Sport Climbing, Heart Creek

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Located just 15 minutes east of Canmore, and a short hike in, is one of the several sport climbing sites in the front ranges of the Rockies. The bolted climbs are scattered about 20 minutes up Heart Creek, in a limestone canyon with a small pleasant creek. About a half-rope in height, the climbs are certainly challenging for a variety of experienced and semi-experienced climbers. Obviously, you need trained climbers to lead, and set the ropes. But once top-roped, anybody can try it.

My daughter has been begging me to come out on one of their Wednesday evening outings, so I tagged along. She is fortunate to be able to learn from her aunt, and her husband. A couple of other characters also came along, and provided additional lead support. I couldn't have better help!

After a couple of hours, the leads cleaned the route, and we helped ourselves to important re-hydration fluids, and hiked out in the dark.

Tent Ridge - Horseshoe Ridge Walk

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Perhaps not the easiest to get along on the proper trail approach, this hike is a premier ridge walk with outstanding vistas of the vertically-thrust front range peaks in and around Spray Lakes. Again, this drive is about 30-40 minutes south of Canmore, along a dusty gravel road. You turn at Engadine Lodge, and drive a short ways towards the Mt Shark recreational area.

As the name implies, this ridge walk is in the shape of a horseshoe - you walk up into the beautiful alpine meadow in the middle, and the trail cuts left, and up onto the ridge climb. The climb is somewhat scrambly, but for most accomplished hikers, it's not too bad. Going clockwise around the ridge is probably safest, as you're going up the scramble steps, and not down them.

Soon you reach the first of three peaklets - this one offering fine views of Tryst Lake, The Fist, and even distant views of Robertson Glacier. The next peak's decent is one to be done carefully, but soon enough it levels out onto a pretty easy cruise to the final peaklet. Dropping back down to the forest is very steep - love to have poles at that point! At any rate, check out a few of the photos (including one or two panorama stiched photos).

By the way: Engadine Lodge is under new ownership, with big plans. We've stayed there is the winter, and it's a great place.

Sparrowhawk Tarns Hike

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Forecast was for 40% chance of sunshine (as Carol likes to view it). We drove the Spray Lakes Road south of Canmore for about 25 minutes from Grandview B&B. There was a chain saw noise up in the woods, which was rather odd. Turns out one of four crews were working on the TransCanada Trail build going on for the next two years, from Goat Creek to Elk Pass. Wow! What an ambitious project! I've read a little bit about it - they are actually taking on volunteers. See Tony Daffern's blog: http://kananaskisblog.com/high-rockies-trail/2015/

At any rate, we spent 6 hours hiking to the furthest tarn (a pond left behind by glacial work) and back, and would really rate this as an excellent adventure. Takes some route finding to stay on faint trails in the furthest reaches. We saw several marmots (see pics), ptarmigan, and unidentified little brown birds with reddish wings. Another great day in the Canadian Rockies!