ECOTOURISM

Horseback Riding Kananaskis Country

Along the Continental Divide, higher peaks exceed 11,000 feet (3,300m) and remain snow covered throughout the year. The fast flowing rivers issuing from the mountains are crystal clear, having never passed a house or road. Many species of big game call this country home: elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, mule and white-tailed deer, cougars, black and grizzly bears. Spotting these magnificent but elusive animals is an extraordinary treat.

Riding Skills
This vacation is for riders with moderate or better experience and a keen senses of adventure. Three to five hours per day will be spent on trail, though people wishing to spend a day or two doing other activities as hiking or relaxing have that option. The horses have been chosen for their endurance, spirit, and sure-footedness in the mountains. Most are Arabians and Arab crossbreeds. Since the pack train uses different trails you often canter where the trail is suitable. The guests are expected to help in tending to the horses and other camp duties. Most horses are fitted with western style saddles but those with a distinct preference for English riding may be accommodated.

Tour Details

Not included: Tips for the guides, personal rented equipment, alcohol, souvenirs, and 7% GST.

Day 1:
The guests are met at the Calgary airport when they arrive and driven to the hotel in Calgary. Guests are on their own for the evening, so they can rest from the long day’s travel.

Day 2:
Guests will be picked up at the hotel in the morning and transferred to Kananaskis Country west of Bragg Creek. This drive offers the first stunning views of the Rocky Mountains. At the Outpost, meet your guide/outfitter for the next five days. First, you are matched with a horse of appropriate temperament, you pack up the horses and then the horseback riding adventure can begin. Today’s ride will take you below the jagged peaks of the Opal Range into the valley of the Little Elbow River, where the camp is set up. The riding time is 3½ hours.

Day 3:
Today, head out for a day ride from the camp. There are several options available depending on the interests and experience of the riders. One is a short ride and hike up to Talus Lake, an alpine jewel tucked into the side of Mount Cornwall. Another option is a longer ride to Paradise Pass (elevation 2,800 meters), where you might see some herds of elk and bighorn sheep. After the five-hour ride, there is enough time to relax at the camp.

Day 4:
After a hearty breakfast, break camp and ride south into the valley of the Big Elbow River, passing by the Tombstone Lakes at an elevation of 2,500 meters. Set up a new camp in the valley of the Big Elbow and if time allows explore other lakes and valleys in the area. Total riding time is three to five hours.

Day 5:
Break camp and ride through the Big Elbow Valley to the main camp at the base of Forget-Me-Not Ridge. This will take about four hours.

Day 6:
Ride into the spectacular Box Canyon. It is richly rewarding in scenery as it takes you into the austere beauty of the Rockies above the tree line. Then pick up the trail back to the Outpost, where the ride ends by mid-afternoon. Riding time is five hours. It’s time to say goodbye to the wranglers and to go back to civilization. Overnight at the B&B in Bragg Creek.

Day 7:
After breakfast, transfer to Calgary; time for shopping or sightseeing.

3-Day Pack Trips: June 13–15, June 29–July 1, August 2-4, and September 5-7

Climatic Notes
The weather in the Rockies can change abruptly and is hard to predict based on month or season. June is typically the wettest with each coming month drier, but this is often not true. The riding season is from mid-May until early October. Most rain falls in heavy thundershowers that last for only a few hours. Once or twice a season you will experience an “upslope” wind from the Northeast, which brings heavy rain to the region for a day or so. Bad weather lasting more than a day is very rare. Prolonged dry weather is quite common. in which case forest fires become a concern. Because of the high altitude daytime temperatures rarely rise above the mid 20s and humidity is so low that visibility often exceeds 100km. The autumn colors normally peak in the last week of September.