by Brian Patton | Aug 4, 2014 | Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kananaskis Country, Kootenay National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, Weather, Wildflowers
With hot weather in the upcoming forecast, my mind turns to the best alpine hikes in the Canadian Rockies. Back in the early days, people had a choice for cooling off during the heat of summer—go to a movie theatre (the first air-conditioned venues) or travel to the... by Brian Patton | Jul 22, 2014 | Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kootenay National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, Yoho National Park
The first hot weather of summer brings to mind my favourite waterfall hikes in the Canadian Rockies. As snow and icefields start to melt, most of the waterfalls start to roar. Athabasca, Sunwapta, Takakkaw and Bow are all impressive cascades that are visited by... by Brian Patton | Jun 16, 2014 | Jasper National Park
I don’t get to Jasper National Park nearly enough these days, especially for spring hikes. Time was we would spend a good chunk of our summers hiking and backpacking in the park. And one summer we worked in nearby Mount Robson and made frequent day trips there. That’s... by Brian Patton | May 18, 2014 | Jasper National Park
There aren’t many places you can hike on dry trail at this time of year. But if you find yourself in Jasper, the lowest community in the Canadian Rockies (1060m/3,480ft), you can get a jump on the season by hiking around the townsite on the Discovery Trail. The... by Brian Patton | Jan 11, 2014 | Jasper National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park |
I’m not a big social media fan. I don’t maintain a Facebook page or have a Twitter feed. But lately I’ve been checking out some Facebook pages linked to Parks Canada or created by local support groups. Without exception, I’ve discovered some great current news posted... by Brian Patton | Aug 5, 2013 | Jasper National Park, Wildflowers |
The hike to the Cavell Meadows is probably the best half-day hike to wildflowers in Jasper National Park. And it certainly lived up to its reputation on Monday, July 29. The damage from the collapse of Ghost Glacier had no impact on the Meadows trail, though the lower...