Day 1 –
Even though Canada is technically an international desitination from the US, it was a short 2.5 hour flight direct from Denver to Calgary via United Airlines. We flew on the last flight out of the day and stayed at the Westin Calgary Airport that evening for ease.
Viator Excursions and Experiences
Day 2 –
We decided to rent a car for this trip as driving is so similar to the US and we could set our own schedule for the trip without having to rely on a tour company, other travelers, etc. I highly recommend this if you want to be a little spontaneous and flexible in your travel schedule. After breakfast, we drove towards Yoho National Park, through the park and ended the day in Golden, British Columbia at a cute Vacation Rental. Along the way we stopped at a few smaller roadside hikes like Emerald Lake, Takakaw Falls and Wapta Falls for a total of 6 miles this day. It was a nice way to get acclimated and start the trip. Make sure to stop and grab a Canada Parks pass for the days you will be visiting any of the National Parks!
The Airbnb had a barrel sauna and hot tub that we took full advantage of both nights we were here! Great way to relax after hiking.
Day 3 –
Our original plan for this day was altered due to some road construction closures starting Monday on the main route to get from Golden to Banff which affected our reservation to go to Moraine Lake (you cannot self-drive there anymore – they have closed the road). The best way to get there is via a reservation through Parks Canada. You can still park at Lake Louise without a reservation as long as you get there early. We decided to get up at the crack of dawn and got to Lake Louise parking area at about 6 am.
To our surprise, it was snowing when we got there! We decided we would still hike even with the weather so we set out on a 12 mile loop starting with the Plain of Six Glaciers, Big Beehive, Lake Agnes Teahouse and back to Lake Louise. It was a beautiful hike even with reduced visibility because we had most of the trail to ourselves due to the weather! We stopped at the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse after the first part of the hike and warmed up with some tea, dessert and lentil soup (bring cash if you want to avoid the fee for using a credit card). We were one of only three groups up there. The weather started clearing up by the end of the day and when we got back to Lake Louise, we could see it in all its glory!
The Parks Canada agent ended up letting us get on a bus to Moraine Lake on Sunday instead of our reservation day due to the construction (which was very nice of him) so afterward we headed to Moraine Lake. After the 12 miles, we took it easy and headed up to the main viewing point (The Rockpile) to see the lake. It ended up being about a 15 mile day all said and done. I will never get over the colors of the alpine lakes up here, one of the highlights of the whole trip!
Day 4 –
Today, we couldn’t leave Golden until 7 am when they opened up the road from construction so we took the opportunity to sleep in and have a lazier day. This was the last morning at the Airbnb so we headed out about 11 am and decided to drive up the Icefields Parkway on our way to our second accomodation.
We were once again met with a winter wonderland of snow! It made for a wintry day though the views were lackluster due to low visibility from the storm. We made the most of it by stopping and walking around Peyto Lake area on the trails in the forest for about 5 miles.
After our scenic drive and winter walk we headed down to our second accomodation for the week, the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, Autograph Collection. We stayed all five nights here completely for free due to opening this credit card earlier in the year and booking early so that our free night vouchers would count within the point redemption range. It averages about $400 USD/night, that is a $2,000 savings! The hotel was in the forest with scenic views of the mountains and their was a Nordic spa on the property which was great! They even did a discount for an evening soak for hotel guests who had Marriott Bonvoy status, a savings of $20/per person for our platinum status.
Day 5 –
Today we stayed lower elevation with the weather and headed up to Johnston Canyon and the Ink Pots. Round trip, this hike was about 7 miles but we added on some exploring at the top and on the way down to extend it out to about 12 miles this day. The canyon and water color was stunning! The Ink Pots up top are thermal water that changes the color of each of the areas depending on how many minerals are deposited in each one due to the depth of the water. They were bubbling like cauldrons and even with the rain, it was neat to see! We were even graced with a fox running right by us on our way down!
Things to note: Being so far north in June, the daylight hours are from about 5 am – 11 pm so much longer days! We don’t know for sure the reason but people don’t start hikes as early as we do here in Colorado (alpine starts anyone?). So, we reccomend getting here before 9 am, which would be late to most of us Coloradoans, in order to secure a parking spot for this hike!
Day 6 –
Today was another EARLY morning as we were driving to the Athabasca Glacier for an glacier hike and needed to be there by 9 am so we left the hotel by 6 am to account for the 2.5 hour drive and some buffer.
We did the full-day tour through IceWalks and would highly reccomend! They book out pretty far in advance so if this is something you want to do, book early!
It was a 10 mile roundtrip day up to the ice falls of the glacier, farther than anyone else gets to go on a tour. With the recent snow, we had an added challenge of breaking trail, but it was amazing to be all alone on the glacier and to see all the magnificent ice up close. They prediction is this glacier will be gone in 2050, so it was amazing to get the chance to see it before it is gone. We got to see avalanches going off all around us as the snow started to melt which was another amazing sight unique of the circumstances.
After the drive we headed back to the hotel to utilize the Nordic Spa services. If you aren’t familiar with the process it is a repetition of heat exposure, cold exposure and the rest. They have saunas, steam rooms, hot pools, a cold plunge and exfoliation cabin that are all available to use. It really helped recovery after long days of hiking.
Day 7 –
This day we stayed closer to the hotel and embarked upon a hike in the Bow Valley Provincial Park. This is where the definition of the “rocky” mountains really comes to play. These hikes in this area are steep, exposed and lots of loose rock. This particular trail to Windtower Summit was not very clearly marked and too many social trails had been formed that we got off trail a number of times. It was a frustrating day of not knowing where the “actual” trail was, but we finally ended up where we needed to be with some extra mileage and elevation. It was beautiful nonetheless.
Things to Note: You will need a Kananskis County parks pass in order to stay in accomodations and recreate in this area. They do monitor license plates so we wouldn’t reccomend forgoing one!
Day 8 –
This was the last full day in the area and we ended with another hike in the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park area. Again, this trail is not for the inexperienced hiker. With the recent snow, it added even more difficulty with bugs, route finding and exposure at the top. It was a 13 mile day and the first part is a glorious walk through some meadows with stunning views of the surrouding peaks. Once you start your ascent, it is steep scree and exposed trails that aren’t for the faint of heart. The melting snow and ice made it especially difficult for traction. We made it 90% of the way up before the exposure got a little too much for me and I tapped out. Still, the 360 views of the Canadian rockies were breathtaking. We were only one of a handful of groups up there that day.
Helpful Tip – The Canadian Rockies do have both black bears and grizzly bears so it is best to be prepared by making noise and carrying bear spray when hiking in the back country. All of our bear encounters were from the car and not on trails, but since bears have such large territorities, it is hard to know where they will be and when. Please keep your distance and a healthy respect for these wild animals!
MC Exploring 