2026: Bears, Big Views and a Very Wet Bum

On August 28, our team — Jackie, Leaenda, Linda, Leanne, Lou, Connie, Barbara, Helen, Debra and Beulah, along with Coach Michele — finally assembled in Calgary.

We met our guide, Adrienne from White Mountain Adventures, had the obligatory introductions and briefing, and then set off to explore the city.

Calgary gave us quite an introduction. We saw the confronting impact of the fentanyl crisis, which was a sobering reminder that even beautiful cities have their challenges. Thankfully, the evening took a much happier turn with welcome drinks, dinner and plenty of excitement about the adventure ahead.

And adventure was definitely what we had signed up for.

A Short Hiking Season — and Some Very Surprising Dogs

One of the first things we learned was that Alberta has a surprisingly short hiking season. Snow can hang around until June and starts thinking about returning by October.

The trails were popular, but thankfully the crowds spread out beautifully. Nothing felt like a conveyor belt of hikers, which meant we could actually enjoy the scenery rather than spending the day admiring the backpack of the person in front of us.

What really surprised us, though, was the number of dogs.

Always on leads and generally extremely well behaved, but still — dogs on hiking trails felt very foreign to us.

Welcome to Waterton

The next morning brought another Canadian surprise.

Apparently, Canadians don't believe in 6 am starts.

Our departures were generally around 9 am, which was practically a lie-in as far as hiking trips go. We could get used to this.

Our destination was Waterton Lakes National Park, which would be home for the next three nights.

The park had been devastated by the 2017 Kenow Fire, which burned more than 20,000 hectares and affected around 80% of the trail network. The undergrowth has made an impressive comeback, bursting back in vivid green, although the larger trees will take many years to recover.

We drove across the prairies, watching the landscape stretch endlessly around us. Then, finally, the Rockies appeared on the horizon.

Cue: excited noises from the bus.

Our first hike was the gentle-ish Summit Lake Trail — 8.5km with 418m of elevation gain.

The word gentle-ish is doing a lot of work there.

Because we were firmly in bear country, we stayed together as a group. Adrianne sensibly positioned the slower hikers directly behind her, while bear spray was carried at the front and back.

I had naively assumed bear spray worked a little like Bushman's.

You know — spray it around yourself and the bears think, "Oh well, better find someone else."

Nope.

Apparently, if a bear charges, you spray it directly in the face and hope for the best.

Then, presumably, change your undies and carry on hiking.

Lou bravely took the first bear-spray shift, with the responsibility being shared around the group throughout the trip.

The hike itself was gorgeous. Wildflowers were still blooming, thimbleberries provided handy trailside snacks, and we spotted marmots, chipmunks and squirrels.

That evening we headed to the Thirsty Bear, a rustic pub with a mellow live band. Most of us ordered the bison stew.

It was delicious.

Although we spent the evening wondering where exactly they had hidden the bison.

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Bears Make Their Entrance

The following morning started with drizzle and a visit to Red Rock Canyon, where the deep red Argillite rock gives the valley its spectacular colour.

We had planned to continue to Goat Lake, but Adrianne noticed the weather was deteriorating in that direction and suggested we change plans.

Excellent decision.

Because on the drive back through town, a bear casually wandered across the road directly in front of us.

Our first bear!

The squealing inside the vehicle probably rivalled anything happening outside it.

We then tackled the Bertha Lake Loop instead — 15.3km and 660m of elevation gain, reaching 1,853m above sea level.

The trail delivered everything we could have hoped for: spectacular views over Waterton Lake, wildflowers, berries, woodpeckers, deer and, naturally, more chipmunks.

There was also some very fresh-looking bear scat sitting right on the trail.

Nothing says "welcome to the Canadian Rockies" quite like having your guide casually point out bear poo.

Lunch beside Bertha Lake was spectacular, with the USA literally just across the water. The international border runs straight through Waterton Lake, which made for a pretty unusual lunch view.

As we descended, the weather cleared and a stunning rainbow appeared over the lake.

Perfect.

Dinner at Lakeside Chophouse was another winner.

We also discovered the Canadian approach to restaurant bills. The mandatory 20% tip occasionally made us wince, but their bill-splitting system was nothing short of miraculous.

Everyone received their own itemised bill, and shared garlic bread and desserts were allocated with forensic precision.

No calculators.

No arguments.

No one saying, "Hang on, who had the second glass of…?"

Frankly, it was so efficient that the 20% tip almost felt deserved.

Crypt Lake: The Hike That Tested Everyone

Then came Crypt Lake.

This hike starts with a ferry ride across Waterton Lake and operates on a strict timetable. Miss the last ferry, and you've got a rather unexpected overnight adventure.

Crypt Lake is frequently ranked among Canada's finest hikes, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

At 19km with 881m of elevation gain, it was already a serious day.

But the statistics don't really tell the story.

There were exposed ledges.

A steep ladder.

A narrow rocky tunnel about 25 metres long and only around 1.5 metres high.

And then, just to make sure we'd had enough excitement, you emerge from the tunnel onto a narrow ledge with a significant drop below.

Let's just say there were some white knuckles.

And some colourful language.

But with plenty of encouragement from the group, everyone made it through and we reached the stunning turquoise waters of Crypt Lake.

Of course, the relaxing didn't last long.

We had to go back the same way.

Oddly, the return journey seemed easier.

Or perhaps we'd simply used up all our fear on the way in.

The scenery was extraordinary — waterfalls, alpine lakes, endless mountain ranges and snow-capped peaks in every direction.

And then came my personal highlight.

Or lowlight.

Depending on how you look at it.

At some point during the hike, I realised that most of my water had leaked out of my bladder during the ferry crossing. Every precious drop was now apparently somewhere between the ferry floor and the bottom of Waterton Lake.

So when we came across a beautiful, clean mountain stream, I confidently decided to refill.

Easy.

Except for one tiny misstep.

The next thing I knew, I was sitting in the stream.

Completely drenched.

Nobody actually saw me fall.

They only saw me emerge from the water from head to toe, attempting to look as though this had all been part of an elaborate hydration strategy.

I had gone hiking in the Canadian Rockies and somehow managed to create my own weather system.

We made the ferry back with time to spare for a few to soak their feet in the cool water...Personally, I had enough water!

We finished the day with another excellent dinner at the Lamppost Dining Room.

Living the Five-Star Life

After several big hiking days, it was time to travel north towards Kananaskis Mountain Lodge.

And what a lodge.

Five stars.

A Nordic Spa.

A heated pool.

A huge hot tub.

Suddenly nobody was complaining about their aching legs.

In fact, there was a brief period where we considered abandoning hiking altogether and simply moving into the hot tub.

Dinner was at Forte Restaurant, followed by DIY s'mores around the communal fire pit.

For several members of the group, it was their first ever s'mores experience.

They were quickly converted.

Marshmallows, chocolate, biscuits and fire.

What's not to love?

Chester Lake and More Wildlife

Feeling refreshed — and possibly slightly overfed — we continued towards Canmore through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery imaginable.

Along the way, we stopped to see bison, admired waterfalls and watched a herd of Bighorn Sheep grazing beside the highway.

Our hike for the day was Chester Lake: 15km with around 500m of elevation gain.

Open meadows, wildflowers, mountain views and magical reflections made it one of the most picturesque walks of the trip…this area had not been affected by fires, so it made for a welcoming green forest bathe.

At lunch, two marmots entertained us by chasing each other around the lake shore.

We later learned that a grizzly had been spotted on the trail just days afterward.

So apparently our marmot entertainment came with a complimentary side of "you were lucky."

Dinner that night was at the Wild Orchid Japanese Fusion Restaurant.

Once we actually found it…dam google maps!

Fire and Ice

Our next adventure took us through the Valley of Fire and Ice towards Stanley Glacier.

The 10km trail climbed around 500m through terrain shaped by fire, ice and time.

There were regenerating forests, waterfalls, towering limestone cliffs and the famous Burgess Shale fossil beds.

And, of course, chipmunks and pikas.

Some were particularly cheeky and appeared determined to hitch a ride in our backpacks.

We finished the afternoon with some retail therapy in Banff before returning to Canmore and — eventually — back to the same restaurant.

This time we found the fast route.

We were learning.

Lake Louise: The Postcard Comes to Life

Then came the bucket-list day.

Lake Louise.

The postcard.

The turquoise water.

The mountains.

The whole Canadian Rockies fantasy.

Named after Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, Lake Louise is every bit as spectacular as you'd imagine.

But we weren't there for a leisurely stroll around the lake.

Oh no.

We tackled nearly 19km and around 1,000m of climbing.

The trail took us above the lake onto the Beehive and to the famous Lake Agnes Tea House before continuing to the Plain of Six Glaciers and a second tea house surrounded by towering peaks and ancient ice.

The glaciers can groan and crack, a spectacular reminder that this landscape is very much alive and still changing.

It was a huge day.

And absolutely worth every single step.