Earth Day is coming! A day to give our beloved big blue marble the attention she deserves. On April 22nd, EarthDay.Org hosts the live digital event. This years' cornerstone is a conversation among expert environmentalists discussing the topic of “restoration”.
In thinking about our own appreciation for Earth, we asked ourselves: when do we feel connected to our planet? Without Co's answer was easily "while hiking"! We're so lucky that Calgary is a mere 45 minutes from majorly awesome mountains. And so we collected our favourite (moderate) hikes to try this summer!
These mountains will leave you with a sense of accomplishment and appreciation!
Hidden Lake in Kananaskis
Driving down Highway 40 is the perfect reminder of how beautiful our Earth can be. Plus, Highway 40 has to be one of the most picturesque highways in Canada! Sandwiched between mountains, the area has a wealth of hikes to choose from. One personal favourite is Hidden Lake. It’s near the popular Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes but less busy. As the name suggests, it’s simply less known. Plus, since the lake is 8km from the parking lot fewer people make the trek.
Despite no true incline, your legs will appreciate a soak in the lake at the end. The terrain is cumulative gain rather than gain in altitude. Those rolling hills will add up. You’ll also thank yourself for the relaxing treat. Hidden Lake is sooooo serene.
Tent Ridge Horseshoe outside Canmore
If you’re looking for an accessible ridge walk with great views, consider adding Tent Ridge to your bucket list. Similar hikes can seem scary (think Lady Mac’s summit, or traversing Nihahi). This hike, however, is a great introduction to ridge walks. It’s a 10.9km loop with over half the time traversing a wide (and comfortable) surface. The entire hike along the peak has beautiful mountain range views.
Be sure to download the hike on whichever hiking app you use. I love Canada Topo Maps. It works off GPS so long as you download the map ahead of time. Plus, it pinpoints your location against the trail so you can see real-time data on where you are and how far left to hike.
Prairie Mountain in Bragg Creek
Prairie Mountain is one of the closest straight forward hikes to Calgary making it uber convenient. I like this hike because it’s a quick 7km round trip “stroll” in the mountains. But by stroll we mean staircase. It’s a 30% grade in some sections. Don’t let that stop you. With a 360 degree view and the infamous flag pile, the summit of Prairie Mountain has lots of breathtaking and insta-worthy photo ops.
Happy Earth Day!
So happy earth day everyone. Tune in to Earth Day online on April 22nd. We only have one Earth; and I, for one, cannot wait to hear what actionable insights these experts can provide. Also let us know how you like these hikes. Drop a comment with other local favourites for the group :)