August 26th 2023 Rimwall summit. Happy to make two summits in one outingSome thing new but not places I have not been before. So two summits which have been hiked many times but this tim… Read More

August 19th 2023 Yes Martha it is steepThis hike was first seen when we went along the trail to James Walker Mountain. Let’s do Chesmill that looks doable. Here is my disclaimer I… Read More

August July 24th 2023 7 Lost Lake is foundLost Lake is found by going up Galatea Trail for about 4 km. There are two bridges one crosses the creek to the left and almost immediatel… Read More

Looking back at the bushwacking as we break out into the shaleOchre Springs Peak in Kootnay National Park . A walk through the Paint Pots starts off this challenging scramble. Walk along th… Read More

Bottom end of Johnson lakeJohnson Lake is a very popular destination for Banffite and Calgarians to take a swim on a hot day. Take the lake Minniewanka Rd from Hwy1 The walk around the la… Read More

Looking into Red BasinRed Basin to Red Peak and back down Buller Pass North. The idea came from Gillean Dafferns route into the basin with some modifications. See Dafferns Kananaskis Countr… Read More

Begby FallsBegby Falls is short hike in the Revelstoke area. Drove down Hwy 23 S for 8.5 km Parking lot on left side of road. Follow trail down to the river and falls. Beautiful area and y… Read More

Firelook out to right. Cliff is the paraire LookoutThis well known trail from Barrier Lake goes up the praire View Lookout. Take a right at the top and go up to the Fire Lookout. A bit of a… Read More

At the Lusk meadow looking Boundary ridgeMay 24th 2023 Great early season hike. Snow retreats fast from the foothill and this year was alow snow year. South Lusk Meadows is another Da… Read More

First Bridge Fullerton Bobcat is in Elbow River Provincial Park. Not far passed the Kananaskis sign is the parking for Fullerton. A nice day hiking and biking area for families. We did Fulle… Read More

September 23rd 2022 Into the valley. At the bottom was a large avalanche creek. tried to go down and then got out and went through the trees the way we came upHector Peak South is as it… Read More

Many more Ridge Peaks to climbSeptember 30th 2022 Knowing this was going to be a long day we decided to pay for the ride up and down on the Banff Sulphur Mountain Gondola. Locals and res… Read More

Spoon Needle from Opal day useSeptember 2 2022 Spoon Needle. This is the mountain that looks long steep and narrow IE a Spoon Needle when you are traveling north back to Hwy 1. As you ge… Read More

Aug 24th 2022 Although I have been up Noseeum Mountain and also explored around the Lake and Plateau I have not made a loop of this hike by coming out at Mosquito Creek. This is the usu… Read More

The majestic North Opal PeakAugust 17th 2022 Opal North is located just south of the Kananaskis gas station on Rocky Creek. Park on the west side of Hwy 40. Walk up the creek looking for… Read More

Looking at the Golden Larches in the Redoubt Lake ValleySeptember 24th 2021 One of the most stunning Larch hikes I have ever been on. We started from Fish Creek Parking off the Lake Louis… Read More

Burns Lake Via Arethusa Col Burns lakeSeptember 21st 2021 Burns Lake is a remote lake behind Storm Mountain Kananaskis. This is a very hidden lake. The route in is from Arethusa Circ j… Read More

Pocaterra Ridge reflecting in small tarnSeptember 10th 2021 Arrived early enough to get into Highwood Pass Parking and set off up the trail towards Grizzly Col. I have completed numerous… Read More

Climbed up through here .Col and Mt Burstall behind September 4th 2021 This Peak is found from Burstall Pass Trail off Hwy 742 Smith Dorian Trail. Walk or bike the 4 km to the Burstall F… Read More

Bill on top of the worldAugust 27th 2021 Bald Eagle has just been officially names this past week from Squaws Tit so a good time to climb said Peak. I was up on this one about 15 years a… Read More

1st waterfallAugust 24th 2021 James Walker is at the end of a beautiful valley full of waterfalls and tarns. In August the tarns are low in water but the waterfalls remain flowing. The… Read More

From the high point of the day the gravel mound of lateral moraine .Hector GlacierAugust 13th 2021 I have called this Little Little because we did not go up Little Hector Mountain but ju… Read More

Hazy reflection at Rawson LakeRawson lake is a popular day hike from Upper Kananaskis Lake. This South Ridges adds to the excitement and adds a difference. Unfortunately we took the wrong w… Read More

Looking back into Porcupine Creek and the way up1 Start at the trailhead for Porcupine Creek. 2 Walk to the Y in the creek turn left. Do not go up the trail to the Ridge 3 Walk al… Read More

July 9th Friday The trail head parking is at The Valleyview Trail road off Hwy 40. This road is now closed and gated. Bear aware. The road runs to Elpoca View Lookout and then onto Little… Read More

June 30th 2021 Since last going to Razors Edge a new trail has been built from the Quaite Valley trail to the bottom of Razors Edge that used to come out near the rock cut on Hwy 1… Read More

June 16th 2021 Nice hike in the foothills off Hwy 68 Sibbald Creek road. Drive approx 10 KM from Hwy 40. The name Seventy Buck comes from a couple of guys looking for cattle one of them l… Read More

April 9th 2021 Altrude Lakes is accessed from the north side of the Great Divide Parking on Hwy 93 south. There are five lakes and a frozen waterfall. A lot of snow is needed to get down… Read More

Bill on top of a rockApril 1st 2021 Crowfoot Glades can be seen from Hwy 93 north. to the left of the Crowfoot Glacier. Pull of the side of the road or park at the Bow Lake view area. ( G… Read More

January 7th 2021 See pictures of the new West Bowl and some off Whitehorn with the New Summit chair lift [See image gallery at willski.ca]The post Lake Louise West Bowl first appeared… Read More

Jan 1 2021 [See image gallery at willski.ca] PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE Snowshoed Black Prince on New Years Day. Parking lot was full but we only… Read More

December Monday 28th 2020 Start this winter trail 2.2km south of Engadine lodge turn. There were about 50 cars parked along the road this day. Cross the Meadow and follow tracks. Left tra… Read More

Mount Rundle is one of the most popular scrambles in the Banff Nat Park.The trail head is at Bow Falls parking. Walk over the bridge and round the back of the golf course to find the trail… Read More

Bill Happy to be On top of The WedgeAugust 17 2020 When driving up Hwy 40 you can see The Wedge and think I have to get up “that one ” So this is me getting up “that on… Read More

Looking down the Rundle rangeAugust 27th 2020 Last time I was at the top of the Orphan someone pointed out that it was quicker, shorter and easier to get up the Middle Sister from this… Read More

Mt Allen ridge we would descendSeptember 2 2020 What a beautiful day to be out hiking. I have always wanted to get onto Mt Collembola as I can see it from my house. The idea… Read More

Bill summit EEORAugust 20th 2020 Getting to the top of EEOR is a yearly right of passage.This was my second time this year. This time was a bit more of an adventure as we planned to go a… Read More

Wendell East overviewSeptember 23 2020 Wendell East in the CMC Valley. Start as for Yamnuska. When on the col the trail is there ahead through trees. Go down into the valley. Creek has t… Read More

Gap Mountain Kananaskis Elpoca RightAugust 14th 2020 Mt Roberta is a small mountain that is seen driving up Hwy 40 after leaving the turn to kananaskis Lakes. The trailhead is an old… Read More

On-top-of-the-moraine-looking-at-Iceberg-LakeJuly 30th 2020 This blog is more about going to Iceberg lake as I have a blog on The Onion which can be read on this link http://willski.ca/th… Read More

Mt Temple from the trailCastle Mountain Lookout is located along the Bow valley parkway. Enter at Castle Mountain junction and head north ,left. Parking on the right in 4.5 km. This is a sh… Read More

It looks a long way along the ridge to Mt kentJuly 19th 2020 Although I have been on Kent Ridge before it was in October with snow and cold temperatures. I wanted to return and se… Read More

Looking back down the scree rubble Trailhead = Start from Silvertip Golf CourseWalk the Moraine Traverse to Johnny”s Trail Cross Stoneworks Canyon follow trail upCross Canyon to tr… Read More

I hope these pictures may help name wild flowers for you.  I have done my best to find names through the web and flower books.I do not profess to be an expert and mistakes will have be… Read More

December 11th 2019 Started from the parking across the tracks at the Lake O’Hara trailhead. Continued down the Great Divide rd until the Ross lake turn off. Hike up to the lake. From… Read More

Great views great snow. Near the bottom of Bye Bye Bowl looking at Cat Track Corner December 5th Thursday A great day at Sunshine to get a sunshine day on a powder day. W spent all morning d… Read More

From the Green Run hill down to the Great Divide Chair lots of freshes November 19th Lake Louise November 21 Sunshine On Tuesday we were at Lake Louise for the opening of Boomerang. Great po… Read More

Sunlight on the valley Cloud looking into Lake Louise November 14th 2019 Thursday turned ou to be a great day. A bed of cloud in the valley made conditions look poor on arrival. Half way up… Read More

Top of the World lift open Nov 12th November 12th 2019 Now the season is really on at Lake Louise. On the November 12th both the Top of the World and the Summit Platter opened. This Friday w… Read More

Gondola upper station November 8th 2019 Sunshine Village opened for the season with just the Strawberry Chair. An indication of the low snow base so far this year. In past years we have seen… Read More

Looking down Easy Street to Whiskey Jack lodge Nov 1 2019 Friday It was a surprise to find Lake Louise was opening before Sunshine a week earlier than planned.  Cold temperatures had h… Read More

Trail heads up to Guinns Pass September 13th 2020 The purpose of this blog is to show the new trail that was recently built to replace the old Guinns Pass Trail that got washed out in the 20… Read More

The Claw in the Mushroom garden September 4th 2019 I had heard bad things about this trip so was pleasantly surprised when I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. To do this traverse you do need two… Read More

Cirque Peak from the Helen lake Trail August 22 2019 Just to get this straight the official trail called Dolomite Pass goes north from Katherine Lake and is a backpack route to Isabella… Read More

At Burstall Pass with Snow Peak challenging you to come to it August 14th 2019 Snow peak Trail Head is from Burstall Pass Day Use area. Opposite from Chester Lake Day Use. Drive on the Smit… Read More

Grotto Mountain towers over Canmore August 9th 2019. OK that is all the routes up Grotto that I know of completed.  There are five routes I have called them #1 A.C.C. Route #2 Righ… Read More

Closer shot of Assiniboine, Aye & Eon Aug 2 cnd 2019 http://willski.ca/sparrowhawk-tarns-red-ridge-circuit/ See above link for description of Sparrowhawk Tarns. Walk to the upper end of… Read More

Patty passes the Pinnacle July 31 2019 http://willski.ca/molar-pass-south-to-molar-north/ See this link for  Trailhead description and route  from South  to North … Read More

Mt Whymper from the parking at Stanley Glacier July 25th 2019 Mt Whymper is the mountain directly across from Stanley Glacier parking on Hwy 93 S. Start from the parking but walk back east… Read More

Final steps July 17th 2019 This scramble has alluded me for sometime.I have gone up Baldy Pass may times and always done a” Baldy “. Now I have done a Midnight Peak. Next time I… Read More

Looking down at the crux June 13th 2019 Mary Barclay and her sister Catherine opened the first Youth Hostel in Canada. Not sure why they only named the mountain after Mary. There are two r… Read More

Getting on the ridge with the Orphan in sight. Head for the Col and up right July 4th 2019 The Orphan is a Daffern hike also Spirko has a write up as well. Here is my view. Start from Spray… Read More

Looking down the Valley Mt Louis on Left June 17th 2019 Cory Pass is one of the better know Banff hikes it is in all the info guides. It is stated as strenuous and this is true. I think a lo… Read More

Heart Mt June 12th 2019 Although I have been up Heart Mountain a few times I just realised I did not have it on my blog. So here it is. Trail starts at Heart Creek next to the Lac Des Arc&n&helli…Read More

On Hector run #21 December 27th 2018 Pipestone only open for the season on the 26th December and is in good condition. It will need more snow after the holiday traffic wears the low snow bas… Read More

View from Angel towards Standish Tuesday November 9 2018 Ski season is under way again at Sunshine. Lot’s of natural snow. Found some nice stashes of powder on opening day. By the time… Read More

Looking back at first summit from the bridge. Deep snow all through the trees October 30th 2018 Kent Ridge South is at the south end of Hwy 742 the Smith Dorrien Rd from Canmore. The best wa… Read More

Upper Lake and reflection October 22 2018 Mt indefatigable is one of Kananaskis most scenic hikes. You don’t have to go to the summit just up the ridge shown in the photo below to get… Read More

Marmot Basin and  Mt Collembola October 15th 2018 Marmot Basin trail starts at the Nakiska Ski Resort. Or ribbon Creek or Troll falls Parking. We started at Nakiska Ski Resort parking l… Read More

Looking back on Kovach to Ribbon Creek bridge October 11th 2018 First ski of the season October 11th. Conditions a bit lumpy with just a cat track going over the snow. I should have starte… Read More

Lee with the foothill beyond on the summit plateau October 05 2018 Yes this is October 5th . No this should have been a snowshoe trip not a hike. It took us 3hrs to do 3km to get to the… Read More

Quadra and Valley of the  Ten Peaks  and Mount Temple September 25th 2018 Winter weather continues although this is only September. Today got a bit of a break in the weather but th… Read More

Taylor lake September 19th 2018 I went up this way back in 2015 on the exact date and it was raining so I never went up to the ridge. See photo’s in the gallery. I have also gone to Pa… Read More

At the top of scree gully looking at Gr571003 August 28th 2018 Gr571003 An un-named peak over the ridge from Picklejar Lakes. Start at Lantern Creek day Use Area. See link for Picklejar Lake… Read More

The true summit 2 m higher than the first one August 14th 2018. Mt Fable scramble starts at the legion in Exshaw. Just because there is no parking anywhere closer. Walk west towards Exshaw C… Read More

Tarn below Rae Glacier. Plane crashed here out of sight August 01 2018 This blog could be called the day of the plane crashed. Yes we were at the waterfall when we heard a plane’s… Read More

Mt Wapta looking across the Burgess Shale August 10th 2018 Mt Field trail head is off Hwy 1 just 0.4 km before the Field turn off. A paved pot holed  road parallels  Hwy… Read More

All three lakes .I call the lowest one Barnaby .The other two Southfork July 29th 2018 Southfork Mountain and Barnaby Ridge are in the newly developed Castle Wilderness Provincial Park. Foll… Read More

Looking east July28th 2018 Last year on our way down to the Castle Mountain area  we did Hailstone Butte. This year at the same trailhead hiked Windy Hills Peak. Pictures below sho… Read More

Island on main lake July 20th 2018 Just to make it clear this lake has no name on the map so I called it Crowfoot because it is in the lee of the Crowfoot Mountain. It does show on the… Read More

All smiles at the summit. I am smiling as well July 11th 2018 Buller Creek Peak is on the North Buller Pass trail. See other info on previous trips http://willski.ca/buller-pass-north-south/… Read More

Guardian of the summit July 18th Wednesday This Cox Hill hike starts from Dawson Trailhead which is just 3 km up the Powderface trail road from the Sibbald Creek hwy 68. Both roads are… Read More

Crystal Ridge from Cirque Peak Crowfoot Glacier and Bow lake behind July 16th 2018 Crystal Ridge is often snowshoed and skied in the winter but I could not find a summer report. So it is now… Read More

View of Little galatea from Burstall Day Use July 9th 2018 Little Galatea Ridge is under the main Mt Galatea. It runs between Rummel lake trail and Chester lake. Today we could not go to C… Read More

Waldhaus Pub at the 15th Tee June 24th Sunday. The hike starts by driving through the entrance to the Banff Springs Hotel on Spray Ave. This is the popular cross country routehttp://willski… Read More

Looking back to Packenham JR from under Mt Packenham Wednesday June 13th 2018 This hike out of Andrew Nagaro’s book is 5 Km south of the Fortress Gas Station ( get your ice cream here… Read More

Bill and his frosty beard February  20th 2018 Great trip to Stoney Creek Wardens Cabin. Weather a little cold -22c at the parking lot. Not skied  more than twice this year so… Read More

Inversion coming through from Field in BC Jan 4th 2018 After a cold period over Christmas, more moderate weather has brought out the crowds. Once away from the lower front side of the hill t… Read More

Bow River and East End of Rundle December 16th 2017 The lack of snow and a promise to end up at the Legion for a beer and burger after the hike is all the incentive I need to get out wa… Read More

South Divide is now open December 12th 2017 More runs continue to open at Sunshine Village. We now have the  South Divide which the sign is calling Piste Noir. The Angle Traverse just o… Read More

At the top of the  Summit Platter Whitehorn Dec 8th 2017 Lake Louise  under a crystal blue sky is a sight to behold. No worries about the visibility on the top of Whitehorn makes… Read More

On the Divide Chair at Brewsters Rock. Seeing poachers tracks as not yet open December 5th 2017 Sunshine Village opened up Goats Eye at 2 pm on Tuesday. Greg and I were on the Gondola o… Read More

Looking down Paradise Run to Temple Lodge November 21 2017. Lake Louise tends to put most of it’s efforts into the World Cup races to the detriment of the rest of the hill. This year w… Read More

Greg on Wawa November 16th 2018 The season opened on November 8th Wednesday. This is my third time out and I remember to bring my camera. It was a good day to remember the camera as there wa… Read More

Higher up Lipalian looking at the Larch Area September 24th 2017 Lipalian mountain over looks the Lake Louise Larch ski hill. Start at Fish Creek Parking as for Skoki Lodge/Hidden Lake Hike… Read More

What-a-splendid-evening-view-to-end-the-day-at-Bow-lake. September 22 2017 The climb to The Onion starts at Nu-Ti-Jah Lodge at Bow lake on Hwy 93 north. Follow the trail around the lake and… Read More

View of Heros Knob September 15 2017 Heros Knob  on Hwy 742 Smith Dorrien Spray lakes road 500 m south of the Sawmill Recreational Area. The area has a wide flat opening on the West s… Read More

Moose teeth September 11th 2017 South Lusk Meadows is another Daffern Book hike from Volume 2 PG 244. It was a very pleasant hike and offered more than  expected with great views… Read More

Mt Sheol September 23 2017 Moraine Lake road is very busy in the summer if you are not at the trailhead by 7:30 am the road closure is in effect until someone leaves. We arrived at 7:30 to… Read More

Mt Haig September 2 2017 Mt Haig is south of Pincher Creek where we stayed the night. Then we met up with Kevin who was leading the hike at the hamlet of Beaver Mines. Kevin and h… Read More