explorealberta
Showing posts with label explorealberta. Show all posts
Hike Jasper: Whistler Mountain and Indian Ridge
Every year we make our way through BC to go hang out with Darcy's family in Merritt, on our way we have to stop in the mountains to do a hike. Not only is it a great way to break up the long drive but the mountains are so beautiful! How could one drive through them!
This hike is up past the skytram in Jasper, so you could pay some money and take the tram up then hike about 2km to the very top. OR you could use your legs and hike all the way up! This is what we decided to do, because we're cheap, we like exercise and our legs work.
Distance: Total 15.6 km, (out and back trail)
Elevation Gain: about 1200m
Time: Took us about 5 hours, stopping to eat a bit, take photos etc.
Difficulty: Moderate to hard, there were some really steep spots, and my legs were toasted afterwards. So sore the next day, which is always the sign of a good hike, yes?
We're so lucky to live so close to the mountains and get to explore all the time! I love this place!
Hike Alberta/BC
Hikes are such a great way to get some outdoor exercise, see a gorgeous view and explore a new place. Theres a hike out there for every level, if you type in "hike ___" wherever you're going will have a list and organized by beginner to hard. 
Location: About 1/2 hour from Jasper, Alberta
Time: Took us just over 4 hours, said it would take 6 hours
Hiking is such a fun form of exercise and we are so fortunate to live 3-4 hours away from the mountains. We were on our way to BC for holidays, and you can't drive through the mountains without stopping to explore at least once. This hike was really wonderful, I kept stopping, turning around and looking at the view. At a certain point you can take a much steeper more challenging trail which is the one we chose, but there is also a more gently inclining trail you can take which is a bit longer. This was a challenging hike in certain places, but it was really fun! We ended up hitting snow and this was the end of June, so that was an interesting surprise.
The Hike: Juniper Trail 6km there and back
The Location: Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia
Time: 1.5-2 hours
This hike's distance isn't too bad but it is essentially just switchbacks all the way up. It's right before the hot springs pool so you could hike all the way and then go straight to the springs where it finishes. We hiked up for over an hour and then went back to where we parked and then went to the hot springs. Now the hot springs are the best thing ever to go to after a nice long hike.
Explore Canmore
I am fairly certain there is nothing more beautiful than the mountains. Whether is it spring, summer, fall or winter a weekend spent in the mountains is so relaxing and refreshing. We headed to Canmore because I wanted a weekend to unplug a little while ago and it was exactly what I needed. We spend so much time working, connecting via social media, worrying about multiple things that a weekend away from all that was necessary.
There is so much to do in Canmore, and we were so lucky that we got to go before any big snow hit. We were able to do a few hikes at Grassi Lakes (the difficult trail), and as well as Chester Lake with ease. Both were good workouts that were challenging as well as scenic. Being active is so important to me, but I like finding ways to be active that are more than just hitting the gym, its refreshing to move and work your body in other ways.
Hike Must-Haves:
1. Giant water bottle
2. Multiple layers, my base layer included a tank top, lululemon long sleeve, long leggings, a pair of water resistant socks, with wool socks on top and my top layer a waterproof jacket on top, mittens toque and fur lined boots.
3. Camera
4. Snacks, donuts from Moonshine donuts waited for us post hike and were the BOMB
Day Hike Essentials
This past couple years I realized how much I enjoy hiking. It's a great way to get outside, enjoy the day and of course get in some exercise at the same time. The best part of where I live is it's just a 3 & a half hour drive to some seriously beautiful scenery to hike through. Jasper and Banff are both so scenic and it's a great way to get away even for a day trip or a weekend. Since I'm just getting into this too, I thought I'd put together a list of some essentials I've learned to pack along the way.
1. Adequate water. Seriously so important, my jug I lug around (jug-o-lug?) holds 2L, depends on the length of hike you're going on of course
2. Bug Spray, Sunscreen, Sunnies. Protect yourself against the elements!
3. Bear spray/bear bells. One can never be too safe, there were quite a few sightings this season, so we didn't take our chances
4. Snacks. I recommend Vega peanut butter protein bars because they're so good, also we try to bring veggies like carrots or fruits like bananas. Something quick and easy to keep you going.
5. Layer up! We started our hike at 9am and it was cool, halfway up it was smoldering hot and then when we hit the peak it was windy & chilly again.
6. Proper footwear. Some hikes are easier and your gym sneaks will be perfect for it, while others require proper footwear, I plan on investing in some boots next season so we can tackle some harder trails!
In the end it's all worth it for the views!
1. Adequate water. Seriously so important, my jug I lug around (jug-o-lug?) holds 2L, depends on the length of hike you're going on of course
2. Bug Spray, Sunscreen, Sunnies. Protect yourself against the elements!
3. Bear spray/bear bells. One can never be too safe, there were quite a few sightings this season, so we didn't take our chances
4. Snacks. I recommend Vega peanut butter protein bars because they're so good, also we try to bring veggies like carrots or fruits like bananas. Something quick and easy to keep you going.
5. Layer up! We started our hike at 9am and it was cool, halfway up it was smoldering hot and then when we hit the peak it was windy & chilly again.
6. Proper footwear. Some hikes are easier and your gym sneaks will be perfect for it, while others require proper footwear, I plan on investing in some boots next season so we can tackle some harder trails!
In the end it's all worth it for the views!
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