Canadian Rockies Outdoor Pocket Adventures

I’m a big fan of off-the-beaten-track outdoor pocket adventures.  One way to escape the crowds is to go in the offseason. It was a strategy that worked for me on my latest trip to the Canadian Rockies. After reading stories of people lining up for parking at 6 am at the popular hiking trails, I was happy to visit in November.  The cold and light coating of snow had emptied the trails out.  Here are a few places I visited with a couple of my outdoor friends. For additional adventures we did, read my post on hot springs of the Canadian Rockies.

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Lake Louise Outdoor Adventures

We arrived at Lake Louise mid-day and there was plenty of parking.  Other visitors were making funny poses in front of the lake for photos. So we decided to take jumping-in-the-air-for-joy photos–even we retirees still have a little spring in our step. 

Lake Agnes Teahouse hike

Our hike of the day was up to the Lake Agnes Teahouse.  We knew it had closed on Canadian Thanksgiving but we wanted to see views of the lakes and the Beehives.  Microspikes would have been helpful on the snow-packed trail. However, TSA nixes them in carry-ons so we slid a little going up and down.  We had a great discussion about aging and balance and the importance of intentionally practicing trying to regain balance in unsure footing situations.  And walk like a penguin on icy patches, tiny, back-and-forth steps, and your unbroken penguin body parts will thank you. If you want to learn more about cold-weather hiking, read my post on proven winter hiking tips.

The trail is 2.2 miles (3.6 km) of steady uphill through the trees.  Views of Lake Louise tucked in the mountains were unveiled at the trail switchbacks. 

At Lake Agnes, we found many of those tiny delights that make outdoor time so special.  The first was arriving just when a young couple became engaged.  We smiled and congratulated them as they sipped their celebratory champagne.  Then we enjoyed the views of the just-opened Lake Louise ski area from the teahouse porch as we ate our packed lunches. The Canada Gray Jays also wanted to participate in lunch and were cheeky enough to land on our outstretched hands.  A couple of Clark’s Nutcrackers were a little more demure. 

Chateau Lake Louise

The trail down yielded more great views of the Beehives and Lake Louise.  We visited the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with its awe-inspiring mural of the nearby mountains.  A very gracious concierge interpreted the mural for us and explained how Mt. Victoria looks out over Lake Louise like Queen Victoria and her daughter Princess Louise.

For an easy way to sample all the beauty of Lake Louise, you might enjoy this tour:

Canmore

The charming town of Canmore was a great base for our explorations. We stayed at the Canadian Rockies Chalets. You can book it through Booking.com. The 2-bedroom chalet was clean, cozy and within walking distance to the breweries, coffee shops, grocery stores, and restaurants—everything we needed in Canmore. The staff was super friendly and the Canmore bunnies living right outside are an extra bonus.

Our first hike in Canmore was the Grassi Lakes Upper Trail, a 2.5-mile (4 km) round trip with an easy incline.  Due to icy conditions, the steeper Grassi Lakes Interpretive Trail was closed. So we took the upper trail.  The lakes are a stunning emerald green in color.  While locals in the Canadian Rockies are probably used to these colors, these greens and blues are a big surprise for a New Englander with our tannic brown lakes.  

We climbed above the lakes for views of the valley and to check out the rock climbing sites.  The cliffs are made of an exposed ancient fossil reef with rock pockets perfect for hand and foot holds.  Many faces are bolted for rock climbing. We didn’t have any climbing gear but still played around on the rock. Meanwhile, my friend Denise hiked further up the canyon trail and found the rock art painted by the Kootenai people.

Fernie

Fernie is that up-and-coming town that Banff used to be. Completely surrounded by mountains and chock full of trails, the Fernie area is a skiing and mountain biking mecca.  With only about 5000 year-round residents and a historic downtown, Fernie is a town where townies can greet each other in the popular bagel shop. 

Remembrance Day

As a result of their close connections, those residents came out in force for Remembrance Day (the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. Veteran’s Day). Therefore, as a USer, I felt privileged to attend this moving ceremony.  Songs and tributes echoed through a sea of poppies and brought me to tears several times.  Remembering those who had died was essentially a plea for peace, so different than anything I’ve seen in the States.

Some of the differences I appreciate every time I visit Canada are explained well in this post on the pro and cons of living in Canada.

Fairy Falls

Our Fernie outdoor pocket adventure was a quick hike to Fairy Falls, a popular trail starting at the Fernie Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Information Centre just outside town.  This easy trail (2.5 miles RT/ 4km) connects to a network of trails on Mount Procter and the Three Sisters. The highlight was, of course, the falls coated in early winter ice.

Ancient Cottonwoods

En route to Fernie, we enjoyed another outdoor pocket adventure hike, the Ancient Cottonwood Trail.   I strolled through the grove of 400-year-old cottonwood giants said to be the oldest in the world. My memories of hiking in the redwoods flooded back.  Textures of the bark of the old cottonwoods, western red cedars, and lightning-scarred snags were like an artist’s palette.  

To sum up, if you are looking for off-the-beaten-track outdoor pocket adventures in the Canadian Rockies think about going in the offseason when both the trails and the air are clear.

Need the guidebook? Lonely Planet is my go-to guidebook company.

Wrap Up of Canadian Rockies Outdoor Pocket Adventures

While you are in these areas in the Canadian Rockies, be sure to visit the hot springs. My post on 5 Hot Springs of the Canadian Rockies will give you all the details.

For other off-the-beaten-track outdoor adventures, hop over to this post.

Finally, if you want to explore awesome outdoor adventures in the United States, you will be interested in this post on Yosemite National Park. Some of the ancient cottonwoods were quite reminiscent of the sequoias of Yosemite.

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