One of our favourite destinations during wildflower season, Grizzly Peak is also a solid option for larch season. Less well-known than the crowded trails around Lake Louise, it's a half-day hike that's easy to extend with a ridge walk or an exploration of Pocaterra Cirque.
Up near Highwood Pass in Kananaskis Country, Arethusa Cirque is an easy hike with a couple of options to make it shorter or longer as your fitness or schedule permits. It's a good choice for wildflower season, since the trail crosses an expansive meadow that erupts into bloom at just the right time of year. It's also a decent option for larch season. We've hiked here 8 or 9 times and are still discovering new aspects of the landscape, which includes small waterfalls and a rock field with plenty of fossils.
Over the past decade or so, we've become accustomed to September day-hiking in Kananaskis Country. Once a week or so, as the school bell rings to confirm that our youngest son is busy for the next 6 or 7 hours, we drive to the mountains to enjoy one of the last days of summer, observe …
Continue reading Hiking Kananaskis Country – Pocaterra Cirque
Mr. GeoK and I ventured into the Highwood Pass again on Saturday. We first hiked Arethusa Cirque about 10 years ago, and have done the straightforward 5 km loop at least once each year since. It's one of our "go to" hikes when we're introducing other families to one of our favourite outdoor activities. This …
Continue reading Hiking Kananaskis Country – Arethusa Cirque
Yesterday's sunrise and moon set revealed a covering of fresh white snow over the peaks of the Canadian Rockies. As soon as the lads were off to school, Mr. GeoK and I loaded our day packs and trekking poles into the car and headed for Highwood Pass. We had high hopes of photographing golden larches …
Continue reading Hiking Kananaskis Country – Ptarmigan Cirque