Hiking
in Calgary & the Alberta Rocky Mountains
CANADA
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Hiking
in Calgary & the Alberta Rocky Mountains
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What to Bring
Spring is tick season in the mountains. Learn about ticks!
Spring,
Summer & Fall Wilderness Hiking
Boots –It is crucial that your footwear be comfortable. Hiking boots give more support than sneakers.
Hiking Poles
- These are optional. They are great for knee health and stability.
Backpack
- To keep contents dry, put pack contents in a garbage bag before putting
them in your pack.
Extra clothing
– This comes in useful at the lunch break. You cool down quickly when you
stop moving. An extra fleece, wool sweater or down vest will keep you toasty
warm.
Gaiters
(optional) - Gaiters keep rocks from scree-slopes
and spring snow out of your boots
so your feet stay dry and warm.
Hat
& neck warmer
Leg
wear –Use the layering system outlined
here. Cotton pants and jeans are a bad choice for outdoor activity because
when they get wet they stay wet and you get chilled. Weather in the spring
can vary. Long underwear, over pants and a windproof shell are a good
combination for spring activity.
Gloves
– You may
need mitts during a cold rain in the summer so it's a good idea to carry
them year-round. Choose fleece or wool since they stay warm when wet. You can also layer your mitts using
fleece and a Gortex mitten for the shell.
Extra socks and shoes
(for the drive out and back!)
Water
– 1 to 2 liters of water with you on each hike.
Thermos
- Herbal tea with honey is a wonderful treat and helps warm you up. (Caffeinated
drinks are diuretics and should be consumed in small quantities.)
Food
- Hearty Lunch and lots of snacks. Trail mix/ GORP with nuts and dried fruit
are great snacks that help sustain you on the trail. A lunch with a mix of
protein (cheese, beans, hummus, yogurt) and carbohydrates (bread, crackers,
fruit) is the best bet for keeping well fueled.
Sunscreen & lip balm
Any
medications that are
essential to your good health. (Asthma, angina, diabetes, bee-sting)
First Aid Kit
–
keep a blister kit in the top of your pack for easy access. You can buy
blister kits at most drug stores. For a huge selection of first aid gear you
can visit Vereburn Supply at 2235 - 27 Ave., NE (250-7944).
They are a wholesaler with a warehouse set-up but will also sell retail. It
is best to know what you want before you visit them since they won’t want
you walking through their warehouse to browse!
Bag
to pack your garbage out
(a Safeway bag works great)
Toilet Paper
(baggy to carry it out)
An
insulated pad
to sit on or you can sit on your backpack. (You can buy thinsolate bum pads
at MEC)
Camera
(the
scenery is SPECTACULAR!)
All photos, graphics and written material are Copyright ©
1997 - 2010 Fit Frog Adventures™.
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