Andrew Penner laces up his boots on a few of Alberta’s mountaineering trails.

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A few hours into our hike and I’m starting to surprise if there’s been some sort of zombie apocalypse and my son and I are, effectively, the final of us. Since leaving the trailhead close to the freeway we haven’t seen one other human. No half-dead, fungal-infected freaks both. True, the path we’re on – Excessive Midday Hills in Sheep River Provincial Park – isn’t precisely world-renowned. However, nonetheless, I’d have guess there’d be no less than a couple of different wanderers out and about. However it’s November. Most individuals have put away their poles. Simply one among many explanation why the shoulder season is, for my part, the perfect time to go for a stroll!   

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After all, I’ll take an excellent stroll within the woods any month of the 12 months. To me, even on a crazy-busy path in Banff in mid-summer, the professionals at all times outweigh the cons. In spite of everything, it’s nature. It’s the nice outdoor. And it’s essential on your thoughts, physique, and soul to simply get on the market and recreate. So far as I’m involved, going for a hike has at all times been one of many best methods in historical past to do that.  

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Nearly as good as it’s, mountaineering within the shoulder season does include a couple of little nuances. “Dangers” is likely to be a greater method to put it. Path circumstances may be variable and sketchy. Mud, snow, ice … it’s all in play. Even driving to sure trailheads may be tough some days. And climate circumstances can be difficult. Excessive chilly, robust winds, blowing snow, sleet … ya simply by no means know. 

“Rule primary when mountaineering within the shoulder season is to keep away from avalanche terrain,” says Joel Hagen, an accredited and award-winning mountaineering information and the proprietor of Nice Divide Nature Interpretation in Banff. Hagen, who began his firm together with his companion, Nadine, in 1997 after working as a naturalist for Parks Canada for quite a lot of years, has led lots of of hikes within the Canadian Rockies and is absolutely conscious of the dangers and the perfect methods to mitigate them. He’s been a mountaineering information for 32 years and is one among solely 20 guides within the nation with “Grasp” standing with the Interpretive Guides Affiliation.  

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“Ice cleats are additionally important,” says Hagan, who spends a lot of his winter guiding snowshoeing adventures in Banff Nationwide Park. “They supply that crucial traction that you simply want when the path will get icy and so they can prevent from having a severe fall. Additionally, it’s best to pack extra security gear than you may in summer season. I like to recommend further layers, a headlamp in case night sneaks up on you, snacks, and a thermos of one thing heat like tea or scorching cocoa. Given how lengthy and chilly the nights are, it’s a good suggestion to let an in depth contact find out about your plans simply in case one thing goes fallacious.”   

Whereas being ready is, clearly, important, selecting the place to go can be a make-it-or-break-it determination. “In Lake Louise, Lake Agnes is an effective guess in November,” says Hagen. “The path is straightforward to seek out and often well-packed by different hikers. For many who wish to squeeze the final bit of warmth out of the season, the Citadel Lookout path alongside the Bow Valley Parkway has massive vistas and may really feel surprisingly heat on sunny days due to its south-facing side. In Banff, attempt the shoreline of Lake Minnewanka. It’s open and scenic and one other place the place sunshine feels particularly good within the mornings.”  

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Because of the lack of individuals, I’ve at all times loved the hikes within the Sheep River Provincial Park space west of Diamond Valley. Excessive Midday Hills, Foran Grade, and Mesa Butte, which is positioned within the Mesa Butte Provincial Recreation space, are private favourites. Resulting from its south-facing side, Mesa Butte – a comparatively fast scamper as much as a pine-coated knoll with beautiful views – at all times appears to be good late within the fall and in early spring. The proximity of those hikes to Calgary (lower than an hour to get to the trailheads) is one other draw. Earlier than heading out, I at all times test climate forecasts, test for street closures, and path circumstances, and browse latest path critiques on apps resembling Alltrails and Trailforks.  

Unquestionably, the payoffs of mountaineering within the shoulder season are quite a few. On these “regular” days when the temperature is reasonable and the winds are calm, it may be spectacular. Recent snow on the peaks, moody fog banks, frost-coated timber, frozen waterfalls, stunning Chinook clouds, clear skies, no bugs, and no crowds are simply a few of my favorite elements of mountaineering within the shoulder season. 

To high it off, nearly all of the bears are in hibernation (I’d nonetheless pack bear spray) and zombie sightings are additionally fairly uncommon (they don’t make zombie spray.)   

Andrew Penner is a contract author and photographer based mostly in Calgary. You’ll be able to comply with him on Instagram @andrewpennerphotography. 

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