Tag: Banff National Park

Lake-Minnewanka

Snowshoeing Banff NP – Lake Minnewanka and Stewart Canyon

On By GeoKsIn Snowshoeing5 Comments

Below freezing temperatures and slippery conditions make it harder to get out and about at this time of year. But a daily dose of Vitamin N(ature) is one of my priorities, so I make a point of getting out there almost every day. Dressing in layers, taking along in a pair of MICROspikes, NANOspikes or snowshoes and heading out with family or friends are three ways to increase the likelihood of enjoying being outside in mid-winter. Add some fantastic Banff NP scenery to the equation and it's a guaranteed winner!

Mount-Bourgeau

Hiking Banff National Park – Mount Bourgeau

On By GeoKsIn Banff NP, Hiking3 Comments

After 20 years, we finally made a return visit to Bourgeau Lake. This time, we opted to hike beyond the popular Bourgeau Lake, pushing on to Harvey Pass and then to the summit of Mount Bourgeau. In my opinion, the unnamed tarn about 1.2 km beyond Bourgeau Lake is the scenic highlight of this route, with the views from Harvey Pass a close second. It was worth hiking all the way to the summit (once), but I'm not sure I'd do that again. This was the longest day hike we did in the Canadian Rockies in 2015, coming in at just under 25 km in just over 8 hours, with a total elevation gain of well over 1500 meters.

Fairview-Mountain

Hiking Banff National Park – Saddleback Pass / Fairview Mountain

On By GeoKsIn Banff NP, Hiking2 Comments

The trail to the summit of Fairview Mountain is steep and short, which just about qualifies it as a conditioning hike. But two key factors distinguish Fairview Mountain from most conditioning hikes: 1) the trailhead is at Lake Louise, so you're probably looking at a bit of a drive to get there; and 2) reaching the summit rewards with outstanding views of Lake Louise, plenty of glaciers and range after range of Canadian Rocky Mountains. If you're lucky, you'll also enjoy an abundance of wildflowers and the company of a marmot or two along the way.