Bighorn No. 8, Alberta

This is a great hike that could be a quick 2 hour sprint or stretch into a full day affair.  The trailhead is located just off Highway 1A at a fishing pond with outhouses and ample parking.  The trail is well signed and in a quick kilometre, hikers will be at the actual creek bed. In summer, hike...

From Banff:Take the shuttle from the town lot to Mt. Norquay Ski Lodge, it is $10 CAD one way or $15 roundtrip, but you may want to walk back. If you decide to walk back there are two options; the road or the beautiful mountain trail. The trail head can be easily picked up in the parking lot, hik...

From Banff, follow the Norquay Road (the west access road to Banff) up to Mt. Norquay Ski Area. The trail begins from the day lodge at the far end of the first parking lot on the right.Walk by the front of the day lodge and follow a service roaddown through the ski area past the base of three cha...

The lower trailhead is only a short walk from Downtown Banff. Head east on Wolf street and up St. Julien Road and you will see the trailhead shortly after passing Wolverine street.There is also a upper trailhead on Tunnel Mountain Drive across from the carpark and viewpoint. Although this is clos...

From Highway 1A take the exit to the Alpine Club of Canada. Park near the woodpile as the actual parking lot is for Alpine Club customers. The trailhead about 30 metres up the road from the woodpile.The start of the trail is fairly relaxed but it quickly becomes a steep uphill battle. There are t...

Oh, small but mighty Norquay! You might not hear as much about this gem as you do its larger siblings in the area, but don’t underestimate its charm or gnarly terrain. While we couldn’t quite access all of the nooks and crannies at the beginning of the season, old-timers regaled us with tales com...

For those that aren’t skiers – or maybe for skiers who just want to stretch some different muscles – Elevation Place is a fantastic climbing gym in Canmore. It’s brand new and has tons of top roping, bouldering, and even seven auto-belays with climbs rating from 5.8 to 5.11d at the time we were t...

The beginning of this hike is easily accessed from the town center of Banff by the Bow river. Perfect for those without a car! Follow the trail on the side closest to town as it leads up the Bow River and into the forest following the signs for Hoodoos Loop.The hike is 4.8km one way, leading arou...

Vermillion Lakes is one of the best spot's in Banff to catch a sunrise or sunset depending on the season. Although it's one of the most popular locations for photographers, there are so many different areas around the lakes that you'll never feel like it's too crowded. Mount Rundle can be photogr...

A bit of a jaunt is required to get to the start of the scramble - follow the Heart Creek Trail, and after crossing the creek, look for a yellow sign that marks the scramble route. There will be exposure as well as use of hands, but it is totally do-able as long as you keep your head right!After ...

Between Pigeon Mountain and Mount McGilliveray, pull off the road and slow down until you see a little dirt road turn off to the large parking area.Follow the trail heading south- don't take the transcanada trail- further up you will find another small trail that takes you to the creek bed. Follo...

Morningside RouteLocated on the North side of Mount McGillivray5.7 Sport Route- 4 PitchesWalk off or RappelGetting there: Located across from Lac Des Arc. Theres a small gravel road turn off just before McGillivray Ponds- easy to miss! Then follow a small trail on the right side that leads up to ...

6 Pitches5.6-5.8 Climbing Sustained climbing for the grade. You follow up 2 right facing corners with some face climbing.I really enjoyed this route and found it worth the long approach. Approach requires a few hours of consistent elevation gain and fair bit of scrambling. If you don’t know where...

To get to the Grassi Lake trailhead, continue past the Nordic Center about 2km and take a small left when you reach a junction between a gravel road and a paved road. You want to be on the paved road, as this will lead you down to the Grassi Lake parking lot. The trail starts right behind the res...

This is a micro adventure in one of the world’s most desired National Parks. The common excuse for those who tend to skip the great outdoors is lack of time. This one day adventure is an example that you can cram a lot into a day! Dawn: Sunrise hike up to South Ridge in Banff. Start at the famous...

To get to the base of the climb, you must brave the (hordes of) tourists at the Cave and Basin Historical Site in Banff. This requires a park pass and calloused elbows fit for pushing your way through crowds. Or an alarm clock to get up early - the visitor centre is only open after 9 AM and this ...