This site feels prehistoric, other-worldy, unique. The combination of shapes and colors makes this a very special place. Its quite close to home, but hard to get to. Route Choice One – Go past Savona and turn onto the Sabiston Creek Road. Follow it to the Copper Creek Road and descend towards the lake. You will come to private property. … Continue reading…
We have been to Sunshine Meadows in 3 seasons. It is a good ski hill and a rewarding cross-country ski area in winter. As a section of the backpack all the way over to Assiniboine, it is a scenic and moderate section of the 52+km one-way route. And, for a summer hike, the 21 km return hike is open, has … Continue reading…
For the most part, Greenstone Mountain and the surrounding hills are used by off-road bikes, quads, and snowmobiles, but the area is accessible to hikers, mountain bikers, and snowshoers. It is a very large area with many backroads and trails and linking them up is not an easy matter. As you approach Greenstone Mountain, you climb through the grasslands … Continue reading…
This hike surprised us. It starts on the Lake Minnewanka Road. Turn off to the Upper Bankhead parking area. Start at the trailhead sign. The trail climbs through mixed forest up to the old C-Level mining area. There are some derelict buildings and fenced mine shafts at the 1.1 km mark. At 1.3 km (just past the coal tailings), take … Continue reading…
There are no bug issues in the winter. Wise hikers stick to unplowed backroads, low-level trails or do their trekking on cross-country skis or snowshoes. Winter is not a B Season. The first hiking season is Before Bugs. Starting in March and ending in mid-June, the BB Season is the perfect time to do low-elevation hikes, south slopes, or mild-areas. … Continue reading…
One of the best hikes in the Rockies is the trail up to Helen Lake and beyond to Dolomite Pass. The trailhead starts on the Jasper-Banff Parkway, 33 km north of the Lake Louise Junction. The Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint is on the west side; the Helen Lake trail is on the east side. The trail climbs through fairly open forest … Continue reading…
This trail is 13 km long and runs from the McQueen Lake area to Deep Lake. We recommend traveling west to east since there is a net drop in elevation. A two-car system or someone to drop you off makes this a point-to-point trail. The trailhead is actually at the east side of the McQueen Lake property (at N 50° … Continue reading…
The McQueen Lake Environmental Education Center is run by SD73. School groups use the Overnight Center all year. There are a number of established trails for hiking and cross country skiing and the public can use the trails, obeying posted regulations. To avoid direct contact with school groups, it is recommended that hikers park at the southwest entrance, right at … Continue reading…
This is a low-key hike, but a pleasant one nonetheless. If you are looking for additional distance, you can climb to the lookout or hike the Forestry Capital Trail (a separate post) over to McQueen Lake. To get to Isobel Lake, take the Lac Du Bois Road, then as you near the north end of McQueen Lake, take the fork … Continue reading…
Rabbit Island sits out in the middle of the Thompson River not too far away from McArthur Island. Deer overwinter on the island, boaters land here in the summer, and an occasional camper sets up a tent on the island. The island shrinks from the middle of May to the middle of June. In late fall to early spring, it … Continue reading…
We took another route into the Trophies and stayed at the Trophy Mountain Chalet. We then explored the ridges and lakes of the east side. It was a hot day so we swam in two of the shallow lakes. We glissaded down snow slopes. We contoured around and between the ridges to high spots. There are also routes to the … Continue reading…
From Trophy meadows another route (not a trail) is to contour around a gully and then up and over to Cwem Cwem Lake. This alpine tarn is the largest in the Trophies, but is completely invisible from the meadows or Plateau of the Lakes. It has some interesting islands and is a great photo spot. From the far shore, hikers … Continue reading…
If the time is available to go beyond Plateau of the Lakes, then a climb to Long Hill and/or Trophy 2 is recommended, especially for the added views and just getting to the top of the mountain. To go up Long Hill (west of the plateau), go beyond the last lake underneath Trophy 2, and aim to the high col … Continue reading…
This is one of the premier hikes in our area and should be on everyone’s schedule for next year. We have been to the meadows to hike, to camp, to ski, and to explore and we try to find different times of the year to go and different areas to explore. The main trail takes you to the (flower) meadows … Continue reading…
A long-time personal tradition has been to pick up any found trash along the trail and bring it back to a garbage can or recycling bin. On the way to Battle Bluff after work on a hot afternoon, I spotted a folded piece of paper to retrieve for the recycle bin. I picked it up and glanced at it. It … Continue reading…
Greg Gordon contributed this article: Although the system of trails at Paul Lake is not extensive, they do make for some great all-weather hiking close to town. There is free parking at the west end of the trail near the condos on the Harper Mountain road and we generally start our hike there. The trail follows the lake for a … Continue reading…
