Canmore; Beyond Expectations
- sarahkulawic
- Mar 20, 2022
- 10 min read
It's been a wild ride since my return from Canmore, work, life and spring in the air has had me busier than I expected the last few weeks. But alas, read on for my latest journey to the mountains and my experiences in beautiful Canmore.
I will start by telling you that this trip did not exactly go as planned, which actually sort of turned out for the best. I initially booked this adventure with the intention of ice climbing for 5 of the 7 days but the company I booked through (more on that later) reached out to me and let me know that they did not have enough registration to run the entire 5 day course so I would be doing 2 days with a group and a solo day with just myself and a guide. While I was initially disappointed, this left me an extra 2 days to explore and in a way, was much needed.
Prior to this trip, I worked almost 8 days straight so I was the definition of chaos in human form trying to get myself ready to go. Thankfully, having just came back a few weeks earlier, my packing lists were still relevant and very necessary. I flew out of Toronto bright an early and arrived in Calgary just after 10am. Making my way to the MEC and then for groceries as usual before making the short hour or so drive into the town of Canmore. My airbnb hosts were absolutely delightful and I would recommend them to anyone staying in the area, I arrived to a bottle of red wine and some dark chocolate and the best communication and well stocked airbnb I've had the pleasure of staying in. With a view of Grotto mountain from my kitchen and bedroom windows, I was so excited to get exploring.
The Three Sisters
I was fairly exhausted after such a long day so I took my time unpacking and choosing a trail near by that I could set out on before it got too late. I chose to check out The Three Sisters lookout trail which was marked as easy, short and close, the trifecta of "I'm tired but don't want to waste a moment here." Except I wasted a lot of moments because google maps had me drive all over the place before I found the parking lot which was a skating rink so I parked across the road at the dog park and walked over. The trail was definitely short, not even a 1km loop but the lookout for The Three Sisters was stunning. In the summer there is a river that flows through the lookout point and it would be perfect for a picnic!
Ha Ling (almost) Peak
I have decided this mountain is my arch nemesis. For no other reason than all of my attempts to climb it have been thwarted by things out of my control. I had my eye on this climb in August but it was so busy and I was on a time crunch that I decided I'd come back. In October, the main road leading to the parking lot and trail head was closed, I could have detoured to it but it would have been a three hour drive and I once again decided I'd come back. This time, I thought was my moment. I woke up early, checked avalanche.ca (always check this before winter hikes in the mountains!) and with minimal avalanche risk, headed for the trail. The sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and a usually packed parking lot, although fairly busy, had plenty of space but I noticed most people were hiking, snowshoeing or fat biking the trail system at Goat Creek Day Area, the only people I saw during my climb were three runners descending (I decided they are crazy).
This hike is rated as "difficult" on Alltrails, which I think is a bit much. It has steady incline the entire time but there aren't any technical parts until the saddle. In the winter, the ice and snow make sections sketchy but with trekking poles and micro spikes most people shouldn't have a problem (even if you have to take lots of breaks). There are portions where there would be stairs in months without snow that were the most treacherous due to people sliding down those spots on descent, they required some maneuvering, breath holding, prayers and maybe a swear word or two, to climb. I got to the ledge before the final ascent to the peak and the trail disappeared as the wind picked up and the sun started to play peek-a-boo. Anyone that has climbed Ha Ling knows that the final push is a lot of scree, which, when covered with blowing snow was making for less than solid foot placements. I sat down, let out a big sigh and decided I didn't want to die because I was being stubborn and hiking something I didn't feel completely safe doing, especially alone. The great thing about this hike is that there are fantastic viewpoints in multiple places on the adventure so even if you only make it so far, you still get to soak up some beauty.
On descent I passed some other people who were attempting the climb and as the sun began to come out I seriously considered turning around and attempting the climb with some other hikers. Turns out, when I met up with those other hikers in the parking lot, they also turned around where I did and I felt less like a quitter. I'll be back for this one.
Yates Mountain via Prairie View Trail
I picked this hike because it was a manageable length of 12km and only 700m of elevation gain. After Ha Ling and knowing I had a few days of ice climbing coming up, I didn't want to wear myself out on day 2. I got a little bit of a later start than I wanted but made it to the parking area which was mostly closed off aside from a few spots along the lane way which is where people seemed to be parking. From the parking lot to the trail head, the wind almost knocked me on my ass a minimum of 5 times. It tunnels between the mountains and comes across Barrier Lake with a vengeance and I highly recommend sunglasses and a face covering for this part to be manageable mostly due to the path being along a concrete walkway lined with tiny pebbles that will not take mercy on any showing skin.
There are various trail systems here but everything is well marked with maps at every fork for easy, fool proof hiking. There were portions that were steep inclines at which times my tired legs from the day before were FEELING IT but otherwise not a very technical hike. Mostly through wooded areas, not many viewpoints until closer to the summit but the moment you reach the first one, all the leg burning becomes worth it. It was exceptionally windy at this point but I managed to enjoy the view and snap a few photos before carrying on. This is where I wish I had put on my micro spikes because the trail got more narrow, more slick and more technical from here and there were less comfortable opportunities to put them on the further up the trail I got (I did mange to get them on though which was a necessity going forward.)
I'd be interested in hiking this trail in the summer because it was a little bit...uneasy...with the snow and the switchback up to the next viewpoint but breathtaking is an understatement (literally and figuratively.) I quite actually couldn't breathe because the wind was so intense and cold but it was worth it for the almost 360 degree views of Barrier Lake and the mountains surrounding me. The descent felt like an eternity but I think that's mostly because I was excited for food and wine and to rest my legs.
3 days later...
I'm skipping the ice climbing experience in this blog because it will be way too much to read at once and I want to give that adventure it's own highlight. I'm sorry if you made it this far to be disappointed.
Lake Minnewanka
Exhausted, aching and lacking a pep in my step perfectly describes this day. After 2 energy sucking hikes and 3 day of climbing I was absolutely zapped. I took forever to get going in the morning and usually feeling like the energizer bunny, I was frustrated I wasn't feeling more alive and excited to tackle more hikes. I finally settled on Lake Minnewanka because it was a 15km out and back trail so I told myself I'd only as far as I felt like and could turn around at any point if I was feeling too worn out. Stunning views from the beginning of this hike made this a great choice - if I do say so myself. I was able to mozey along the trail, taking breaks and just enjoying the stunning beauty this lake had to offer, while trying to dig myself out of the mental state I was in.
I had to remind myself that I had worked a lot before flying out, had minor jet lag and a really busy and physical 5 days already and that I'm only human. That bad moods are allowed, that feeling tired is acceptable and that sometimes I can't always be 100% and that's okay. Never an easy thing to remove myself from a frustrated, negative mental state but I didn't want to spiral and let it affect the rest of my day. So, I carried on, a tired human.
Spoiler alert: I didn't make it very far. My end kms hiked was just over 7 meaning I didn't even make it halfway, and by looking at the map I was quite a ways off from finishing the out section around the lake but I figured I was better off enjoying how far I had come than to keep pushing myself already mentally and physically drained. So I hiked back to the first section of lookout points, made myself an apple cider with my jetboil and soaked in every miserable but beautiful second. Even though I was so moody this day, it is one of my favourie memories because I was just allowing myself to exist in the moments without putting pressure on hiking further, faster, making it to the top, etc. I was okay with just accepting what was and there was a certain level of freedom in that.
After my, let's called it, "nature walk" around Lake Minnewanka I headed into Banff already knowing I wouldn't last long. Having been there briefly in my previous trips, I was prepared for the inflated prices, the streets packed with tourists and the dreadful parking situations but figured I'd make the most of my time while I was so close. I found a charming little cafe where I had a great gourmet grilled cheese and wandered around the streets and little gift shops before heading back to my car and deciding to call it a night back at the airbnb.
Troll's Falls
I'm going to have to do this hike again because I spent the entire hike to the falls bawling my eyes out. Yup.
I had planned on leaving Canmore the day after this, but my flight was at 645am which means I would have had to be up and out of my airbnb by 330am at the latest. The weather was looking suspicious overnight so I changed my plans and booked a hotel near the airport meaning I was leaving Canmore this day instead. I didn't want to waste my final day but I wanted to head into town and grab a few things, needed to pack (I had stuff everywhere) and also wanted to hike. But choosing a smaller hike with any sort of views that was within a reasonable distance was proving to be more difficult that it needed to by for my still tired body. So I went on Alltrails, set filters for 5-10km "easy" hikes, closed my eyes and pointed. Troll's Falls it was. The weather had been calling for ice rain, cloudy skies and cold winds so I figured short a hike into a waterfall was probably my best bet anyway.
When I arrived at the trailhead and checked out the map, that's when the tears began to flow. Not only had I unknowingly chosen a trail at the base of a mountain with the same name as my Dad (Mount Allan) but the sun was shining, there were no clouds and the weather was perfect for a winter hiking day, he was clearly in full guardian angel mode. And I don't know if it was the feels, the exhaustion or knowing it was my last mountain hike for a few months but I legitimately cried for 25 minutes and to be honest it felt wonderful. I let out some grief, some frustrations, some built up emotions and existed in the embarrassing beauty of just feeling.
This hike was very easy and very short but well worth it if you're in the area with some time. The falls were gorgeous and there were some neat little finds along the way with the possibility to hike other trails off the same parking lot.
After this hike I packed up and headed to Calgary, thankful that I did because I was glad to not have to wake up at 3am. I ordered Uber eats for the first time in my life, addicted to anything and every dill pickle had a great dill chicken burger and salad that I ate with coffee stir sticks (anxious human problems not wanting to bother someone for cutlery).
I'll touch on the places I grabbed food from before signing off but stay tuned for a post about the incredible ice climbing adventures, the company I booked with, tips and tricks I learned as a beginner and some of the best and worst parts of those 3 days! Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of the food so you’ll just have to take my word for it that it looked and tasted as good as it sounds.
Rocky Mountain Bagel Co.
Knowing I was going to need more carbs than normal to take on some of the adventures I was planning, a friend suggested this bagel shop! It was super cute, had a ton of bagel options and then the opportunity to make them into sandwiches, order in bulk, eat in or take out. I got some assorted bagels and their homemade cream cheese to go and it made the perfect breakfast to start my busy days!
The Grizzly Paw Taproom
A two level brewery with a basic menu, lots of beer choices and a really fun vibe with great mountain views from many of the seats. I had the Powder Hound Blonde Ale and a poutine, both them came really fast and were absolutely delicious and hit the spot after a day of adventuring.
Tavern 1883
I called ahead and ordered takeout and was not disappointed, clearly a really popular restaurant because when I went to pick up, it was absolutely packed. Once I got back to my airbnb and opened the containers I understood why. Sweet potato fries that were the perfect cripsy with delicious dipping sauce and a massive chicken burger, every bite was amazing and I would definitely recommend and hope I can get back to eat in the restaurant with it's charming interior.
I didn't eat anywhere else local because I enjoy cooking at the airbnb and keeping to myself, especially when I'm tired (if you've read any of my other blogs you know this.) If you have any favourite Canmore restaurants I'd love to hear about them for next time!
Until I manage to get my ice climbing experience written, thanks for following along, for whatever reason you might be here. As always, any questions feel free to message me below or on instagram!
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