by Brian Patton | Aug 4, 2014 | Banff National Park, hiking, Jasper National Park, Kananaskis Country, Kootenay National Park, National Parks, Waterton Lakes National Park, Wildflowers
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 mountains. Air conditioning may be universal today, but the alpine trails of the Canadian Rockies are...
by Brian Patton | Jul 22, 2014 | Banff National Park, hiking, Jasper National Park, Kootenay National Park, National Parks, Waterton Lakes National Park, Yoho National Park
The first hot weather of summer has descended on the Rockies, and 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 roadside visitors every summer. But for...
by Brian Patton | Jul 5, 2014 | Banff National Park, hiking, Jasper National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, Yoho National Park
The endless winter has finally loosened its grip in the Canadian Rockies, and high country trails are slowly opening up in all the Mountain Parks. Following are latest conditions from some of the most popular hiking destinations: Sunshine Meadows. The shuttle bus to...
by Brian Patton | Jan 25, 2014 | 2013 Floods, Waterton Lakes National Park
The Akamina Parkway, which runs for 16 km from Waterton townsite to Cameron Lake in Waterton Lakes National Park, suffered serious damage from a major storm on June 19. Several washouts and roadbed collapses forced closure of the road for the remainder of the summer...
by Brian Patton | Jan 11, 2014 | Jasper National Park, National Parks, 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 | Dec 7, 2013 | Banff National Park, hiking, Waterton Lakes National Park, Yoho National Park
When my home on an obscure street in small-town British Columbia made it to Google Street View last year, I realized it was only a matter of time until we would be “clicking” our way down the trails in the mountain parks. Sure enough, Parks Canada and Google Maps...