After spending a full day exploring Calgary and sampling the local cuisine, it was time to say goodbye to the city and head into the breathtaking Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta.
While Canadian cities are a blast, especially if you know all the best spots for food, drinks, and a little dancing, the beauty of the great outdoors is truly one of the main reasons I love visiting Canada. The natural scenery here is just out of this world.
Back in the UK, the mountains are nowhere near as tall as those in Canada, and we certainly don’t get as much snow, which makes for some stunning views. The Canadian Rockies are truly a special and dramatic part of the world. Even though I’ve seen them a few times, they never fail to leave me in awe.
We wasted no time and headed straight to Yamnuska Adventures in Canmore, where we met Derek, our guide for the day. We set out to explore the stunning Grotto Canyon together.
Grotto Canyon is a fairly easy hike since it’s mostly flat, which I loved—it made the adventure even more enjoyable. Walking through this beautiful area at a relaxed pace was such a delight. I must admit, I’m not a fan of uphill hikes!
There’s a frozen river running through the canyon, so you definitely need crampons and good winter boots. Luckily, Derek came well-prepared and even brought lunch, which we somehow forgot to plan for. The canyon was breathtaking to walk through!
Rivers back home in the UK don’t freeze like this, so the chance to wander through a frozen canyon was really special, especially for someone like me from London. As you move through the canyon, keep an eye out for the ancient paintings left by the First Nations people on the canyon walls. Derek was incredibly helpful in pointing these out, as they’re easy to miss without guidance.
Eventually, we reached what I think is the canyon’s most stunning spot, where it opens up wide. Here, you really need those crampons because there’s a waterfall to the right of the area that’s simply gorgeous when frozen in the winter.
If you’re interested in ice climbing, this canyon is a fantastic place to try it out.
You could finish your hike here, but since the canyon continues a bit further into the mountains, we decided to keep going.
At the other end of the canyon, we took a break for some hot chocolate—another thoughtful surprise from Derek’s backpack—and enjoyed our lunch.
After saying goodbye to Grotto Canyon, our next destination was the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary, a place I was very curious about.
I had no idea what a ‘wolfdog’ was—it turns out, it’s exactly what the name implies: a mix between a dog and a wolf. Since wolves and dogs have such different traits, wolfdogs can be quite challenging pets. They need more space and don’t do well in noisy crowds or with strangers like regular dogs.
The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary helps find new homes for wolfdogs when their owners realize they can’t care for them properly. It’s not impossible, but you do need to know what you’re doing and have the right setup. Often, people adopt these cute puppies without realizing their unique needs and behavior as they mature. When owners struggle, the sanctuary steps in to provide care and occasionally relocate them to new owners.
We spent the afternoon learning all about wolfdogs, how to care for them, and even got to feed them. They’re not as food-motivated as regular dogs, though part of that might be because they’re so well looked after here.
After exploring the sanctuary and gaining a new appreciation for the differences between wolves, dogs, and wolfdogs, it was time to head to our hotel—the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge.
Upon arrival, we were greeted with a charcuterie platter that we quickly devoured before going to a restaurant for dinner. There’s something so refreshing about a day spent in the mountains. Even though we didn’t do anything too physically demanding, the jetlag hit us hard after dinner, so we decided to turn in for the night. There’s so much more of Alberta to explore in the coming days, and I can’t wait to see more of the stunning landscapes.