Bugaboos backpacking at Boulder camp

I had always drooled over images of the Bugaboos but knew they were a climber’s paradise, not a hiker’s paradise.  Therefore, David and I did not have a trip to the Bugaboos on our original Canadian Rockies grand tour itinerary.  Fate intervened when our Mt. Stephen fossil bed guide told us about a hiker-friendly backpack in the Bugaboos with some epic scenery, and our plans immediately changed!  If you are also a hiker-not-climber drooling over images of the Bugaboos, please come inside, take a seat, and I’ll regale you with tales of a hiker-friendly Bugaboos backpacking trip.

Mt. Stephen Burgess Shale fossil beds guided hike

Have you wanted to climb a tall mountain with 6000 feet of vertical gain, but maybe not go all the way to the top, because f*** that?  Have you wanted to step on 505-million-year-old fossils while climbing halfway up that tall mountain?  Have you wanted to go into an EXCLUSIVE, restricted-access area that can only be entered with a guide?  Well then let me tell you about the Mt. Stephen Burgess Shale fossil beds guided hike in Yoho National Park!

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!

Waterton Lakes: Akamina Ridge hike

Waterton Lakes National Park sits on the US-Canada border, and is connected to Glacier National Park in Montana.  Consequently, it has some truly premiere hiking opportunities which David and I took advantage of by hiking one of the area’s more famous trails: the Akamina Ridge trail.

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.