Canadian Rockies Hiking Blog
Banff’s Sawback Trail: The Fitch Variation
Every once in awhile, one of our contributors comes up with a better itinerary than what we feature in the Canadian Rockies Trail Guide. That happened this month when Gavin Fitch sent us a report on his seven-day trip this August along Banff's Sawback Range. We...
Wildfires close trails in Kootenay, Banff
Parks Canada has closed a number of trails in Kootenay and Banff National Parks due to wildfires that have been burning and expanding since late July. The Mount Wardle Fire in Kootenay Park has had the biggest impact, resulting in partial closure of Highway 93S, and...
Canada Day—Take a hike, eh!
Last July 1st, blog correspondent Jim Shipley and his buddy Frank hiked to the top of The Nub in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park to celebrate Canada 150. As Jim's photo attests, it was a little bit snowy backpacking into the park via Bryant Creek and Wonder Pass at...
Permethrin-treated clothing arrives in Canada
After years of frustration, Canadians are now able to purchase clothing that is commercially treated to protect against mosquitoes and ticks and the diseases they can carry. Using "No Fly Zone by Burlington" technology, Marks (aka Marks Work Wearhouse) released a line...
Visiting Waterton Park in 2018
Update July 1, 2018—Parks Canada trail crews have been hard at work in Waterton, and several trails have reopened west of the townsite in the wake of the Kenow Fire. These trails include Bertha Lake, the Waterton Lakeshore to the U.S. boundary, Crandell Lake from Red...
Lake O’Hara: A quota for paradise
"Welcoming visitors since 1925 to what is certainly one of the singularly most stunning alpine locations on earth." This description on the Lake O'Hara Lodge website is certainly no exaggeration. Lake O'Hara's scenic reputation and outstanding trail system has been...
Reserving campsites at Mt Assiniboine
Assiniboine Provincial Park visitation has increased steadily over the past several years, prompting one backpacking friend of ours to refer to the summer camping scene at Magog Lake as “Burning Man in the Mountains.” While clearly hyperbole, the comparison does point...
Online Backcountry Booking Comes to Banff, Yoho and Kootenay
Building on the online backcountry reservation system unveiled for Jasper two years ago, Parks Canada is expanding the system to include Banff, Yoho and Kootenay in 2018. The system will become fully operational at 8:00 am MST on March 1st, providing an online means...
Summit Trail Makers: Volunteering for trails
Parks and wilderness recreation managers across North America are increasingly turning to volunteer trail crews to help maintain backcountry facilities. With the exception of the Jasper Trail Alliance, Parks Canada has rejected volunteer help, despite a steady...