The south face of Mount Mara clears of ice and snow early because it has a south-facing aspect. On a mid-February day, we chose to explore gullies and hills around the base and west flank of the mountain. We visited a cave, Face Rock, hoodoos, bighorn sheep trails, fossil-laden slopes, ridges, and ice-filled gullies. We encountered a herd of sheep … Continue reading…
High above the town of Coalmont sits the ghost town of Blakeburn. Coal was mined 6 kilometres up the Lodestone Mountain Road and the town grew to over 500 people at its peak. It had a school, tennis courts, an ice ink, a community hall, two churches, homes, livestock, a bunkhouse, a company store, roads, and an aerial tramway system … Continue reading…
Most of the posts on this site are from recent outings, but in mid-winter, I sometimes go back to fill in the gaps reporting on past hikes. Monument 83 is one of these. I ran from the trailhead to the top and back, a total of 32 km. The trailhead starts at the Monument 78/83 parking lot, which is east … Continue reading…
In the world of fungi there are many similar species, so it is best to start with the common names for groups of similar types. We call polypores shelf fungus or bracket fungus. They often grow on trees or stumps in horizontal bodies called conks. The semi-circular bodies can be quite hard and live for a long time. They are … Continue reading…
The Glacier Crest Trail is a steep hike up a forested slope to an open ridgetop that lies between the Sir Donald – Perley Rock Cirque and the Asulkan Valley. For much of the route, we usually wonder why we have chosen this trail, but once we get to the top, we remember. For this reason, only do … Continue reading…
Mount Wheeler is the middle mountain in a the north-south series (Opax, Wheeler, Mara) dividing the grasslands from the Tranquille River Valley. There are two main routes up and over the mountain, from Pruden Pass on the south side and from Lac du Bois on the northeast. We have run, biked, hiked, scrambled, and snowshoed on Wheeler, but for this … Continue reading…
There are so many good hiking trails in Glacier National Park that it is hard to choose which ones to do for each trip. The very “best trails list”, though includes Abbott Ridge, Asulkan, Hermit, and Balu Pass. Balu Pass is sometimes closed due to grizzly activity so check at the Ranger Station before heading out. The trail starts at … Continue reading…
When Glacier House was opened in Rogers Pass, tourists could take the trail and stay in the hotel. Swiss guides took visitors out to climb the peaks and visitors could walk to the toe of the Great Glacier in 45 minutes. Historical photos and glacialogical research shows the extent of the Glacier and its retreat over the last 115 years. … Continue reading…
The Perley Rock Trail starts at the Campground then follows the east side of the Illecillewaet River at the stone trestle. The first section is shared with the Sir Donald Trail as the route climbs up through the forest into the Sir Donald – Perley Rock Cirque. One section goes through an old slide area and the creek draining … Continue reading…
The trail up to the col between Mount Uto and Sir Donald is very steep, but the views are spectacular. Sir Donald stands high above Rogers Pass, a pyramid of quartzite 3297m high. It is a classic climb and indeed there is a small campsite at the last bit of meadow below the col, used by climbers as a high … Continue reading…
Verdant Pass is a lesser-know hike in Jasper, but it is a pleasing day hike to a remote spot. The trail starts on the Edith Cavell Road, at the Astoria River Trailhead (to Tonquin Valley). Follow this trail on a gradual descent above the river for 4km. As the route approaches the junction of Verdant Creek and the Astoria River, … Continue reading…
We have been up to the base of Edith Cavell several times since it is the start of a few hikes – Astoria River Trail to Tonquin Valley, Verdant Pass (behind Edith Cavell), and Edith Cavell Meadows. The area can be very busy in summer and the parking area is often full. Many tourists walk to Cavell Lake to photograph … Continue reading…
One of our favorite hikes is Embleton Mountain. The trails are well-marked, there are nice views on the west side, and the system has many route options. Over the last few years, we have added a winter trek to the top on snowshoes. This is a more demanding route in the snow, but it is a lot easier when someone … Continue reading…
On our first trip to Zion National Park, we were thrilled with the Observation Point Trail. It was one of our favorites (previous article). Since then we have hiked it twice more and we will continue to go up the trail for as long as we can (the next time will be October, 2014). There are many options and much … Continue reading…
Rising above the Coquihalla stands Mount Thynne. There is a road to the top and when the snows have left 4×4’s and quads climb to the summit, but in later spring, we can drive up the road, park and hike to the top while snows still cover the upper road. The rewards are open slopes, alpine meadows, the first wildflowers … Continue reading…
The Virgin River comes off the heights of the Colorado Plateau through a deep canyon. Visitors to Zion National Park can go to the end of the road and then walk along the river path to the end of the trail. From that point on, all progress is in the river on a route called The Zion Narrows. Every day, … Continue reading…
