What a delight the Pigeon Mountain hike near Canmore turned out to be. Once you get away from the powerline and break through the trees, views are superb. The same goes for wildflowers. They're excellent in the meadows in summer and even in early fall when there are plenty of reds and yellows to enliven the landscape. Although the climb to the summit is a stiff one, it modulates often enough that you can catch…
The Jura Creek hike near Canmore is a family-friendly outing with an option to add a level of difficulty by doing a loop hike that includes a scramble of Doorjamb and Loder Peak. Another alternative once out of the canyon and past the false fault, is to walk up Jura Creek for many kilometres. Near the end of Jura Creek, you can climb Morrowmount (in the summer or fall), a peak named for Patrick Morrow,…
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…
The town of Canmore is both the gateway to Banff National Park and an access point to Kananaskis Country. As a result there is an unbelievable amount of truly exceptional hiking within an hour's drive. I've tried to showcase Canmore hikes that offer views within a short distance of the town, with most about a 15 - 20 minute drive away. The hike to the Sparrowhawk Tarns is the exception. Many of these Canmore hikes…
The EEOR hike (short for east end of Rundle) near Canmore is an out and back scramble that will test your mettle. It's steep from the get-go with an elevation gain of 875 m over just 2.9 km. For many people the EEOR hike will be a challenge. It's got lots of loose rock which is unsettling for some - and a cliff band with rock ledges along with some exposure near the top to…
The Mount Lady MacDonald hike out of Canmore is one of a handful of early season hikes that delivers a great workout along with spectacular views. It's a popular trail as we discovered, with most hikers turning around at the heli-pad. If you don't mind a little scree - or snow if it's spring time, then continue up past the heli-pad on the Mount Lady MacDonald hike until you reach the knife-edge ridge. You'll have…
Can you picture yourself soaking in a hot tub minutes after finishing a day of cross-country skiing in the mountains? Or drinking a local beer after an icy walk in a mountain canyon? If you answered yes, head to Canmore, a gem of a mountain town where there are lots of things to do in winter. It's only an hour's drive west of Calgary and just minutes from the gates of Banff National Park. If…
With fickle spring weather, John and I have had a hard time finding a day on a weekend to do the Heart Mountain hike. Finally in late April the weather Gods provided the window to do it. The Heart Mountain hike near Canmore is 2.8 km one way with an elevation gain of 745 m (2,450 feet). It's nothing but up until you reach the summit. It took us just over four hours return including…
It's a fantastic hike to the summit of Ha Ling Peak - if you're looking for a great workout in the mountains that doesn't eat up the entire day. Ha Ling is an imposing, inaccessible looking peak from any vantage point in Canmore, but the reality once you're on the hiking trail is very different. The trailhead for the Ha Ling Peak hike, located just south of Canmore off the Spray Lakes Road, is easy…
Spring is a great time to be a cyclist in Calgary. The snow is gone - or what is left is inconsequential - and the temperatures are conducive to getting out on a bike. Calgary itself is lucky to have over 600 kilometres of bike trails. But there are also loads of great bike rides within 75 minutes to 90 minutes of the city. Here are my top 11 picks for Calgary and area bike…