I’m slowly starting to enjoy the winter. It’s been coldish, but I’ve already been out for two hikes. The first was Tunnel Mountain, and then on Monday, Robbie and I took a quick drive to Canmore to hike the Grassi Lakes trail. We left Calgary late and started the hike around 3 pm, but by 4:10, we were back at the car. I loved that the sun was out (albeit setting), and that we had great views of Canmore as we ascended. Walking past the icy waterfall was a nice touch before watching the sun set behind the mountains surrounding Grassi Lake. With all of the cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing planned, will it be possible to add more hikes?? Of course it will. Of course.
Stats
Start: 3:00 pm
End: 4:10 pm
Distance: 3.9 km
Elevation Gain: 165 m
Last weekend, the snow came to Calgary. It was one of those weekends where I stayed around the city. I knew that this weekend… the long weekend… a visit to the mountains was necessary. I get really antsy when I haven’t visited the mountains in quite some time, and for me, ‘some time’ is more than a week! So Robbie, Tushna, Shari and I headed out to Banff today ready to climb something. It was cold but the sun was shining, and the weather was ideal for a winter outing. We didn’t want anything too strenuous, so we opted for a quick hike up Tunnel Mountain. Tunnel Mountain will always have great memories for me (Os!), and for not a lot of effort, there are beautiful views of Mount Rundle, the Bow Valley, and the town of Banff. The path was snowy and a bit icy at times, but the spikes helped with the grip. It got me thinking- if there are ever days where I need to do a winter hike up a mountain, Tunnel Mountain is a good ‘go-to’. I’m hoping that this marks a bit of a change. October and November are always very difficult months, from motivation to mood. But getting out to the mountains felt so great and definitely made me more excited about the winter activities to come.
On Sunday, Robin, Lily, Robbie and I decided to go hiking. We originally planned on Forget-Me-Not ridge, but after reading about crossing a river and possibly getting wet, we opted for the Barrier Lake Lookout (also known as Prairie View Lookout). We all gathered into one car and headed west.
So on Sunday, a few of us headed out to Bragg Creek to hike Nihahi. As we drove, we noticed that there is so much snow in the mountains! A huge part of me is bummed that summer hiking is over; however, I’m super pumped for getting out just as much this winter. Traditionally, I’ve been low-key during the winter, but this year, I’m hoping for lots of winter walks, snowshoeing, nordic skiing and snowboarding. The 8 months with fly by in no time!
After months of being closed, part of the Highwood finally opened up! The flood had really damaged the area, and a quick google search online will show the destruction that occurred. I thought that the Highwood would be closed for the rest of the season, but nope! So when Jess asked if I wanted to go hiking on Sunday (which, of course, I did), I knew the Highwood would be an awesome area to go. With the larches turning colour, it was going to be beautiful. After considering a few choices (Pocaterra Ridge, Wasootch Peak), I suggested hiking to Grizzly Col at the Pocaterra Cirque.
As expected, Pocaterra Cirque was so pretty, especially with all of the golden larches covered by snow. I really love this area, and as long as I’m in Calgary, I will make it a point to hike in the Highwood at least once each fall. After taking photos and stopping to eat lunch, we pressed onward. Mount Tyrwhitt and the rock arch loomed in front. We would not be ascending this mountain, but heading to the pass overlooking the continental divide. Grizzly Col (which I believe is the mountain to the left of the pass) looked quite snow-covered, so the plan was to assess that climb once we arrived at the pass. But as we ascended, the wind became fierce and at times was so strong that it stopped us in our tracks. Thank goodness I was prepared with my winter gear- ‘crampons’, gaiters, my alpine jacket, a hat and gloves. We weren’t all as prepared, and the wind was a bit concerning. In addition, the clouds were dark. Fearing a storm and potential white-out conditions, we opted to head back shortly before reaching the pass. Safety first!… (which is a motto I repeated throughout the weekend after the cougar incident). Like I mentioned, there will always be next time.
HIKES & HAMSTRINGS 