• Sharon Miller
  • Sharon Miller

Canadian Rockies

G Adventures trip with guide Maxim and fellow travellers Katjia, Phillip, Katrine, Karen, Liz, Lucie, Mark, Konstantinos, Ryan and Anne-Marie. Read more
  • Trip start
    August 27, 2024

    Crypt Lake Trail

    August 28, 2024 in Canada ⋅ 🌫 1 °C

    We set off early today to catch the ferry from town to the starting point of the Crypt Lake Trail. Rain was forecasted but little did we know that a full on snow blizzard would turn us back less than 2km from the top. We missed crawling through a narrow tunnel and using chains to skirt the narrow ledge of a steep drop just before reaching the shores of Crypt Lake. What an adventure! We saw three different waterfalls and plenty of pretty scenery and caught the 3:30 ferry back to town. Chilled to the bone and tired we stuffed our wet gear into garbage bags and drove to town in search of laundromat and a warm beverage. Luckily we had reservations at a restaurant so we overstayed our welcome in the comfort of the warm, dry establishment until our clothes all were returned to us dry. To disperse the clothes back to their rightful owners we all gathered in the “accessible” washroom and it was like bidding at a live auction to get them back. Day 2 and warm, dry clothes are at a premium! (16.5 kms hike-7 hours)Read more

  • Red Rock Canyon

    August 29, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    We said good bye to Waterton Lakes today and headed to Kananaskis. Our first stop en route was Red Rock Canyon. Created through water erosion the canyon features an array of red and green coloured rocks, called argillite. It was a perfect place to relax, take photos and enjoy some sunshine.Read more

  • Ptarmigan Cirque Trail- Kananaskis

    August 29, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    From the Red Rock Canyon we travelled to the town of Longview to stock on some of their famous jerky and enjoy a surprise, salmon and cream cheese bagel lunch made by chef extraordinaire Max. Next stop before heading to our campsite was for our first hike in Kananaskis on the Ptarmigan Cirque Trail. Ptarmigan Cirque is the cirque between Mount Arethusa and Mount Rae at the Highwood Pass. This steep loop trail leads to a fragile alpine meadow, albeit snow covered, and a view of the surrounding mountains. ( 3.4 km - 1.5 hours)Read more

  • The Burstall Pass Trail

    August 30, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We spent the entire day hiking the Burstall Pass trail and oh the rewards when we reached our lunch stop at the top. Magnificent glaciated mountain views in all directions and plenty of opportunities for rock scrambling and river crossings. We encountered our first bear, a grizzly cub, about 4 kms into the hike in the bushes alongside the riverbed. We quickly departed before momma bear made an appearance. That left us with a boost of adrenaline that was used up crossing the rivers and later climbing up the steep slopes. Back at the campsite we had a campfire, ate s’mores and played two rowdy rounds of werewolf. The new Olympic sport at this campsite involved sprinting to the bathroom in the middle of the night while praying that no bear lurked along the path. (16km- 6.5 hours).Read more

  • Canmore- A Town Visit and Rafting

    August 31, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We drove from Kananaskis to Canmore and had 3.5 hours to explore the town, shop, and get some lunch before embarking on our 1.5 hour gentle raft tour down the Bow River and experiencing the majesty of the Canadian Rockies. We had a great view of the 3 sisters as well as Sleeping Buffalo, Cascade and Tunnel Mountains. Can’t wait to get to our campsite in Lake Louise, eat supper and have Max’s surprise revealed.Read more

  • The Big Surprise- Lake Moraine

    August 31, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We had exclusive after hours access to Lake Moraine where only one other car was in the parking lot and we got to go up to the Rockpile and watch the sun set over Lake Moraine. This gem is closed to public vehicles and only accessible by shuttle until 5 pm each day. It is not part of our itinerary but Max blew our minds by bringing us here on his own initiative and we are ever so grateful that he did.Read more

  • The Iceline Trail

    September 1, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today we drove to Yoho National Park in British Columbia and started by viewing the powerful Takakkaw Falls. We then hiked the 22km Iceline Trail. It was a challenging route but the views of glaciers, mountain peaks, roaring falls, riverbeds, and a refreshing lake at our lunch spot served to cool us off before the steep descent back to the parking lot. We were thankful for good weather and the time outdoors amongst the splendour of our beautiful country. (That is what I kept telling my tired legs!)Read more

  • Lake Louise & Banff

    September 2, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We got an early start on Lake Louise to beat the crowds and secure parking. As we strolled around the Lake we saw some climbers, canoeists, and horseback riders engaging in their passions. The colour of the water and the scenery is absolutely mesmerizing. Next we hiked up Fairview Mountain, 1000 meters of elevation gain in just over 1km, to enjoy more fantastic views of Lake Louise and the Chateau, Saddleback Mountain and the rocky cliffs of Fairview. Many of the group members took a quick dip in Lake Louise before departing. We took the shuttle bus ( 45 minute ride) from Lake Louise to the town of Banff where we explored the bustling town center, treated ourselves to Cow’s Ice cream, and rode the free bus to Banff Springs hotel. It is truly an outdoorsmen’s paradise. Our farewell dinner was at the Elk and Oarsmen where we consumed an elk pizza and sipped on tasty strawberry lemonade. One last campfire topped the evening off.Read more

  • Peyto Lake and Bow Lake

    September 3, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Parting is such sweet sorrow. today we headed back to Calgary via the scenic Ice Fields highway. Since the flights out weren’t until late afternoon, Max squeezed in a short hike and two photo stops. First stop was Peyto Lake where he guided us to a secret lookout spot that took our breath away . Next was on to Bow River where we could visit the lodge and gift shop, wander around and grab a homemade snack and hot tea. Spoiled until the very end !Read more

    Trip end
    September 3, 2024