Canada The Backcountry

This article will assist those planning on partaking in fairly hard adventure experiences in the Canadian Rockies. This is not intended to replace participation in certified survival and first aid courses which are essential before undertaking any backcountry adventure.

Avalanches are one of the greatest hazards facing winter travellers in the mountains. Every year too many people are killed, usually triggering the avalanche that buries them.

Presently we have permanent ice caps on Antarctica, the northern Arctic Ocean, Greenland, and isolated alpine ice fields in major mountain ranges.

For hikers and sightseers, Lake Louise is a good base for a visit to the Canadian Rockies. It is central to three main hiking areas: the Lake Louise area itself, Yoho National Park and the first 50 kilometers (30 miles) of the Icefields Parkway. Despite their high elevation, these three hiking areas offer trails ranging from flat lakeside strolls, to invigorating workouts that ascend to passes or promontories.

Kananaskis, also known as Kananaskis Country, is a destination where year round activities, adventures and inspiring natural beauty make an indelible impression on those who visit. In the summer alpine meadows spill down the craggy peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Campers, hikers and bikers drawn into the rugged peaceful surroundings are met by countryside bejeweled with crystal icy rivers, fresh alpine air, and meadows that teem with brilliant wild flowers. Winter brings skiers and other adventurers who derive great pleasure in the white frozen beauty of the Rockies.

Cold and fast boulder-strewn streams and rivers certainly help keep things interesting. Most of the backcountry trails have well made bridges to eliminate the barriers created by rivers, but a few remain in their natural state - without bridges, and the more adventurous will sooner or later find a river that needs crossing. As with any potential hazard look it over, and decide if it is worth the risk.

Did you ever imagine you would be going on a horse pack trip? Let alone by yourself? The outfitter said anyone with good balance and a better sense of humor could do these trips.

British Columbia offers a flurry of alternatives to the traditional ski holiday that can get the most hardcore of adrenalin junkies excited. While activities such as heli- and snowcat skiing are well known already in the snow world, their popularity continues because of their potential to offer runs in uncharted territory away from ski resort lift lines and groomed runs.

Snow can fall in many different forms, but in general it is usually some variation of the classic six arm flake. It usually snows in fairly mild temperatures which helps promote settlement. Snow changes over time through a process called sublimation. Sublimation is the change of a solid directly into a gas without first becoming a liquid. With mild temperatures water vapor travels from the arms of the crystal to refreeze at the center.

Every spring ticks come out, adding to the list of fauna that can be experienced in the Canadian Rockies. Ticks look like a small flattened spider, they have eight legs and two body segments. One tick can fit quite comfortably on a dime. The pests appear harmless enough and usually are, but they can transmit disease - albeit very rare ones.

Many of us watch and listen to wildlife as a means of re-establishing contact with the natural world, to escape the noise and hectic pace of our busy life styles. The sight and sound of migrating geese, a glimpse of a deer, or the call of a loon are special experiences that highlight our memories, marking our passage. Without such experiences, our world would be a much less interesting place...........The two species in the Canadian Rockies that hold the most interest are bear and elk. The former because of their power and amazing character, and the latter because they are so prolific within the area.

At first glance, winter in the Yukon may seem nothing more than long, harsh and cold, with a month of solid darkness, however, that is an opinion only shared by those unacquainted with the treasures and pleasures of this vast winter wonderland. With endless unmarked powder, snow riders are sure to find their own personal adventure of a lifetime...