Heart Mountain Loop, Alberta

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

A friend’s son and his buddy arrived in Calgary on a Jack Kerouac inspired road trip across Canada.

My first inclination was to take them on a hike in the Rockies. We arranged it late night on Facebook and organized an early rendezvous next morning near Canmore at the Heart Creek Trail parking lot.

Our fearless leader, Kelly Mock, lives less than 10min away. He recommended we try for the Heart Mountain Loop.

We got immediately lost, having to bushwhack up through trees and scramble to get up on the correct ridge.

Weather perfect, the views were amazing once we got up high.

Here’s Aiden, with the Trans Canada highway in the background.

On the summit.

I loved this hike for the long, easy, gorgeous ridge walks around the horseshoe.

This mountain was crowded on a sunny Saturday in September. Raven was waiting on leftover hiker’s lunches.

Without having gotten lost, we would have been about 5hrs on the loop. It’s a scramble — you’ll get your hands dirty. But there are only a few technical sections, slight exposure.

Highly recommended in good weather.

See all my photos from this day hike.

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This same beautiful day friends were hiking nearby.