If you've driven the Trans-Canada Highway between Golden and Revelstoke, British Columbia then you've passed Heather Mountain Lodge & Cabins - but perhaps unknowingly. I know I've seen a sign pointing to heli-skiing in the winter but not once on the multiple times I've driven the Trans-Canada, did I clue into the fact that there was a beautiful lodge, just off the highway. But there is, and though it does cater to the heli-skier in…
The Abbott Ridge Trail in British Columbia's Glacier National Park (often confused with Montana's national park that goes by the same name) is the must do hike in the park despite its length and significant elevation gain. After hiking the Hermit Trail in the park a few years ago, I had an inkling I'd be in for a treat. Abbott Ridge is named for Henry Abbott, a mountain and railway man who helped build the…
The Eiffel Lake hike in Banff National Park is one fantastic outing with only one downside - it's hard to score a parking space at the Moraine Lake trailhead though fortunately there are ways to mitigate that described below. There is nothing difficult about the Eiffel Lake hike. There are no route-finding issues and the 11.2 km return distance and 400 m elevation gain are well within reach of any regular hiker. Despite the fact…
The Piper Pass hike in Kananaskis Country's Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park is fantastic. It exceeded all expectations in that it was easier and more beautiful than I thought it would be - and it was devoid of people. It's one of a number of hikes you can do from the Elbow Pass Day-Use area and I think it's the prettiest of the lot. You can do it as a long day hike from Highway 40…
Alberta's Kananaskis Country offers an incredible diversity of hiking experiences that are almost on par with what you'll find in the Rocky Mountain national parks - specifically Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay. Many of the trails are busier than they used to be - probably because so many people have discovered the joys of hiking thanks to COVID. But you can still lose the masses if you choose a hike that's a little longer. The…
Horseback riding is not really my thing. I've been petrified of horses since my horse-crazy mother put me on a pony when I was five. And it's not for lack of trying. I have been on trail rides all over Canada - from PEI to Ontario and Alberta. I even gamely hopped on a horse in Costa Rica and splashed through rivers and held on for dear life as we climbed up and down muddy…
For anyone eager to get out on a lake or reservoir in Alberta, you'll find Upper Kananaskis Lake to be a great choice. It sports a scenic mountain backdrop with one downside - it's often windy and it can blow up quickly, so paddling is best done early or late in the day when possible. The lake is located in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, approximately a 90-minute drive from Calgary. John and I enjoyed a…
On a June weekend before most bugs had made their presence known, John and I took off for northern Alberta to spend a long weekend with Darcy and Shirley Zelman, owners of Grand Rapids Wilderness Adventures. My goal was to check out the formidable Class VI Grand Rapids - labeled unnavigable (even Red Bull hasn't sent someone down) and some of the world's largest concretions that litter the Athabasca River shoreline and the river itself.…
If you're looking for an excellent mountain hike close to Canmore that doesn't take all day, consider the easy but steep hike to West Wind Pass. Considering the return distance is just 4.2 km and you gain only 378 m, most people will be able to knock the full hike off in 1.5 - 2.5 hours. It's a great alternative to the nearby, busier Ha Ling Peak. The other bonus with the West Wind Pass…
If you love a good waterfall hike, then put the Ribbon Falls hike in Kananaskis Country on your must do list. John and I chose to do it in late May - as many of Alberta's mountain hikes are still snowbound. It was a great choice from a couple of perspectives. First, it's a good warm-up to get in shape for harder hikes with more elevation gain. All told its about a 20.8 km return…