FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 2000. All Rights Reserved
Sports
by John GearySpring has sprung once again and with it comes the desire to get off the couch and away from it all. There are many opportunities for outdoor recreation right in the city, but sometimes it feels good just to get out of the city for a while, even if it is only for a day. Here are four different types of one-day getaways, one in each direction out of the city. Pick one that appeals to you, or check out some of the resources listed and use them to plan your own one-day holiday.
SOUTH: K-COUNTRY MOUNTAIN BIKING OFFERS SOMETHING FOR ALL LEVELS
It is no secret that Kananaskis Country, south and west of the city, offers a myriad of outdoor activities from day hiking to backpacking, from river rafting to kayaking. And, of course, it offers some prime mountain biking opportunities.
Laura-Lee Dyck, former president and current member of the Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance, says there are good opportunities for all levels of bikers.
For the more experienced rider, she chooses a loop located in the Sheep District. "Volcano Ridge is one of the more popular trails," she says. "It is a tough one, but it's very pretty. You can also take some gear in with you and camp there, if you want."
At the other end of the spectrum are some top-notch rides for beginners. "There are quite a number of rides – at least a dozen old logging roads you can pedal on," she says. "For distance, one of the good ones is Big Little Elbow, which is about 45 kilometres."
A shorter option is Terrace Trail, near Kananaskis Lodge, which maintains an elevation of no more than 300 feet. "It's a really good beginner ride," Dyck says. "It offers a little of everything – technical that doesn't intimidate, downhills that aren't too steep, corners that aren't too tight. It's a there-and-back ride, about 20 kilometres."
She adds that it is also a good choice for experienced riders who want to see how their skills are and how they have been maintained over the winter.
· Resources: A good book to find out more about mountain-biking in the area is Doug Eastcott's Backcountry Biking in the Canadian Rockies (Rocky Mountain Books, 1999). The Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance can also provide information about where to go as well as how to ride responsibly in the backcountry – call 220-1868 or visit their Web site at http://www.cmba.cjb.net/. Another good resource is the Elbow Valley Cycling Club, phone 283-2453 or visit http://www.cadvision.com/evcc/.
EAST: PADDLING PARK-TO-PARK ALONG THE BOW
Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park is less than an hour east of the outskirts of Calgary, and if you canoe to the park along the Bow River, rather than drive along the Trans-Canada Highway, more than half the fun is getting there.
You can canoe there from any point along the Bow River from Calgary – one option is to put in at Fish Creek Provincial Park, where the creek meets the river and paddle "park to park." That can be done in one long day, or as an overnight trip, camping below McKinnon Flats. (Be sure to obtain permission to camp, as much of the land is private.)
The river itself is very quiet along this stretch, with small standing waves in only a few spots. Wildlife, especially birds, are plentiful, particularly in the spring. Canada geese and several species of ducks nest along the river, so be considerate by avoiding a takeout near their nests.
This time of year, the two different microclimates on opposite shores are obvious. On the northern riverbank – which is south facing – the slopes are dry, grassy coulees. Just across the river, the northern-facing slopes are covered by thick stands of spruce.
You have to put ashore before you get too close to the Carseland weir – signs along the river warn you of the hazard well before you get there.
On arrival, you will find plenty of fishing opportunities, whether from a boat or with a pair of hip waders. There are also picnic grounds. You can pull up a rock down below the weir and watch the rainbow trout jumping up the fish ladder, or you can observe the pelicans floating back and forth below the weir, looking for a stray fish and an easy meal.
Remember to arrange a shuttle for the end of the trip – unless you want to make like a trout and paddle upstream.
· Resources: The Bow Waters Canoe Club, which offers trips every weekend. Their Web site is http://www.bowwaters.org/, or you can phone them at 235-2922. Another possible source of info is the Calgary Canoe Club at 246-5757.)
NORTH: RIDING THROUGH RED DEER RIVER COUNTRY
There is nothing quite like the view of wilderness one gets from the back of a horse. The first time I travelled in the Rocky Mountains was by horseback, and it remains one of my fondest memories.
That was a three-day trip into the North Ram River country, however, if you want to trail ride a little closer to home and, at the same time, to avoid some of the crowds at K-Country or Banff, look no further than Sundre. There are plenty of opportunities for other activities such as canoeing, kayaking and hiking throughout this foothills region as well.
If you don't own a horse or a ranch, you will have to engage an outfitter to supply all your trailriding needs. The beauty of hiring an outfitter is the fact they look after the horses, the equipment, the guides and usually the meals. All you have to do is show up, pay your cash and do your best impersonation of Roy Rogers or Gene Autrey.
Horseback riding has an advantage over hiking: you cover more ground, more quickly, and see more in a day of riding. Of course, there is that tradeoff: the tendency to walk like John Wayne for a day or two afterward, if you're not used to it.
As with hiking, footwear is important. Western-style boots serve a useful, twofold purpose: the narrow toes slide into the stirrups more easily; and the heels reduce the chances of your foot sliding in too far and getting stuck in the stirrup – the last thing you want with a runaway horse.
· Resources: A good place to look for info is the Sundre and Area Tourism Team Web site, http://www.satt.ab.ca/. You can also contact the Calgary Regional Trail Riders, a group hosting activities for avid equestrians and trail riders in the Calgary area, at 242-3501.
WEST: HIKING PART OF THE TRANS-CANADA TRAIL
While many outdoor enthusiasts will want to hike portions of the Trans-Canada Trail, there is one portion just west of Calgary that you won't find in any guidebooks or on many maps – at least not yet.
The eight-kilometre stretch from the Heart Creek trailhead to Dead Man's Flats was the first portion of the TCT to be built in Alberta, and opened in 1997. From the trailhead parking lot, head west instead of east. Within two kilometres, you'll reach a branch in the trail that leads up to the left. Follow this and within a few minutes, you'll reach the mouth of a cave.
This cave is different from many you will see, as it is manmade. Legend has it that it was blasted out of the rock during the Cold War era to use for storage of important documents (whatever those were) in the event the Cold War heated up and boiled over.
You don't need any special equipment or skills to check it out, although you will need a flashlight. You can reach the back in a matter of minutes.
After visiting the cave, you can continue along the trail, which offers some meadows, forested hills that provide a good workout, and even a bridge over a natural sulphur spring. You can exit the trail at Dead Man's Flats and, if you have arranged a shuttle, you can call it a day. The more ambitious can turn around and head back to the Heart Creek trailhead to see what the path looks like from the other direction.
· Resources: You can find out more about the Trans Canada Trail at the Web site, http://www.tctrail.ca/, or contact the Alberta Trail Net at (780) 527-2052. A couple of hiking books that may appeal to you – although you won't find this particular trail in them yet – are Gillean Daffern's Kananaskis Country Trail Guide (Rocky Mountain Books) and Graeme Pole's Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies (Altitude Publishing).
General Resources: Bruce Masterman's book, Heading Out: A Celebration of the Great Outdoors in Calgary and Southern Alberta. (Johnson Gorman Publishers, 1999) provides a good overview of the different activities available in or around Calgary. Alberta's Parks and Protected Areas brochure, available at most provincial park offices, is also a good source for trip ideas. On line, check out The Calgary Area Outdoor Council at http://www.calcna.ab.ca/caoc/ – it provides you with a comprehensive listing of hiking, canoeing, sailing, fishing, biking and trailriding organizations in the area.
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