enhanced environmental protection on the Albertan side, the project is no longer considered likely.[citation needed]