Best Hiking spots and scenery

[RNB11]

Recently just went down to Grassi Lakes and was amazed at how beautiful the scenery was. I haven't seen anything like it.

I want to travel a lot this summer and looking for the best spots to hike and the best places to enjoy the scenery that is no more than 4 hours out of Calgary.

Anyone recommend some places?

[C_Dave45]

http://www.trailpeak.com/index.jsp?c...ist&val=custom

*edit*. Looks like they put a time limit on search results. Just enter "alberta" for location and "Kananaskis" for "near city" and you'll get a ton of hikes, with ratings, directions and pictures.

[adidas]

Big bee hive out in Lake Louise, my fav for scenery once you are at the top.

[in*10*se]

mt indefatiguable period.
best hike with views the entire way up.

[HHURICANE1]

Lake Minnewanka is a nice hike as well.

[mazdavirgin]

Grassi lakes is for climbing not hiking :\

[SIC1]

Originally posted by in*10*se
mt indefatiguable period.
best hike with views the entire way up.

I agree, somewhat. I think it is the best in K-country. You want the best day hikes (3-6 hours) or you willing to do longer backpacking days 10-14 hour days? how many hours round trip or you willing to do some camping and backpacking.

Go passed the Banff townsite ( the only worthwhile mini hike in banff I would do C-level Cirque - scrambles - Cascade - Rundle EEOR (east end of Rundle) -(**West end starting in Banff - long boring hike the last 1000 vertical metres are a strugglefest due to exposure and scree ) and keep driving west.

Tonnes of day hikes along or off the Trans Canada - Sunshine Meadows, Sentinel Pass/Larch Valley (moraine lake) and along the Icefields Parkway. Not to mention - Yoho and Kootenay parks.


Check Parks Canada - Ive done most of them below below. http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/activ1.aspx

If you want to hike/scramble challenge get the book - "Don't waste your time in the Canadian Rockies" - hikingcamping.com Im trying to finish all the 'worthwhile' and 'premier' day hikes and backpacking. The effort required is definitely worth the reward.

Originally posted by mazdavirgin
Grassi lakes is for climbing not hiking :\

as mentioned above - Grassi is "rockclimbers" paradise that is nothing to the hikes mentioned above.

[xolemonteaox]

Bump.

My friends and I are planning to go hiking in the next couple of weeks, and we're thinking about going to Heart Mountain as it's more of a scramble?

We found this website:
http://outdooralberta.com/hiking.php

And Ing's Mine Ice Cave looks very interesting, has anybody been there before?

We are planning to be doing a lot more hiking (one day trips only) this Summer and was wondering if there are any recommendations. We are looking for hikes near Calgary (Canmore, Banff, Jasper). Mt. Indefatiguable is already on our list.

Thanks!

[98type_r]

The Ice cave is a long boring walk in to the base of the hill. I'd recommend taking bikes and a lock to chain them to a tree, that'll save you an hour each way easily.

[xolemonteaox]

^Thanks for the heads up!

Did you go really far into the cave? How long of a walk is it inside the cave?

[msommers]

Ha Ling offers a great view and is quite an easy hike, as is Heart Mountain and Yamnuska.

[wintonyk]

Sure there is the Grassi lakes being more for rock climbers, but hell it gets just about everyone started.

I encourage you to pick up the book "where the locals hike: k country" http://www.hikingcamping.com/hike-locals-rockies.php

There is I think close to 60 hikes in that book. Some short Ha-ling/Chinamen's Peak and some longer Pocaterra Ridge (my personal fav so far) and even a few overnight trips. They are all within driving distance of the city which is also nice. Galatea and Guinn's Pass are certainly up there too.

Here are some of my fav. pics.




On that note. I will be back in Calgary Mid June and without a job, anyone interested in hitting up a few hikes/scrambles let me know.

[l/l/rX]

I did not like Ha Ling at all. Getting to the peak was boring, not much to look at. One of my favorites was Mt Baldy & Big Sister. Heart and Yamnuska are always fun as well.

Mt Baldy..there were 2 different summit points on this mountain and it was a real good scramble! Thoroughly enjoyed this mountain will do again this season.

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[l/l/rX]

Originally posted by wintonyk

Hey buddy what mountains are your pictures taken on???

[wintonyk]

Originally posted by l/l/rX


Hey buddy what mountains are your pictures taken on???

First two are pocaterra ridge. 3rd is Ha-ling and 4th is the 2nd lake at galatea. We saw a couple bears at the far end though, so didn't hang around.

[xolemonteaox]

Thanks for all the recommendations and pictures guys! Hopefully I'll be able to cross a few off my list this summer!

Originally posted by wintonyk

I think I'm gonna pass on Pocaterra Ridge for now. It looks quite crazy...for someone as clumsy as me, I think I'd be rolling down that hill!

Originally posted by l/l/rX
I did not like Ha Ling at all. Getting to the peak was boring, not much to look at. One of my favorites was Mt Baldy & Big Sister. Heart and Yamnuska are always fun as well.

Mt Baldy..there were 2 different summit points on this mountain and it was a real good scramble! Thoroughly enjoyed this mountain will do again this season.

Mt. Baldy looks gorgeous!! Is this a tough hike for beginners?

[l/l/rX]

Originally posted by xolemonteaox

Mt. Baldy looks gorgeous!! Is this a tough hike for beginners?

For beginners yes, I would say it's pretty tough, it's also a very long hike. I think we spent 6 and half hours round trip? I'll have to look at my FB album again later as to the time it took us. There is a very eery part on your descend at a summit point. If you're not comfortable with free climbing then I wouldn't suggest this mountain.

Good beginner mountains, yamnuska and heart! Both really close to Calgary, both have great views and neither are dull hikes.

[l/l/rX]

Originally posted by wintonyk


First two are pocaterra ridge. 3rd is Ha-ling and 4th is the 2nd lake at galatea. We saw a couple bears at the far end though, so didn't hang around.

Awesome, I want to check out pocaterra ridge and galatea this year now!

[poison]

Anybody know of a place where you can hike up and rent a bike at the top and bike down?

[sputnik]

Start at Barrier Lake on HWY #40 and do the Jewel Pass up to Prairie View Lookout.