Driving from Vancouver to Calgary is a 10 - 11 hour, 1,000 kilometre road-trip if you stick to the Trans-Canada Highway. But you could easily spend a week stopping at small towns along the way and taking advantage of all the hiking, biking and adventurous activities. If you're not in a rush and you want to maximize the scenic factor then consider driving from Vancouver to Calgary via Whistler and the Sea to Sky Highway…
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…
All you need is half a day to do the Lake McArthur hike, one of the true gems in the Lake O'Hara area of Yoho National Park. The lake itself isn't that big - just 1.5 kilometres long but the sapphire blue colour will mesmerize you as will the setting. The lake is 85 metres deep and is responsible for the intense blue colour. The Lake McArthur hike begins on the north side of the…
The Lake O'Hara alpine circuit in Yoho National Park should be on every hiker's bucket list. You'll be rewarded with sublime scenery from start to finish, turquoise coloured lakes and lichen covered rocks twisted into impossible shapes as well as challenging trails. The route was designed by Lawrence Grassi - a man who wore many hats including that of park warden at Lake O'Hara, stonemason, miner and the person whom the Grassi Lakes above Canmore…
The hike to Lake Oesa from Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park is short, easy and family-friendly. It rewards with incredible mountain scenery and a turquoise-coloured lake in a spectacular mountain setting. It's a straight forward 6.6 kilometre (4.1 mile) round trip hike to Lake Oesa with only 240 metres of elevation gain - providing of course you start at Lake O'Hara and you haven't had to walk in from the parking lot. But that's…
I was invited by the media group representing Travel Alberta to join a group on a two day combination hike to Abbott Pass Hut on the Alberta - BC border. Their goal was to produce a three to four minute video of the journey for the Travel Alberta website for release later in the fall. Part of the hike to Abbott Pass is a serious scree climb and the hut is precariously through beautifully situated. …
Interested in what things you can do in Yoho National Park? This Canadian Rocky Mountain Park is one of the four contiguous national parks in the Rockies that received UNESCO status in 1984. Yoho National Park is located between Golden, British Columbia and Lake Louise, Alberta. The park which has been around since 1886, sits entirely in British Columbia, with a visitor centre located just outside the pretty town of Field. Yoho National Park is…
A weekend at Lake OHara Lodge in Yoho National Park is the perfect prescription to chase any winter blues you might have away. Lake OHara Lodge first showed up on my radar screen after reading an article several years ago in the Globe and Mail titled Our Favourite Places. The photo and the description of the lodge and surrounding area stayed with me; and now after spending two nights up at Lake OHara Lodge, I…