THE ROCKIES & A HARD PLACE
Whether climbing a rock face, hiking through subalpine forest, canoeing on a glacial lake or trail-riding on a mountain bike, the Canadian Rockies has the perfect terrain in which to go wild over summer. WORDS TONY MAGNUSSON PHOTOGRAPHY CAROLINE WEST
Lake Louise, Alberta
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oncentration is clarifying. Halfway up a slab of limestone outside Banff, clinging to the rock face like lichen, everyday concerns are rendered insubstantial. The white noise of consciousness recedes; a sense of perspective emerges. All that matters is getting to the top, alive and in one piece. Of the many adventure pursuits offered in Canada’s Rocky Mountains in summer, rockclimbing feels the most emblematic. Scaling even just a modest slab turns a confirmed city slicker into a wannabe mountain man. The placing of trust is key – in rope, carabiner and harness; in the anchoring bolts at the summit; in the belayer at the foot of the cliff, keeping hold of the rope in case of a fall; and, especially, in oneself. To a novice standing on the ground, every climb looks like a punishing workout waiting to happen. It’s not until you have manoeuvred your way skyward a few metres that the rock begins to reveal its true character. Ascending in diagonals, searching out hand- and footholds, each and every muscle is engaged, and then some. But the most utilised muscle turns out to be the brain. More than brute strength or wily flexibility, the signal attribute of a rock climber is his or her facility for problem solving. Think of it as a near-vertical game of join-the-dots with the climber as the line. “The beauty of climbing is that most people can find a place within the sport,” says Rob Turner of Yamnuska Mountain Adventures (yamnuska.com), which operates out of Canmore in Alberta. “The common theme is a sense of adventure – a willingness to take on a challenge and try something new.” A veteran climbing and mountaineering instructor with 25 years of experience under his belt, he has guided children as young as five and adults in their seventies. “Many people think that you can’t be afraid of heights to climb, but for some the inspiration is the challenge of overcoming that fear.” Much of a beginner’s apprehension is allayed once they understand how safe it is, if taught and practised correctly. Climbing ropes are both strong and dynamic – they stretch to absorb the shock of a fall. Other safety system components, such as carabiners and webbing, can withstand 24kN (kiloNewtons) of force. Go slow, Turner advises. “Let your confidence and competence grow together with time, knowledge and experience.” That’s all well and good, but I am on a nimble high following my first ascent at between 50 and 60 degrees, 4 8 Q A N TA S A PR I L 201 3
and am keen to try something a little more difficult. Accordingly, we move a few metres along the foot of the cliff to a section whose angle varies between 80 and 110 degrees. In other words, some parts are overhanging, a word no beginner wants to hear. The steeper the climb, the more upper-body strength is required. Problems need solving, fast. No-one wants to be left hanging by the fingertips for longer than is necessary. But it’s a long way to the top, especially with muscles so freshly fatigued they’re quivering.
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HE CANADIAN ROCKIES are a landscape built for adventure, one in which the summers are short, hard-earned and all the sweeter for it. Yet Mother Nature is unpredictable and, after days of crisp sunshine, deep blue has given way to troubled grey. A thunderstorm is brewing, impervious to the hikers who’ve set their sights on the snow-capped terrain surrounding Lake Louise, about 50km northwest of Banff. The wind begins to stir, rustling Rocky Mountain fir and Engelmann spruce as our group treks through subalpine forest en route to Saddleback Pass, an ascent of 600m along a 4km trail. Our guide for the day, Jeff Douglas from Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (fairmont.com/lake-louise), has distributed wet weather gear and warns that if the lightning gets too friendly, it will be a case of “Descend, descend, descend.” A few hundred metres below, tourists crowd the shores of the milky teal-coloured lake, posing for photos against the backdrop of Mount Victoria and its 90m-thick glacier. Despite all the hiking trails, most visitors to the hamlet stop for just 20 minutes – to pee and buy a postcard, joke the locals. It’s a shame for them, but a boon for those willing to venture beyond paved footpaths, the reward being the chance to explore alpine terrain in relative solitude. Still, relative solitude has a downside. Traversing the same trail in September 2011, veteran mountain guide Barry Blanchard and a Japanese client were stalked and chased up a tree by a delinquent grizzly bear. The sixyear-old male managed to climb 18m in pursuit of the terrified pair, who threw a headlamp at the beast to fend him off (they’d left their backpacks on the ground as a diversion). Eventually the bear returned to terra firma ❯
Clockwise from right: boathouse on Lake Louise; rockclimbing essentials; Cameron Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta; tree roping at Rafter Six Ranch
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and wandered off, leaving Blanchard and his client to wait for a passing hiker to raise the alarm. Such encounters are rare, given that Banff National Park’s 6641sq km is home to only around 60 grizzlies and between 80 to 100 black bears. These population estimates point to the uncomfortable fact that, even in a national park, life is tough for bears forced to share their habitat with humans. Nevertheless, every falling twig and gust of wind rattles our resolve until Douglas explains that the sound of human voices is a far more efficient deterrent than the bear spray he always carries with him (and which Blanchard had left behind). Absorbing this information, his charges waste no time in raising the conversational volume as they follow the looping path up towards the pass. Once there and with the weather fast deteriorating, Douglas elects to leave the exposed area – a vast, sloping plain of rock fall populated by whistling marmots and pikas – in favour of an old Swiss guides’ trail that will provide protection from the elements and, he promises, knockout views. After following the trail for a spell, we embark on a short, undergrowth-whacking sortie to one of our guide’s secret spots. Spread out before us is a panorama so miraculous it looks like a Caspar David Friedrich painting come to life. Ahead is the fog-enshrouded bulk of Mount Temple, elevation 3544m. Far below, the woods of Paradise Valley and, at some distance, Lake Annette, 5 0 Q A N TA S A PR I L 201 3
a tiny disc of glassy green. Huddled beneath dripping tree boughs, there is but one adequate response – quiet awe. Presently, the silence is jettisoned by the call and response of lightning and thunder. The air feels charged, the wind ragged. It’s time to go.
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AY DOWN SOUTH on the Canada-US border, Waterton Lakes National Park comprises just 505 sq km, but within this general area around 15 grizzly bears are said to roam (the population of black bears, while probably higher, is unknown). During berry season, from August to October, bear spotting is a frequently rewarding pastime as the animals graze widely while consuming up to 84,000kJ per day in preparation for winter. But ursine attractions aren’t the only reason people flock to this pristine park with its chain of lakes and quaint township. Abutting Glacier National Park in Montana, with which it shares international peace park status, Waterton is a World Heritage Site thanks to the abundance and diversity of its plant and animal life. These include 250 bird species, 24 fish species (the largest recorded catch was a lake trout weighing in at more than 24kg) and 45 habitat types. The park is also a habitat for cougars, coyotes and wolves, while deer and elk frequently wander through Waterton township. ❯
From left: mountaineering instructor Rob Turner; Mount Temple; Turner rockclimbing at Mount Rundle
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Here at the southern end of the Canadian Rockies, which emerge from the prairies like an erratic cardiogram on the horizon, life is quiet and unhurried. Unlike Banff or Lake Louise, no gargantuan luxury hotel attracts the coach-tourist set. Instead, apart from a number of modest motels, the stately and historic Prince of Wales Hotel perches on a bald bluff overlooking the water. Built in 1927 and open for 102 days over summer, it is possessed of a bygone, vaguely Swiss charm and features a wooden, atrium-style lobby where traditional afternoon tea is served by tartan-clad waiters. Waterton is horse country. Many trails were forged during the heyday of the great lodges, linking the Prince of Wales with sister properties scattered throughout Glacier National Park. Daily lake cruises afford visitors picturesque shoreline views all the way to Montana, but nothing beats an aspect at altitude like that enjoyed from Lion’s Head, part-way up Mount Vimy to the east of the lakes. Even better, a golden palomino named PJ does most of the leg work. Guided by teenage cowgirls working for their family’s Alpine Stables (alpinestables. com) over summer, our equine train negotiates flat, grassy plains, rising shrubland and, finally, elevated forest replete with Saskatoon berry bushes. The horses rest in a secluded grove while we hike the last 200m to a vista of all three lakes – Lower, Middle and Upper Waterton – and the mottled prairies that stretch north to Calgary. Photos are taken, superlatives voiced. The cowgirl cousins carve their names onto a piece of shale, inspiring others to do likewise. Across the valley, Mount Crandell and her cronies flaunt their creased velveteen slopes and denuded crowns, free of winter’s customary white garb. Wildflowers shiver in the gathering breeze. The low murmur of conversation subsides. Once again, the landscape works its magic. ❯ 52 Q A N TA S A PR I L 201 3
Clockwise from above: horseriding guide Azley Watson in Waterton Lakes National Park; happy trails and preferred mode of transport at Rafter Six Ranch
ADVENTURE CANADA To eat Alberta steak BAYSHORE LAKESIDE CHOPHOUSE Set close to the water’s edge in Waterton, it offers a selection of dishes to suit most palates, including choice cuts of Alberta steak, from grain-fed AAA tenderloin to Angus rib-eye. bayshoreinn.com
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MOUNTAIN MOMENTS For families RAFTER SIX RANCH Tree-roping, horseriding and whitewater rafting adventures halfway between Calgary and Banff in Kananaskis Country. Accommodation from $CA149 ($142) winter season/plus taxes/fees. raftersix.com On two wheels KANANASKIS OUTFITTERS Cycle forest trails through colonies of trembling aspen, trunks scarred with bear-claw marks, with guide Claude Faerden of Kananaskis Outfitters next to Delta Lodge. kananaskisoutfitters.com
Chateau Lake Louise; rental canoes on the lake (above)
To be pampered WILLOW STREAM SPA This luxury haven at The Fairmont Banff Springs boasts a large mineral pool flanked by smaller pools of varying temperatures, each fed by a waterfall. Saunas, steam rooms and various treatments. fairmont. com/banff-springs/willow-stream For views THE FAIRMONT CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE Splurge on a Lakeview room, for obvious reasons. The view from a rental canoe on Lake Louise is almost as good. From $CA289 ($276). fairmont.com/lake-louise For dinner DEER LODGE Minutes from Lake Louise, Deer Lodge’s renowned Mount Fairview Dining Room serves elk, bison, caribou, venison and rabbit in a bucolic heritage building, originally a teahouse for mountaineers. crmr.com/deer
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For lunch on the go WIENERS OF WATERTON Fabulous gourmet hot dogs. The buns are morning-fresh, the meat is grilled while customers wait. wienersofwaterton.com Or afternoon tea PRINCE OF WALES HOTEL This heritage hotel is proud of its creaky floors and thin walls. There’s no TV or internet. Afternoon tea, served 1-5pm, offers the full grandeur of Waterton Lakes as a backdrop. From $CA199 ($190). glacier parkinc.com/prince_of_wales.php For solitude CAMERON LAKE A short drive from Waterton, ultra-serene Cameron Lake recalls Lake Louise with its spectacular mountain backdrop – minus tourists. Early-morning visitors may have it to themselves. Non-motorised boats for hire. cameronlakeboatrentals.com Or bear-spotting RED ROCK PARKWAY The 16km drive from Waterton to Red Rock Canyon makes for good sightings during berry season. We witnessed two black bears and one grizzly grazing near the roadside in the space of two hours. It’s lunacy to step outside your vehicle or get closer than 100m to a bear. In other words, pack a good zoom lens. Closed to motor vehicles from late October until May. ! for further information visit www.travelaberta.com or www.canada.travel For airfares and Canadian holiday packages call Qantas Holidays on 1300 735 542 or visit qantas.com/holidaysaustralianway