The Spectacular Rockies!

I have been a member of the Women of Rock, a group of 20 or so women who get together every summer to hike in the beautiful Alberta Rockies.

I joined the group in 2005 and have hiked every year except for the last two years.

We started off hiking into huts high in the mountains. The first year we hiked into Stanley Mitchell Hut in Yoho, a several hour slog with everything we needed to eat and wear on our backs. We have hiked into Skokie Lodge, the Skyline Trail in Jasper, Kokanee Mountain and I even took my first helicopter trip (to save my legs for the day hikes) into Mount Assiniboine, hiking out through Sunshine Ski Resort.

This year I decided to seize the opportunity and join the group again. Because of the ages and stages of the group members we stayed in Canmore at the Alpine Club of Canada Hut to which you can drive into. Things have changed a little.

Nevertheless we did three hikes over three days, warming up with Barrier Lake and the Fire Road, Pocaterra Ridge which was a full day hike high up,  and Johnson Lake which was a nice warm down.

Barrier Lake from the top of the Fire Road Lookout 

Here are some memorable photos.

The hikers ready to tackle Pocaterra Ridge 

Pocaterra Ridge

Me on the ridge 

Lichen on the rocks high up on the ridge 

It amazes me the flowers that survive the harsh alpine environment

The view from the Lodge - The Three Sisters at sunset


A nice end to a wonderful trip.  

I was a little sore the day after the hikes but it was nice to recuperate at my daughter Andrea's house in Edmonton.