Video and Gallery: K-Country sparkles on last day before Hwy 40 shutdown – OkotoksOnline.com [Video]

Backcountry hikers and skiers slipped out to south Kananaskis Country on Saturday (Nov. 30) for the final day before Hwy 40 shut down.

Bighorn sheep were also out, along with a bald eagle which you can see below in the photo gallery.

Every year the gate at Hwy 40 from the Highwood Junction at Hwy 940 closes and shuts down the highway to the entrance to the Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes on Hwy 742.

The reason for the closure is to protect the migration of animals and to minimize human interaction during the long cold winter months when food is scarce.

Many hikers were surprised at the chinook temperatures on Saturday, November 30 as the afternoon temperature hovered near zero while it was about 15 to 20 degrees colder in High River.

The warm temperature also kept Cat …