If you鈥檝e opened up Instagram lately, you鈥檝e seen dozens of photos featuring tiny people engulfed by gigantic alpine landscapes. A lot of those were shot in Alberta, probably at Moraine Lake. There, jagged peaks tower over its turquoise waters, enticing hundreds of thousands of visitors聽each year.听
While the beauty of the Canadian Rockies is undeniable, what those awe-inspiring shots don鈥檛 show are the bustling parking lots, crowded turnouts, and packed lodges聽all full of people waiting in line to take the exact same photos as everyone else. Wouldn't you rather adventure out into some of the gnarliest nature North America has to offer?聽Late last year, that鈥檚 just what we did. And now we鈥檙e going to show you how to do the same.
Go Heli-Hiking
How long does it take? 3-4 hours.听
How much does it cost? $500 CDN.听
What the hell is heli-hiking? It combines a scenic flight with an epic hike through the mountains, cutting out the long slogs on overcrowded trails to take you directly to the good stuff.听
runs trips from their base in Canmore (about a 30-minute drive southeast of Banff). One of their helicopters will fly聽you up to a hard-to-reach location, you hike around, and they they pick you up again.听
We went heli-hiking with legendary adventure photographer, and fellow 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor, Jimmy Chin, and it was awesome! The flight up was incredible, providing us with a bird鈥檚 eye view of alpine lakes and forests, while letting us get up close and personal with the jagged peaks and massive glaciers. While hiking, we had the mountains all to ourselves; it felt like total wilderness, even though it was all just a few minutes away by air.听
If heli-hiking sounds expensive, that鈥檚 because it is. Guided trips start at about $500 CDN per-person; that can increase depending on time and distance. But, if you鈥檝e ever dreamed of flying through a beautiful landscape, this is how you do that. One U.S. Dollar is equivalent to $1.40 CDN right now, making this adventure more affordable than ever.听
Climb a Mountain
How long does it take? 9-12 hours.听
How much does it cost? $375 (or free if you go聽without a guide).
Take a drive up the Icefields Parkway and you鈥檒l see some of the most epic landscapes imaginable. Jagged peaks jut towards the sky. Raging waterfalls crash down into rivers below. Glaciers creep out from the icefield to the road, where visitors can get a better look from the Skywalk. What鈥檚 more exciting than looking at mountains? Climbing them.听
The Columbia Icefield is home to some of the best alpine climbing in North America. Classic done-in-a-day climbs like the AA Col on and the Skyladder on begin just a stone鈥檚 throw from the parkway鈥檚 main visitor center. These peaks provide a plethora of awesome challenges for any alpinist; climbing them is a great way to experience the Canadian Rockies in all their glory, with nary a tourist in sight.听
Don鈥檛 have a climbing partner, or don鈥檛 feel comfortable tackling them on your own? Yamnuska Mountain Guides runs , and a handful of other peaks in the area. Expect to pay about $375 CDN perperson to jump on a group climb. If climbing is too intense, try .听
Go Canyoneering
How long does it take? 4-5 hours.听
How much does it cost? $170 CDN.
Canyoneering combines hiking, climbing, rappelling, sliding, and swimming to descend rugged (and oftentimes remote) canyons. Commercial trips are a brand new option in Jasper.听
The adventure takes place at Two Valley Canyon, a short 20-minute drive from downtown. Upon arriving at the canyon鈥檚 exit, you鈥檒l don a wetsuit, splash jacket, hood, harness, boots, and gloves before hiking into the woods, following the rim of the canyon up to its entrance.听
After reaching the canyon鈥檚 mouth, you鈥檒l spend the next three hours descending back down, using a series of slides and rappels. It鈥檚 cold, wet, and incredible; making this the highlight of our trip. And the best part? There wasn鈥檛 another person around. Book it through .听
While many of Alberta鈥檚 most obvious attractions are teeming with people, there鈥檚 plenty of adventure to go around, and it doesn鈥檛 take much to get off the beaten path. Have any tips of your own? Tell us about them in comments.