We Went for the Snowshoeing and Returned for the Mountain Biking

Last winter I spent the most amazing couple of days snowshoeing in Kananaskis, Alberta  while based out of the remote Mount Engadine Lodge.    It was an incredible weekend with soft fluffy powder deep enough to lose myself in coupled with the backcountry decadence I experienced at the lodge.   I immediately added the trip to my list of “things I MUST do again before I die” list and hoped I’d visit Mount Engadine Lodge again sooner than later.  Little did I know that the opportunity would present itself not even 4 months later and that I’d be back to try a completely different sport this time.  I went for the snowshoeing but returned for the mountain biking – and this time I brought the whole family with me!

Biking at Mt. Shark near Mount Engadine Lodge

Favourite Summer Bike Trails and a Visit to the Fernie Skills Park

I have at least 10 stories waiting to be written - all related to biking, so I've combined all of the trail related posts into one story here, summarizing where we've been in our summer biking adventures.  If you've been following my Kids on Wheels series, you'll know that we are pretty serious about getting our whole family on wheels (myself included), that we've upgraded Noah's bike, enrolled him in bike classes, and want family biking to be front and center in our lives. 

Favourite Summer Trails With a Balance Bike

One -  Watridge Lake and Karst Spring, Mt. Shark Kananaskis

This is a 9km bike hike combo trip that we did while staying at Mount Engadine Lodge in June.  While the trail was closed for a while after the June flood, everything is open again, and you can access Mt. Shark trailhead from Canmore or Hwy 40 again.  We loved this easy mountain bike ride on an old logging road that was very family friendly.  We walked the steep hills and gave Noah the occasional push here and there.  We were extremely proud that Noah did the entire trip by himself to Watridge Lake and  back on his Strider balance bike.  I wasn't sure if he would be able to ride the whole 7.5km round trip without serious problems in motivation and energy but he did awesome and rocked it!  He even had the energy to run up to Karst Spring from the lake so that we could see the water gushing out of a hole in the ground and tumbling down in a thundering waterfall.  It was very cool to see and highly recommended with kids. We left the bikes at the lake for the short hike to the spring and back as it was very steep and NOT bike friendly on any kind of bike.

We definitely plan to repeat this trip next summer and Noah will be on his pedal bike for it.  Hopefully I'll have a new mountain bike by then too.  ;) 

Riding to Watridge Lake

Camping in British Columbia: Kikomun Creek Provincial Park

We love the Alberta Rockies and tend to spend most of our time camping in the Alberta Parks but at least a few times each summer we like to hop across the border into British Columbia and explore new places.  We always find the best beaches when we head west, and this time we found something even more precious - TURTLES.  We camped at Surveyor's Lake in the Kootenay Rockies which is well known for it's high population of Western Painted Turtles, an animal on the list of "wildlife at risk" in British Columbia.  

The Western Painted  Turtle at Kikomun Creek Provincial Park

We hiked around Hidden Lake from our campground at Surveyor's Lake and saw dozens upon dozens of the painted turtles sunning themselves on logs around the shoreline.  The kids got very excited and it was a highlight of the trip for sure!  In fact, it was the major reason I had wanted to camp in this provincial park.

Camping in Red Lodge Provincial Park

While our family tries to get out and visit new campgrounds each year, it gets increasingly difficult when we keep finding favourite spots that we absolutely HAVE to revisit the next year.  We end up having to go camping every weekend in order to visit the beloved campgrounds from last summer and still find time to try out new ones.  It is therefore always a special treat when one of my friends visits a new campground for me, sends me photos, and a full review/write up.  I can then add the campground to my list for next year and know I'm in good hands, that it's been previewed for me, and kid approved.  

One of my friends and a member of the Calgary blogging community, Leslie Brooks, would like to share her family's adventures at Red Lodge Provincial Campground with you so please continue to her review below and leave a comment for Leslie to let her know if you plan to add it to your list of campgrounds to visit this or next summer.

Camping in Waterton Lakes National Park

We spent the Canada Day weekend in Waterton Lakes National Park for the second year in a row, camping at a nearby campground. Waterton is one of those places where you really need to go for a week in order to see and do everything, but we tried to squeeze as much hiking and paddling into our short weekend as possible.

Summit of the Bear's Hump, Waterton Lakes National Park

Just Another Day in Paradise at Mount Engadine Lodge

This past winter we were blessed to be able to spend a night at Mount Engadine Lodge as part of my "research" for a story on snowshoeing in Kananaskis.  I discovered a few things that weekend.  One - Research is a lot more fun these days than it was in university!  Two - We HAD to return to Mount Engadine Lodge and while I wasn't sure how we would pull it off, I knew I had to try!  And Three - We had to bring our son with us the next time.  It just wasn't fair to leave him at home while we were living it up in paradise without him.

Just Another Day in Paradise at Mount Engadine Lodge

You've probably heard the saying, "we came for the skiing but returned for the hiking" before and this rings very true with Mount Engadine Lodge.  In our case, we went for the snowshoeing, but returned on Father's Day weekend for the biking.  We enjoyed two glorious days of family mountain biking in Canmore and Kananskis joined by a night of decadent luxury at the lodge.  It was truly one of the best weekends ever and I can't imagine how I'm going to top this experience for next Father's Day!  Just sayin - honey you may be disappointed next year.  ;(

Playing in the meadow outside the lodge

Mount Engadine Lodge is a front country lodge tucked away in the Smith-Dorrien Valley outside Canmore, Alberta.  The lodge backs onto a magnificent meadow with snowy mountain peaks, moose, and bears waiting to greet you outside the large picture windows of the main dining area.  There are few places so gloriously remote, wild, and awesome! While you can drive right up to the front door of the lodge, you will definitely feel as if you have been transported into the backcountry of Kananaskis or Banff during your stay with no cell coverage, wi-fi or other unnecessary distractions.

Mountain Bliss at Mount Engadine Lodge

We were pretty blown away when we walked into our private family cabin with two separate bedrooms, a bathroom with hot water and shower (something you wouldn't likely see in the backcountry) , and our very own deck looking out over the meadow.  We spent a lot of time in the afternoon soaking up the sun from our deck and I know without a doubt now, that our son is being magnificently spoiled.

The view from our deck

Playing with Daddy on our private deck

A view of our private cabin overlooking the meadow

We had a LOT of fun exploring the meadow as well.  We looked for frogs in the creek, discovered a secret beach, and had fun squishing through the soft grass. Afternoon tea was served from 3 to 5pm and we made sure to eat as much coffee cake as our bellies would hold.  We took turns on the rustic swing outside the lodge and had a thoroughly pleasant afternoon.

Frog!  How Cute is he?!

Exploring in the meadow

Paradise!

Our secret beach

Best swing ever!

Dinner was served in true backcountry lodge style with all of the guests sharing a table together.  We feasted on salmon wrapped in puff pastry - that even my four year old ate with enthusiasm, and had a great time bonding with the other guests who felt like family members by the time we left the next morning.  Evening at the lodge was a casual time of swapping stories and sharing drinks in the fireplace room with  the other guests and staff members.  With our son tucked safely in bed next door it was a time for us to relax and we loved that the staff chose to spend their evening down time with us rather than retreating to their own quarters.

Mount Engadine Lodge

 Breakfast was another decadent meal that fueled our day's mountain biking adventures and sent us on our way with glad bellies and hearts.  One night is never enough time at Mount Engadine Lodge but we were grateful to have even that amount of time in paradise and left with huge smiles our faces and promises to return again some day.

Finally saw a moose in the meadow right before leaving

Families wanting to make a day trip out of visiting Mount Engadine Lodge  before committing to an overnight stay can drop in anytime for afternoon tea from 3-5pm.  The cost is $13.60 per person which is reasonable given the amount of food served up and the atmosphere in which you get to enjoy your feast.  While there is no official discount for children, special consideration may be given to those that are particularly young. Reservations don't need to be made in advance but it is a good idea to call ahead if possible, and groups of 6+ people do need to give the lodge a head's up that they are going to be stopping in.

The Smith-Dorrien Valley outside the lodge

Dinner Reservations can also be made if you are camping in the area or spending the night in Canmore.  Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance and a price of $45 per person (plus tax and gratuities) is charged for the gourmet buffet style dinner including dessert.  Wildlife sightings over dinner are extremely common with the meadow referred to as the Serengeti of the Canadian Rockies by many guests.  Dinners at Mount Engadine are always a highlight of any stay at the lodge and visiting for at least a meal is something I highly recommend if you're looking for a romantic dinner to celebrate an anniversary or birthday.  For reservations, please call the lodge directly at 1-403-678-4080. 

Mount Engadine Lodge is also host to the Music in the Meadow concert series over the summer season where overnight and dinner guests get to enjoy an intimate concert by award winning local artists. More information can be found by following the link above. You can also check out the story that was recently featured in the Rocky Mountain Outlook newspaper.

Mount Engadine Lodge

For more information on the lodge, amenities, meals, and location, please visit the Mount Engadine Lodge Website directly. 

To read about our biking adventures, read this story:  We Went for the Snowshoeing and Returned for the Mountain Biking.

For a look at winter at Mount Engadine Lodge, please take a look at my last story, Escape to Snow Paradise, for Snowshoe Magazine along with the story on my blog here:  Paradise at Mount Engadine Lodge. 

For information on activities, tours, and recreation  in the Canmore Kananaskis area, visit the Tourism Canmore Kananaskis website to read my latest story:  Top 10 Things To Do As A Family In Canmore Kananaskis. 


Disclaimer:  Mount Engadine Lodge graciously sponsored our family's visit on this trip but as always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Top 10 Things To Do As A Family in Canmore Kananaskis

Summer is here and Canmore is a great jumping off point for family-friendly adventures in the Canadian Rockies from gentle walks with a stroller to single track mountain biking that will leave your teens screaming for more.  While the mountain town was definitely hit hard by the recent flooding, tourism is back on track and trails are slowly reopening. 

No place I'd rather be than in Kananaskis - my backyard and my mountain home

One of our favourite things to do together as a family in Canmore is to bike or hike along the Bow River. There are approximately 70km of maintained trails located inside the town boundaries and you’ll find the path along the river to be very pleasant for biking or walking as a family. 

Biking in Canmore

On hot days we love to head out to nearby Quarry Lake.  Bring your bathing suit with you because this is the town swimming hole and a very popular place on a hot day.  Quarry Lake has the best beach in the Bow Valley and children will happily spend hours splashing around in the lake and playing in the sand. 

Quarry Lake - Canmore's Local Beach

To read my full list of the top 10 things to do as a family in Canmore Kananaskis, please visit the Tourism Canmore Kananaskis website  to read my newly published story for them.  I covered everything from hiking to biking, road trips, sightseeing, horseback riding and swimming.  There is definitely something on the list for every member of your family and I learned a few new things myself while doing research for the story.  I had no idea for example that there were no trail fees for the Canmore Nordic Centre in place for the summer season.  I had been wanting to try biking or hiking there for years now but was always discouraged by the fact that I thought I'd have to pay to bike or hike.  Not true. 

The Nordic Centre is open and a great spot for family biking

Check out the story and let me know what you plan to do first this weekend.