Livingstone River/Cataract Creek Access 2014

[jgee403]

Hey Guys and Girls,

I'm curious if anyone knows how to access the Livingstone River/Cataract Creek area now that HWY 532 is closed around the Willowcreek camp grounds. As a born and raised Calgarian, and long time fly-fishermen, I spend as many Saturdays and Sundays out there as i can and was alarmed when i drove out that way over the weekend (June 14th) and saw the road closure sign across HWY 532. I was unable to make a trip to the Livingstone River last summer and was completely unaware that the area had been so hard hit by the 2013 floods and was now inaccessable via HWY 532. Also, from what i can tell from the AMA road reports on 532, its not going to be open any time soon...

Is it possible to access the Livingstone/Cataract systems via the HWY 40 turn off around Longview, than taking HWY 940 into Kananaskis country and the Livingstone/Cataract river areas? According to Google maps its quite a trek but do-able. However, I haven't been able to find much info on the conditions of HWY 40 and HWY 940 and if there also closed as a result of last years floods.

Also, if anyone has some info on a quicker route to the Livingstone River system that bypasses HWY 532 it would be greatly appreciated! I usually head out there for day trips and would be extremely happy to find a way there that minimizes time spent in the truck thus allowing for more time spent on the river.

Any direction(s)/advice would be greatly appreciated and i would be happy to report back on what i find!

JG

[MoFugger21]

From all reports, 532 won't open again.

So if you're coming from Calgary, hwy 40 to 940 is your best bet. You could drive down to Maycroft and head west to hwy 40 then north, but that would add quite a bit of time. Hwy940 was closed after the flood last year, but I believe it is all repaired and opened up now.

[MoFugger21]

Originally Posted by MoFugger21

From all reports, 532 won't open again.

So if you're coming from Calgary, hwy 40 to 940 is your best bet. You could drive down to Maycroft and head west to hwy 940 then north, but that would add quite a bit of time. Hwy940 (south from hwy40) was closed after the flood last year, but I believe it is all repaired and opened up now.

Fixed my post

[lds]

I normally go down to 517 for Livingston and 541 for the cat. I know 517 is open this year. Was down it about a month ago

[jgee403]

Thanks for the reply guys, its appreciated.

lds - how do i get to the 517 and the 541 from Calgary?? Can I access those HWY's via HWY 22? And how did the Livingstone look when you were down that way? I'd imagine with all the rain we've had lately it's blownout?

[MoFugger21]

For what it's worth, this just came across my Twitter feed a few minutes ago....

Alberta Parks ‏@Albertaparks
Advisory: Livingstone Falls PRA is now closed due to road washouts.

[lds]

Well I was there a month ago and it was a bit murky but what it's like now I have no clue but I would bet it's just like everything else around right now. As for getting to the 541. That is the road heading west from Longview along the high wood and then you can drive down 40 from there but haven't been down that way since the flood so can't say what the road is like. 517 I have been on and it's open. That is way down by the old man where you cross it on the 22 and just after the bridge go west to 40. I think it's about 2 hrs to Livingston that way from the bottom of calgary

[Jjolg123]

Originally Posted by MoFugger21

From all reports, 532 won't open again.

So if you're coming from Calgary, hwy 40 to 940 is your best bet. You could drive down to Maycroft and head west to hwy 40 then north, but that would add quite a bit of time. Hwy940 was closed after the flood last year, but I believe it is all repaired and opened up now.

Curious where you heard that the 532 is no reopening? I took it back at the end of hunting season last year and they did quite a bit of work repairing it. Infact i heard they just repaired the bridge access closer to the east side of indian graves so you don;t have to drive the wash out beside it.

As for 940 south of the highway house you can go as far as cataract creek as of last week, the gate was closed just south of the cat creek rec area

[AlbertaAngler]

Originally Posted by Jjolg123

Curious where you heard that the 532 is no reopening? I took it back at the end of hunting season last year and they did quite a bit of work repairing it. Infact i heard they just repaired the bridge access closer to the east side of indian graves so you don;t have to drive the wash out beside it.

As for 940 south of the highway house you can go as far as cataract creek as of last week, the gate was closed just south of the cat creek rec area

Found this on the Alberta road site. I take it mean that the road will reopen at some point it would be a shame if it didn't

Highway 532 from junction Forestry Trunk road to Johnson Creek Bridge remains closed. As the damage visited on this area during the flooding was significant our consultants and engineers are continuing to assess the damage. However subject to addressing environmental concerns, safety matters, construction and weather issues we estimate that this route will reopen to the public in some capacity around the end of July 2014. ****************Update****************** Work resumes on April 30th 2014 on the rehabilitation of highway 532 following the flooding of last year. Updates regarding the progress of the rehabilitation work will be provided as soon as they become available.

[MoFugger21]

Originally Posted by Jjolg123

Curious where you heard that the 532 is no reopening? I took it back at the end of hunting season last year and they did quite a bit of work repairing it. Infact i heard they just repaired the bridge access closer to the east side of indian graves so you don;t have to drive the wash out beside it.

Mostly just hearsay and rumor - talking to people who have talked to other people and down the line. I guess I made it sound like I talked to reputable source, sorry.

The main reason I heard it wasn't going to reopen was it had been the oil companies stationed above the hump that were maintaining the road, and they either just weren't going to maintain it anymore or didn't need to use the road anymore so they wouldn't maintain it.

That road was becoming a mess in the past 5+ years. Just below the hump at the corner always seems to wash out. And the hump road itself had deterioriated to the point that there was next to no gravel, just giant rocks sticking out all over - was probably kept that way to keep traffic down, lol.

I hope I'm wrong and they do reopen it - that road cuts 30-45 minutes off our drive out to Livingstone.

[MoFugger21]

Originally Posted by AlbertaAngler

Found this on the Alberta road site. I take it mean that the road will reopen at some point it would be a shame if it didn't

That's good news if true! Looks like I'm wrong and I'm glad I am!