Canada is the second largest country in the world. From St. John's, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia it's roughly a distance of 7,400 kilometres. And from Vancouver heading north to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory, it's 2,400 kilometres. Add another 1,200 kilometres to reach Inuvik, the last community of any size before the Arctic Ocean. My point is Canada is huge. It's best to focus on just a few areas if you plan to visit. Here…
There's nothing like big dumps of snow in the mountains to get you motivated to get outside, especially in Alberta on days when you have the magic combo of blue skies with awe-inspiring mountain scenery. Need some suggestions on where to go? Here are eight of the best places to snowshoe in Alberta. Medicine Lake – Watchtower Canyon, Jasper National Park Medicine Lake is a very popular snowshoeing destination out of Jasper, especially since it's only…
Red Rock Coulee Natural Area has an otherworldly feel to it. Littered with sandstone concretions, the red rocks measuring as much as 2.5 metres in diameter are formed naturally via the sediments they rest upon. According to the sign at the parking lot: The process by which concretions are formed leaves them harder and more resistant to erosional forces than the surrounding material. When the parent material erodes the spheres are left exposed and then…
A few weeks ago I spent part of a day in Elk Island National Park in winter. It's an easy place to access as a day trip from Edmonton. The plan included some snowshoeing on a myriad of trails with the hope of seeing some of the plains and wood bison that call the park home. My trip to Elk Island National Park made me think of a time when our family traveled to Yellowstone National Park…
For this Calgarian, Edmonton is not the first place I think of for a weekend getaway. But my misconceptions about the city were rocked over three days as I discovered a multitude of great restaurants, shopping, culture and things to do. Edmonton is home to over 30 annual festivals - so plan a weekend getaway around a festival or event you'd like to attend. I had come for the Red Bull Crashed Ice Event -…
Topping out at 2,437 metres (7,995 feet), Moose Mountain in Kananaskis Country offers some of the premier vistas in the area. It's a popular day hike for those living in the Bragg Creek and Calgary area. Moose Mountain can be approached by a number of routes; most hikers do it via the trail that is accessed from a seven kilometre dirt road that takes off from Highway 66 just after the Paddy's Flat Campground. The…
I celebrated my birthday by taking the day off and heading with John to Kananaskis Country, Alberta. Our plan for the day was to cycle to Highwood Pass on the highest public road in Canada. We chose to do the more gradual route from the entrance closest to the community of Longview, accessible via a 45 minute drive from Calgary. This bike ride has been on my wish list for several years. But I've always…
With the summer hiking season around the corner I thought I would share with you 10 of my favourite one day hikes in British Columbia and Alberta. I've obviously missed some great ones - but that's okay - as I too want a reason to keep exploring. For those of you who prefer longer outings you can check out my post - The Top 5 Backpacking Trips in the Canadian Rockies. My favourite one day hikes in British…
The Prairie Mountain hike, accessed near Bragg Creek in Kananaskis Country Alberta, is one of the top year-round hikes if you live in the Calgary area. Nothing beats it for the workout and the views - especially during the winter months. And you don't have to worry about avalanche danger if you stick to the main trail. The Prairie Mountain hike is similar to Vancouver's Grouse Grind but offers better views. However there is no…
I like to mark the end of summer by getting away over the Labour Day weekend. Most years we've done a hiking or backpacking trip and this year was no exception. Our destination was Waterton Lakes National Park, about three hours south of Calgary on the border with Montana. Waterton adjoins Glacier National Park so the hiking options between the two parks are extraordinary. We spent two nights and three days in Waterton - hiking Lineham…
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