Hiking in the Rockies

We’re well into the dog days of summer. Or the do-nothing days.

Yes, while there are still festivals to come — please see our feature on the Calgary International Blues Festival, as well as the roundup of some of the food and froth fests on tap in August, and, of course, for those who aren’t quite cowboyed out, Country Thunder — it’s often summer’s signal to retreat back to nature. Be that for a week in the wilderness or even just for a few hours in one of the many picture-perfect perambulations in these parts. For this month’s RWND, we look to FFWD writer Christine Beevis Tricket’s run-down on some the best spots for a walkabout, be you a seasoned hiker, lapsed nature lover or someone who huffs and puffs climbing the stairs. Get out and enjoy the gloriousness that surrounds us — before you’re snowed in and cursing the frozen, hellish landscape we chose to live in.

May 15, 2014 by Christine

Beevis Trickett

Whether you’re a novice or seasoned professional, Alberta offers some of the most scenic and diverse hiking opportunities in the country. In a single day you can hike through a wildflower meadow, meander alongside a rushing river or climb a mountain.

Tunnel Mountain, located in the heart of the Town of Banff, is an easy introduction to hiking in the Rockies. It is perhaps one of Banff’s more well-known hikes due to its accessibility to the townsite and its well-maintained trail. Climbing to a height of 300 metres (948 feet), the 2.4-kilometre trail offers breath-taking panoramic views of Banff and the surrounding Bow and Spray river valleys.

From a distance, the mountain — one of the smallest summits in the Banff townsite — resembles a sleeping buffalo, which is fitting considering that was name given to the mountain by local First Nations.

While hikers might search for the mountain’s current namesake, they won’t find it. In 1882, a team of surveyors suggested a tunnel should be blasted through the mountain as they felt the most direct route for the Canadian Pacific Railway would be straight through rather than around. But CPR general manager William Van Horne, anxious to get the railway completed, refused the idea of a “damned tunnel” and the railroad was diverted to its current route. Despite the diversion the name stayed.

The trailhead for the hike is situated just off St. Julien Road near The Banff Centre (ed. now Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity). Alternately another access point is located at Tunnel Mountain Drive north of The Banff Centre. Rated a moderate hike, the trail switches back and forth along the mountainside to make the climb more gradual, although there are a few steeper sections. The trail can be icy in early spring and in late fall and winter.

The top of the trail opens up to a panoramic view of Mount Rundle and the Banff townsite in addition to the Banff Springs Hotel. From the top a five- to 10-minute hike along a trail heading east leads to an open grassy meadow. The round-trip takes approximately two to three hours.

For those who want to explore further or are ready for more of a challenge the following list includes some of the top hikes in the Rockies:

CANMORE/KANANASKIS

Grassi Lakes Canmore

Nordic Centre Provincial Park

Distance: 3.5km/1.5 hours return

Difficulty: Intermediate/difficult (two routes)

Features: Take one of two interpretive trails down to the Grassi Lakes area surrounded by cliffs often used by climbers. Trails up to the climbing cliffs also lead to pictographs. Hikers can use one trail going up and the other on their return to make this a loop.

Grotto Creek Canyon Trail

Bow Valley Provincial Park

Distance: 4.2kms/2 hours return

Difficulty: Intermediate

Features: The trail eventually winds through a narrow canyon featuring a waterfall and vertical rock walls.

For more information on hiking in provincial parks: albertaparks.ca

BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Sunshine Meadows

Distance: 13 km/half to full-day return

Difficulty: Moderate

Features: Located on the edge of the continental divide, the Sunshine Meadows are surrounded by some of the Rockies’ highest peaks and as a result feature some of the most stunning settings in the area. The trail starts from Sunshine Village, which you can reach either by gondola or by shuttle bus in the summer. Guided hikes are available.

Lake Agnes Teahouse Trail

Distance: 7 km/approx. 3 hours return from Lake Louise

Difficulty: Moderate

Features: A popular trail starting half a kilometre from the Chateau Lake Louise. Hike uphill along a well-groomed trail through a forested area to a quaint cabin by the lake for tea and a slice of pie. From the teahouse you may choose to hike to other destinations such as the Big Beehive (for views of Lake Louise and the Bow Valley) or Plain of Six Glaciers Trail.

Larch Valley/Sentinel Pass

Distance: 12 km/4-5 hours return

Difficulty: Moderate

Features: A great fall hike made popular for its yellow larches in autumn. Hike up to a meadow that allows lovely views of surrounding peaks in the Valley of the 10 Peaks. For more information on hiking within Banff National Park: pc.gc.ca, banff.ca, banfflakelouise.com

JASPER NATIONAL PARK

Maligne Canyon

Distance: 4.2kms/2 hours round trip

Difficulty: Easy/moderate

Features: A self-guided interpretive trail leads you through a limestone canyon that in some parts is only two metres across and 50 metres deep. Discover rare black swifts (a type of bird that nests at waterfalls) raven’s nests waterfalls fossils and underground streams.

Wilcox Pass

Distance: 2.4kms/1 hour return to the first viewpoint; 8kms/3 hours to the second viewpoint

Difficulty: Moderate

Features: Named for Rockies climber Walter Wilcox, this trail was historically used by First Nations families to bypass a canyon on the Sunwapta River north of the Athabasca Glacier. Trail starts steeply but flattens out gradually to an open meadow where you may spot bighorn rams.

Parker Ridge

Distance: 5.4kms/3 hours return

Difficulty: Moderate

Features: Climb a ridge along a well-defined trail with switchbacks up 275 metres and then down for a great view of the Saskatchewan Glacier. Catch glimpses of mountain goats and enjoy fields of alpine blue forget-me-nots and pink moss campion between mid-July and mid-August.

For more information on hiking in Jasper National Park: pc.gc.ca, https://www.jasper. travel/things-to-do/hiking-walking-biking/

This story was edited for space. To read the entire piece and more from the FFWD vaults, please go to theyyscene.com.