Hiking Kananaskis: Mt. Indefatigable

After our quick trip south to Waterton Lakes National Park, David and I headed 3 hours back up north for one more hike in the glorious Kananaskis valley: Mt. Indefatigable.  This peak had some of the best views we’ve had on our entire 3-week grand tour of the Canadian Rockies, so that is SAYING SOMETHING!

Hiking Banff: Wilcox Peak / Wilcox Pass

A “premiere” hike in “Don’t Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies”, Wilcox pass / Wilcox peak, located at the very northern edge of Banff National Park, have expansive views of the Athabasca glacier and mountains beyond.

Hiking Banff: Helen Lake / Cirque Peak

Located along the Icefields parkway in Banff National Park, Cirque Peak is rated a premiere hike in “Don’t Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies”, with awe-inspiring panoramic summit views.  Unfortunately, on the day we hiked it, fires blazing through British Columbia had created a significant smoky haze throughout large sections of Banff National Park.  Fortunately, we had a freak once-in-a-lifetime trail incident in which we saw a #$@!*^& LYNX.  You win some, you lose some.

Hiking Kananaskis: Grizzly Peak

Located in the less crowded Kananaskis valley southeast of Banff, humble 8200 foot Grizzly Peak offers incredible views with a rating of “easy” in Kane’s “Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies” book.  I would argue that there is zero scrambling to achieve the summit of Grizzly Peak, but don’t worry, it’s ~900m (3000ft) of elevation gain in ~5km round trip, making it SUPER DUPER STEEP!

Hiking Banff: Mt. Lady MacDonald

While technically not located within the boundaries of Banff National Park, Mt. Lady MacDonald in Canmore, AB, offers the area’s premier knife edge scramble experience.