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The Best Outdoor Adventures
Visiting grizzlies in Banff: Fortunately, few in bear country (that's the Rockies in general, folks) ever come nose-to-nose with a grizzly, which is a good thing; one ton of hungry bear can be hard to reason with. But some tours offer the occasion to view the magnificent beasts in their natural habitat in relative safety. Discover Banff Tours (tel. 877/565-9372) takes you bear watching through Lake Louise and on to the Grizzly Bear Refuge near Kicking Horse.
Heli-hiking in Banff: It's one thing to take a helicopter over the Rockies; the wind whipping off the peaks makes it an unsettling, exhilarating experience. But touching down way up high, where no truck, train, or hiker could ever get to, is an otherworldly experience. This is an untouched as the earth gets.
Paddling the Athabasca River and climbing Morro Peak: The Jasper Adventure Centre (tel. 800/565-7547) calls it their "ultimate adventure," and it's hard to argue, really. A 12km (8-mile) paddle along the Athabasca River ends up at the foot of Morro Peak, where you'll climb 700m (2,100 ft.) to the rocky -- and somewhat frighteningly narrow -- ridge that is the mountaintop. Only one thing beats looking at the mountains here: Standing on top of one. Here's your chance.
Dog-sledding in Kananaskis: For those for whom skiing is too mundane. Mad Dogs and Englishmen (tel. 403/609-3670) is happy to take you on a true-life Arctic-esque adventure across the frozen mountainscapes, pulled behind a game team of huskies.
Riding range on a cattle drive: Sure, you can get all your cowboy experience at Cowboys, the rowdy, always-game bar in Calgary, but if you want to go all the way, driving cattle is about as authentic as it gets. If you've seen City Slickers, where Billy Crystal and friends play, well, city slickers driving in the herd alongside real-life ranch hands, you've got the idea. Home on the Range Adventure Tours (tel. 866/760-8334) provides a link with real, live ranches in the Rocky Mountain foothills along the Cowboy Trail to ride range on the herd for a night or three. This is the real deal -- right down to the smell.
White-water rafting Horseshoe Canyon in Kananaskis Country: The truth of it is, you could white-water raft on any number of mountain rivers all over Alberta and get a taste of the experience. But Horseshoe Canyon, in Kananaskis Country, offers the iconic mountain landscapes, a crisp, icy river, a plethora of water ledges to tumble over -- and, most importantly, plenty of white water.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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