trail running

Ha Ling

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Mount Lawrence Grassi from the Bow River. The peak of Ha Ling on the far right – Photo: Canmore Runner

Located at the northwestern end of Mount Lawrence Grassi, Ha Ling looms large over Canmore, along with its fellow Canmore Quad peaks of Lady Mac, East End of Rundle and Grotto. At an altitude of 2,407m, it’s the lowest of the Quad summits and with a distance of 3km from trailhead to peak makes for a relatively speedy if technical climb along some switchbacking rocky and root strewn singletrack that eventually gives way to scree followed by a short scramble over rock to the summit. Once there, the views are stunning. Continue reading →

Broken Goat: Best. Race. Ever.

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Photo: Matt McDonald

Best. Race. Ever.

Two hours 59 minutes earlier, as I toed the starting line for the 25Km version of the Broken Goat, I hadn’t anticipated that those would be my first words after crossing the finish line. Nor had I anticipated that I would say them to the race director, Rene Unser, as she hugged me, pom-poms in hand. But that’s what happened. And I meant it. I had just taken part in the best race ever. And I’d just run my best race ever. Continue reading →

High Rockies Trail – 4 – Mount Buller Out-and-Back

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High Rockies Trail between Spray Lakes day use area and Mount Buller – Photo: Canmore Runner

Have I mentioned how much I love the High Rockies Trail? I might have done. Like here, here, and here. Until now, if I was pushed to find fault with this trail, at least the sections i’ve explored, the most I could manage is to complain about the trees – that as amazing, challenging and fun as the trail is to run, you spend a lot of time staring at trees. Lots of trees. This week’s run, however, a 10km out-and-back from the Mount Buller day use area, with 590m of elevation, changed all that. Yes, there was still beaucoup de trees. But there were also magnificent sections of exposed trail that lay the valley bare before you. On a clear, bluebird kind of day, it would be absolutely stunning.

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Two runs, two ranges, two countries, two days

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Mont Blanc and the Bossons Glacier from Chamonix  Photo: Canmore Runner

If you follow me on Twitter (@canmorerunner), you will know that i’ve been on a short European trail running adventure. It involved two runs in two stunning mountain ranges (the Alps and Jura), in two countries (France and Switzerland) in two days. And it was terrific. The weather during the French stage was a bit hit and miss, but there’s nothing like darkening skies and rapidly approaching rumbles of thunder to put a spring in one’s step. Continue reading →

An overdue salute to the trail builders

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Ms. Canmore Runner enjoying the superbly built High Rockies Trail – Photo: Canmore Runner

I’ve been remiss. I’ve spent almost two years enjoying spectacular trails in and around Canmore and Kananaskis. And i’ve spent close to 18 months writing about those trails on this blog. But have I once spared a thought – or a word or two – for those that volunteer their time and effort to actually build and maintain these trails? Nope. Time to right that wrong as I wouldn’t be having all this fun and adventure without the vision, dedication and hard work of the trail builders.  Continue reading →

East End of Rundle: Short, steep, spectacular

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East End of Rundle (left) – Photo: Canmore Runner

Known locally as EEOR, there is nothing gloomy, depressing or otherwise donkey-like about the East End of Rundle. On the contrary, it’s short, steep and spectacular. At an altitude of 2,530m, EEOR looms large over Canmore, along with its fellow Canmore Quad peaks of Ha Ling, Lady Mac and Grotto. The 2.5km trail to the summit (with 899m of elevation) is steep and shaded to begin. But it soon emerges from the trees to reveal spectacular views of the Spray Valley, Ha Ling and – once you’ve scrambled to the summit – Canmore and the Bow Valley. If it’s not on your list of short, steep and spectacular runs, it should be.

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High Rockies Trail 3 – 24km out-and-back from Three Sisters Dam

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Spray Lakes Reservoir and the Spray Valley  Photo: Canmore Runner

You could be mistaken for thinking that the High Rockies Trail in Kananaskis is my new favourite, go-to trail. Once again, I found myself out there, this time covering the 12km section from the Three Sisters Dam (at the northern end of the Spray Lakes Reservoir) to just beyond the “Spray Connector”. Continue reading →

High Rockies Trail 2 – Out-and-Back from Goat Creek

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Backside of East End of Rundle (left) and Ha Ling (right) from the High Rockies Trail  Photo: Canmore Runner

The sun was out, the sky was blue, the temperature was heading up towards 20 degrees and my brain was saying “get ye away from this desk and off to the High Rockies Trail”. So that’s what I did. Continue reading →

Heart Mountain Loop

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Looking north-east towards Mount Fable and Mount Yamnuska from Heart Mountain. Photo: Canmore Runner

Heart Mountain Loop. A steep, unrelenting, hands on scramble, followed by an undulating and spectacular ridge run as you gradually make your way up to and beyond the summit of Heart Mountain. And then a steep, technical, rocky descent that eventually gives way to an equally steep but more forgiving single track through the trees that gradually flattens out as you head back to the trail head. It’s only around 10.4km but that comes with more than 1,000m of elevation. It’s quite the workout. Continue reading →

Yamnuska Loop

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Taking in the view en route to the summit. Photo: Kimberley Al

Thank you Yamnuska. It was epic. It’s only about a 10km loop but you pack of lot into those 10km: a challenging but largely run-able climb that gains around 994m in elevation; easy-going forest trails that deliver you to the exposed and more technical backside of the mountain before reaching the summit with its breathtaking panoramic views. From there, a scorching, scree-skiing descent leads you around the frontside of the mountain and back into the trees before returning to the trailhead. It’s a blast. Continue reading →