It's larch season in Alberta. What that means is seemingly sane people do insane things. Take myself for example. Yesterday, I rose at 3:15 AM and was in the car driving towards Lake Louise by 3:30 AM. I had been closely monitoring the weather forecasts across three stations and was keen on picking a clear day in the mountains. Even though the forecast wasn't ideal, the weather looked to be worsening over the week so…
We're eight kilometres into a 290 kilometre canoe trip in northern Saskatchewan and I'm already wondering how I'm going to survive two weeks of paddling. It's not the bugs, the rain or the mildly hypothermic temperatures I'm worried about - but our campsite we've had to carve out of the forest on a bed of slippery reindeer moss. Is this what we're going to have to do every night for two weeks I wonder to…
I discovered the Sunset Pass and Sunset Lookout hike accessed from the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park completely by chance. I was researching campgrounds to stay in that are a short hike in from the trailhead. Without looking into the details too much, the Norman Lake Campground on the way to Sunshine Pass seemed like a good choice as it is approximately 4 km from the parking lot. But to get there you have…
Maybe you had traditional late summer travel destinations you frequented each year, or you had to cancel plans for new locations to explore - but your adventures aren’t completely lost this year. We’ve got you covered with 11 road trips from Calgary you can do in a day (sometimes a long day!) that will stir your soul. These 11 adventures will have you socially distant, enjoying fresh air, lake-time, sand play, challenging yourself, filling your…
The Paget Lookout - Paget Peak hike in British Columbia's Yoho National Park was not our first choice on a summer weekend. But our plans to hike to the summit of Mt. Saint Piran were thwarted when we arrived at Lake Louise - the starting point, to find the parking lot full. In these COVID times it's always a good idea to have a Plan B as many trails and parking lots have been unbelievably…
The Chester Lake hike is one of the classics you must do in Kananaskis Country. It's been called the most popular trail in Kananaskis Country - and yet on the summer weekend I hiked it, the parking lot was far less busy than the one that offers access to Black Prince Cirque and Galatea Lakes. That may be a function of the distance from Calgary but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Chester…
Located in southern Poland, Krakow is one of Eastern Europe's many hidden gems. Its old medieval architecture blends well with the more modern remnants of the city's time under communist control, - one of the reasons why Krakow attracts visitors from all over the world. But Krakow offers so much more than meets the eye for travel newbies and seasoned veterans alike. After spending a month navigating the city on a bicycle, it's safe to…
If you live in the Calgary - Canmore corridor or you're on your way to Banff National Park, I highly recommend a stop at Dead Man's Flats to hike the Wind Ridge Trail. It's a fantastic day hike - though steep - with superlative views the minute you're out of the trees. The Wind Ridge Trail hike is easy to confuse with the West Wind Pass hike. Wind Ridge Trail is accessed from the Trans-Canada…
If you're on the search for new places to explore why not take a break from the mountains and head out on a road-trip to Lethbridge, a former coal mining city of just over 100,000 people, located on the scenic Oldman River in southern Alberta. Lethbridge Alberta is an undiscovered gem when it comes to its outdoor spaces. Reconnect with nature here via a network of hiking and biking trails - or a paddle/SUP experience…
