Heart Mountain and Grant MacEwan Peak

June 15, 2019. An enjoyable and popular scramble to a pair of low peaks near Canmore. Distance: 8.2 km out-and-back* Total Ascent: 1038 m* Elevation of Objective: 2135 m (Heart Mountain) and 2149 m (Grant MacEwan Peak) Hiking Time: 6h 30m* *I did this trip as part of a scrambling course, so we went back and forth on […]

Star Creek Falls

June 9, 2019. An easy hike to a waterfall in the Crowsnest Pass. Perfect for young kids. Distance: 1 km one-way from the parking area to the best views of the waterfall Total ascent: Approximately 90 m Star Creek Falls is a picturesque waterfall accessible by a short trail. There’s actually a loop route that […]

Table Mountain – Scrambler’s Route

June 4, 2019. A straight-forward scramble to the summit of one of the gems of Castle Provincial Park. Distance: 11 km Total Ascent: 877 m Elevation of Objective: 2225 m Hiking Time: 4h 3m round-trip Two years ago I climbed the usual on-trail route to the summit of Table Mountain. That trail is varied and steep, and has […]

Anklebiter Ridge to Bluemat Hill Loop

June 1, 2019. An enjoyable scramble to a pair of low peaks in the Canmore area. Distance: 8.6 km according to TopoMaps, 6.4 km according to MotionX – I can’t explain the large discrepancy, but 6.4 km is closer to the distance reported by other blogs Total Ascent: 1,023 m Elevation of Objective: 2,123 m Hiking Time: 5h […]

Wedge Mountain Summit

May 20, 2019. A spring ascent of a low summit in the Crowsnest Pass. Distance: 7.2 km round-trip Total Ascent: 490 m Elevation of Objective: 1917 m Hiking Time: 2h 13m I’d previously snowshoed up Wedge Mountain Trail in the Crowsnest pass and found it to be a pleasant winter outing. At that time I’d taken a […]

Lower Bertha Falls

March 16, 2019. A pleasant snowshoe trip on one of Waterton’s most popular trails. Distance: 2.7km to the lower falls / 5.4km out-and-back Total ascent: 209m Elevation of objective: 1448m Hiking time: 2h 30m round-trip (this included frequent stops to take test photos with a new camera) Through the winter of 2019 much of the fire-damaged terrain in Waterton […]

Tunnel Mountain Circuit

February 8, 2019. A short winter hike around the base of Banff’s Tunnel Mountain. Distance: 5.0 km loop Total Ascent: 153 m Elevation of objective: N/A Hiking time: 1h 25m Last February I had the chance to follow the trail up to the summit of Tunnel Mountain. This year I decided to put together a route that […]

Mount Backus

January 13, 2019. A tedious climb to a low summit in the Castle Wilderness. Distance: 6.25 km round-trip Total ascent: 478 m Elevation of objective: 1800 m Hiking time: 3h 13m Steep, uphill bushwhacking. Barbed wire. Copious deadfall. Traveling through trees. Bare ground alternating with thigh-deep snow. These are the features that await on Mount […]

Saskatoon Mountain

January 5, 2019. A straightforward winter hike to a low summit in the Crowsnest Pass. Distance: 8.29 km round-trip Total Ascent: 495 m Elevation of objective: 1820 m Round-trip time: 3h 17m As is typical at the start of the winter season, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to get […]

Southfork Lakes

October 23, 2018. A chilly river crossing followed by a steep ascent to a trio of high mountain lakes in the Castle Wilderness. Distance: 10.1 km round-trip Total Ascent: 745 m Elevation of objective: 2026 m Hiking time: 4h 39m I turned 40 on October 23, 2018. I had originally been trying to work out a way […]