The Hiking / Backpacking Thread

[Wormius]

Did Moose Mtn today as well, nice conditions. A bit windy over the tree line today. Took about 5 hours with the 8 year old under his own steam, and the 4 year old mostly on my shoulders.

Drove a lady up to the top parking lot. I guess sometimes people who are mountain biking don't account for getting back up to their vehicles.

The geology of the area is interesting. A lot of sulphur crystals on the rocks, and could smell it in the air when the scree ground together.

[GGG]

Did Mount Bourgeau this weekend. Got turned around by weather at the false summit with about a 1/2hr left to go.

Next weekend doing the Rockwall. The guys at the reservation desk think it will be almost melted out by next week.

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Well this isn't exactly hiking/backpacking, though we are going to be doing some of that too, but The Family and I are heading out in 1 hour to go to Jasper's Dark Sky Preserve for the week. I am so jazzed as being born and raised in Calgary I've never seen the full glory of the night sky with mine own eyes. When we get back Friday I'll slap up a crapton of pics on imgur and post it here so you can all be excessively jealous of my week away from the stampede.

[cDnStealth]

Originally Posted by GGG

Did Mount Bourgeau this weekend. Got turned around by weather at the false summit with about a 1/2hr left to go.

Next weekend doing the Rockwall. The guys at the reservation desk think it will be almost melted out by next week.

Encounter any snow?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by cDnStealth

Encounter any snow?

None that matters. About 3, 20 foot long sections of ankle deep snow. None along the ridgeline to the top where you are hiking to the summit.

[Wormius]

As an aside - are those cows supposed to be penned in or something? Had to stop the car a few times as they were crossing the HWY. Can just imagine the carnage if somebody was driving that after dark and ran into one.

[DownhillGoat]

Anybody know of some trails that end up at (or go past) a natural hotspring? Want to do a hike on the weekend and take a dip on the same trip.

Looking at anything up to a difficult hike / moderate scramble, preferably within 2 hours of Calgary city limits, but that can be flexible.

TIA.

[Wormius]

^^ Barrier Lake or Nahanni Ridge might be fit the bill.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Wormius

^^ Barrier Lake or Nahanni Ridge might be fit the bill.

I assume you're talking about something that feeds barrier lake? I fell in the lake itself last week and that's the furthest thing from a hot spring I can think of.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

I assume you're talking about something that feeds barrier lake? I fell in the lake itself last week and that's the furthest thing from a hot spring I can think of.

Oops. Thought you meant along the way to the hot springs. Don't think there is much, aside from Sulphur Mtn.

[Bane]

Originally Posted by Wormius

As an aside - are those cows supposed to be penned in or something? Had to stop the car a few times as they were crossing the HWY. Can just imagine the carnage if somebody was driving that after dark and ran into one.

They range free in the southern Kananaskis grazing.

Years ago I was racing along the Highway 40, west of the Highwood junction, when I came up over a rise and there were two cows standing on the road, one in the middle of each lane. Somehow I managed to thread my jeep between them at 80 kph. I used a lifetime's worth of good luck in that moment.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Oops. Thought you meant along the way to the hot springs. Don't think there is much, aside from Sulphur Mtn.

Nah looking for like a little natural pool to hike to. A little digging and I found Mist Mountain. That might work.

[JiriHrdina]

Folks,
I have a survey related to hiking that if you have few minutes it would be great to hear you input.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RXKZ6YL

[Robotic]

^^ Done

[CofR]

^
Done

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Folks,
I have a survey related to hiking that if you have few minutes it would be great to hear you input.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RXKZ6YL

Done! I've got my assumptions, but curious as to what the survey's for.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

Done! I've got my assumptions, but curious as to what the survey's for.

Little side project, nothing serious, at least right now. If we move forward with it I will provide more details for sure.

[GGG]

Done,

Really if you have 4 books you have all you need for trail selection, once you are done these 4 its time to break out the topo and plot your own path.

How not to waste your time in the Canadian Rockies
Where locals hike in the Canadian Rockies
Kane's Scrables
Nugera's Snowshoeing

[nik-]

So, not explicitly hiking related, but what would people recommend as a good walking shoe for someone that will be walking a lot, mostly in a cityscape, but might end up doing some uneven, semi-rocky terrain as well?

Ideally something not too crazy in design (some shoes I've been looking at look like an acid trip with the colours) and good for warmer climates.

Not sure if that request is reasonable

[GGG]

Originally Posted by nik-

So, not explicitly hiking related, but what would people recommend as a good walking shoe for someone that will be walking a lot, mostly in a cityscape, but might end up doing some uneven, semi-rocky terrain as well?

Ideally something not too crazy in design (some shoes I've been looking at look like an acid trip with the colours) and good for warmer climates.

Not sure if that request is reasonable

Whatever fits you.

I would look at trail runners as a catagory. They provide more support than your standard shoe and better grip. Iif your concerned with warm climates dont get any kind of gortex shoe and make sure the shoe has some mesh in it.

Beyond that make sure to measure the width of your foot and get the right width as it makes a huge difference to comfort.