Experience the Mountains day trips 2017 – by Chelsey Lumb
Sunday Aug. 20 – Johnston Canyon (from resort) to upper falls – it was pretty busy. Beautiful but busy. Good warm up walk!
Monday Aug. 21 – West Wind Pass – from a suggestion from Marilyn (and using Marilyn’s trail book and map!) we hiked towards the West Wind pass from Hwy 742, a two kilometer trail along Spurling Creek, on the north side of Spray Lakes Reservoir, southwest of Canmore. Driving to the trail head provided some lovely views of the Bow River and the valley, and even some young bighorn sheep on the way back to the Boswell Cabin. We didn’t make it all the way to the pass, but we found a lovely picnic spot for lunch.
Tuesday Aug. 22 – Sunshine Meadows – We thought the shuttle to the Sunshine Villiage ski resort seemed a bit pricey ($35 for an adult), but it proved to be well worth the cost for the views and the wildflowers. The Grizzly/Larix Lakes trail was closed when we visited because of the forest fires. There was evidence of the fire with smoke to the north and fire damage east of Grizzly Lake.
Wednesday Aug. 23 – Lake Louise – Plain of Six Glaciers (to the Teahouse) – A tougher hike than Sunshine meadows, but worth the views of Lake Louise and Victoria Glacier. The chocolate cake and coffee at the teahouse didn’t hurt either!
Thursday Aug. 24 – Cave and Basin National Historic Site – a recommendation from Kasia. Well worth a visit to read about the history of the site and the area, as well as the creation of national parks in Canada. Activity books for kids were a big hit, as were badges upon completion. The Marsh Boardwalk was especially cool where it was easy to see introduced tropical fish species like Mosquitofish and Blackfin Molly in the shallow, clear water.
Friday Aug. 25 – Takakkaw Falls and Lake Lousie Ski Resort – Takakkaw falls was another recommendation from Marilyn. An easy walk for a stunning view of the falls. After visiting the falls, we went to the Lake Louise ski resort in hopes of catching a glimpse of a bear from the safety of a chairlift. No such luck, but there was a nice interpretive centre set up at the top of the lift with activity books for kids that provided more fun learning opportunities and certificates to become Junior Rangers of the Lake Louise Ski Resort. The views of Lake Louise weren’t bad either!
