The Aspiring Hiker's Guide Mountain Treks in Alberta

by Shea, Gerry

• ISBN13: 9781897522790
• ISBN10: 1897522797
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-05-01
• Publisher: Rocky Mountain Books

Summary

This first volume in The Aspiring Hiker¿s Guide series is meant to encourage beginner and intermediate hikers, backpackers and scramblers to step into and explore the backcountry in Banff National Park, Lake Louise, Jasper National Park, Kananaskis Country and the Icefields Parkway with both confidence and excitement. Many aspects of venturing into these areas are investigated, including expert advice on gear, clothing, food and equipment; procedures related to safety and etiquette; and considerations as to physical fitness and first aid. Routes and trails are detailed with colour photographs and maps, GPS coordinates, elevation gain charts, distances, natural landmarks and tips on arriving at the destination safely. Best routes to summits are described in detail to prevent confusion and injury. As well, the general histories of the trails, routes and naming conventions for some mountains are presented so as to add an element of understanding and intrigue as to what was experienced by the First Peoples and early European explorers who set foot in these beautifully wild areas of western Canada.

Author Biography

Gerry Shea moved to Kamloops from Vancouver at the age of 9 and became enchanted by the nearby hills. He discovered the Canadian Rockies on a family vacation many years later and began hiking and climibing in his spare time, gathering knowledge and experience which he has since used to help beginning hikers, scramblers and backpackers to trek safety. Gerry lives in Kamloops with his wife and children and continues to explore the Rockies. Watch for the Aspiring Hiker's Guide 2: Mountain Treks in British Columbia, in Spring 2011

Table of Contents

Backpacking Equipment	p. 9
Backpacks	p. 9
Clothing	p. 11
Sleeping bags	p. 16
Tents	p. 19
Cookware	p. 20
Water containers	p. 22
Additional equipment	p. 23
Backcountry Management	p. 25
Campsite location	p. 25
Tent set-up	p. 26
Cooking/eating area	p. 27
Washing your dishes	p. 28
Washing yourself	p. 28
Outhouses	p. 29
Maintaining the campground	p. 29
Scrambling	p. 31
Fitness	p. 31
Scrambling equipment	p. 32
Additional equipment	p. 34
First Aid	p. 37
Backpacking Trips	p. 41
Tonquin Valley, Amethyst Lakes Campground	p. 41
Glacier Lake Campground	p. 46
Fryatt Valley, Brussels Campground	p. 50
Skoki Country, Hidden Lake Campground	p. 54
Cascade River Fire Road Trail, Cascade River Bridge Campground	p. 58
Geraldine Lakes Campground	p. 61
Egypt Lake Campground	p. 65
Mosquito Creek Campground	p. 70
Skyline Trail, Snowbowl Campground	p. 76
Saturday Night Loop, Minnow Lake Campground	p. 81
South Boundary Trail, Jacques Lake Campground	p. 88
Lake Minnewanka, Aylmer Pass Campground (LM 8)	p. 94
Fortress Lake Trail, Big Bend Campground	p. 100
Athabasca Pass, Whirlpool Campground	p. 104
Spray River Campground (Sp6)	p. 110
Taylor Lake Campground (Ta6)	p. 113
Scrambling Trips	p. 119
Panorama Ridge	p. 119
Observation Peak	p. 123
Fairview Mountain	p. 127
Mount St. Piran	p. 130
Cinquefoil Mountain	p. 135
Mount Rundle	p. 139
Castle Mountain	p. 143
Mount Bourgeau	p. 148
Cirque Peak	p. 152
Mount Wilcox	p. 158
Nigel Peak	p. 164
Mount Temple	p. 169
Tangle Ridge	p. 173
Ha Ling Peak	p. 176
Geodetic Survey of Canada Marker 696005 (Twin Peaks)	p. 179
Tower of Babel	p. 184
Acknowledgements	p. 188
Glossary	p. 190
Bibliography	p. 191
Index of Place Names	p. 193
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.