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For professional climber, paraglider and kayaker Will Gadd, growing up here shaped his identity and sparked a lifetime of legendary exploits.

In January 2015, Gadd became the first to ice climb Niagara Falls, on the heels of being named a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year (with fellow paraglider Gavin McClurg) for their five-week, 640-km flight over the Cana-dian Rockies. The Rockies Traverse, a film based on the expedition, premiered at the November 2015 Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival.

“From an early age I camped, hiked, skied and climbed with my parents,” Gadd says. “This gave me a 20-year head start as an athlete. I was hard-wired for expeditions.” Learning to build snow caves as a kid has served him well while bivouacking high on mountain faces. “The Rockies are a tough range, and my parents tak-ing me into the wilds helped toughen me up.”

Gadd, who’s based in Canmore, says the drive from Calgary into the mountains and the first sight of Mount Yamnuska’s sheer rock face (the first mountain on the north side of the Trans-Canada Hwy) always makes him smile.

He’s been fortunate to travel the world, is cur-rently involved in a TV series about vanishing

places, and keeps busy as a mountain guide and international speaker. Many of his exploits are chronicled on willgadd.com.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THRILL-SEEKERS There are countless options for unforgettable, thrilling adventure in the Canadian Rockies.

“You could spend a lifetime doing different activities here and still find new ones. I literally have,” Gadd says. Some of his favourite excur-sions that can be done in a day include the pop-ular Weeping Wall (Map 1, 5K) ice climb on the Icefields Parkway, the glacier-adorned highway connecting Banff and Jasper national parks.

“I climbed this for the first time with my dad when I was 16, and most winters I climb it again. It’s 180 metres of ice—very beautiful.”

The Weeping Wall is favoured for its 10-minute access from the parking area, sunny exposure and proximity to Rampart Creek Hostel (1-778-328-2220) where many climbers stay.

Farther south, Haffner Creek (Map 1, 6J) in Kootenay National Park is a 30-minute ski into a canyon across from the Marble Canyon park-ing lot on Hwy 93S. This is “the best collection of easy-access and mixed routes in Canada,” PH

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By Afton Aikens

Gadd says. (Mixed climbing involves ascending rock and ice using crampons and ice tools).

“It’s a ton of fun whether it’s your first time ice climbing or you’re training for the World Cup. Low avalanche hazard, too,” he adds.

For those who’d rather glide through powder than climb frozen falls, Gadd suggests back-country descents at Bow Summit (Map 1, 6K), the highest point on the Icefields Parkway. This is arguably Banff’s favourite area for yo-yo ski-ing, for its open slopes, consistent fall-line and 1-km ski from the Peyto Lake parking lot.

“This is one of the first places to get good snow in the fall, and last to hold snow in the spring,” Gadd notes. Skiers often take the short detour to the Peyto Lake viewpoint for a stunning view.

Gadd’s fellow Canmorite, Olympian Shona Rubens, also has recommendations for back-country adventure. She suggests a ski tour to Tryst Lake (Map 1, 7H) in Kananaskis Country for its rewarding views and quick approach, a 2.5-km ski from Spray Lakes Road or 3-km ski from the Mount Shark Road parking lot.

“Make it a short day if you just want to go to the lake. Or do multiple yo-yo runs—there are lots of chutes to ski when conditions are good.”

Rubens grew up in Calgary and started skiing as a kid. She retired from Canada’s Alpine Ski Team with the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games under her belt, and recently completed an environmental sciences degree. She coaches ski racing; the sport is still a big part of her life.

“Most of (my family) vacations were spent outdoors,” Rubens says. “Being surrounded by people who loved the outdoors, and the abil-ity to be in the mountains at the drop of a hat, turned me into the person I am today.” Rubens still skis with her family every Christmas.

“(The sport) is amazing, because it’s individual in that when you’re skiing you’re on your own, but you do it in a social environment. You can enjoy it backcountry, cross-country and down-hill. The places it takes you are spectacular.”

Also in Kananaskis, the 20-km French-Haig-Robertson Traverse is a favourite one-day expe-dition of adventure photographer Ryan Creary.

AdventureLocal pros suggest exhilarating winter excursions

Massive. Rugged. Incredible. Whatever your interpretation, there’s no denying that the Canadian Rockies leave an impression.

In winter, peaks and valleys draped in snow and ice create a magical outdoor playground that entices adventurers into its wilderness.

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14 where.ca // CANADIAN ROCKIES

The circuit—a remote ski tour for experienced backcountry skiers—requires knowledge of managing avalanche terrain, glacier travel, cre-vasse rescue and difficult navigation. “There are great offshoot trips and fun couloirs. You don’t have to do the whole circuit,” Creary says.

Now based in Revelstoke, BC, Creary lived in Canmore for 10 years and says that’s “where it all started” for him professionally.

“The sports I shoot (skiing, snowboarding, bik-ing, paddling, climbing) have always been my passion, so I combined work and lifestyle. I packed my camera when I went to do stuff with friends; that led to images getting published, then big assignments,” he says. The cover of this magazine features a Ryan Creary photo.

Although Creary now plays in the Selkirk and Monashee mountains, he says he’ll always feel a pull to the Rockies. “There are so many amaz-

ing experiences.”

One man who has truly lived a lifetime of adventure is photographer and certified Canadi-an mountain guide Pierre Lemire, winner of the 2015 Summit of Excellence Award presented by the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival.

Since 1987, this award has recognized “an indi-vidual who has made a significant contribution to mountain life in the Canadian Rockies.”

Lemire, who lives in Field, BC, certainly fits the bill. He moved to Alberta in 1965 at age 18, and from 1972 to 2011 was a guide with Canadian Mountain Holidays. In the 1980s, he worked as an examiner for the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG).

Lemire’s photography has appeared in Canadian Summits, Equinox, and the Faces of Canada and Hills of Nepal exhibits—the latter at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies (p 41). As much as he’s contributed to the Canadian Rock-ies, the mountains have contributed to his life.

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Are the suggestions in this article a little too adventurous for you? Gadd has more ideas for fun:

Kids love being outside, and behave better there. I get one km per cookie out of my four-year-old. I bring spare clothes and get rid of goals. For kids it’s all about exploring, not getting anywhere specific.

Go skating on natural ice (p 54

and 106). I like ‘The Pond’ in Canmore (Map 4, 8F). It’s a local scene, everyone is friendly, and it’s great for all ages. Or skate at Gap Lake (Map 1, 8I) before the snow gets too deep.

Hire a guide and go ice climbing for a half day (p 48 and 106). No experience required; if you can climb stairs you can climb ice!

Ice walk up Johnston Canyon (p 47). I think it’s wilder in winter, and it’s a lot of fun in an hour or two. Kids love the catwalks and waterfalls.

Take a ski lesson at the Canmore Nordic Cen-tre (p 48). For the price of a small bar tab, have a blast where Olympians fought for medals, including locals Sara Renner and Beckie Scott.

Walk into Grotto Canyon (p 47) or Maligne Canyon (p 105) where you’ll often get the chance to watch ice climbers.

Hire my dad, Handbook of the Canadian Rockies author Ben Gadd, for a nature walk (403-609-4449). See animals and learn how they survive the winter, plus geology and fun local informa-tion. Price of one big bar tab, but worth it!

CLASSIC BEGINNER ADVENTURES

WINTER 2015/16 // where.ca 15

“In guiding, people want to climb or ski tour, but that’s just one dimension of the whole process,” Lemire says. “Because I enjoy taking pictures, I would stop and say, ‘Let’s spend some time here,’ to observe the light on the peaks.”

Lemire recalls one of his most memorable adventures. “Within a week, I climbed two iconic summits.” After guiding a man up Mount Assiniboine (3,618 m, the highest peak in the southern Canadian Rockies), a friend asked if Lemire wanted to climb Mount Robson (3,954 m, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies).

“I said, ‘Sure,’” Lemire says with a laugh. “Both mountains often take many attempts due to the weather. But the conditions were perfect! The chances of it happening like that were very low.”

Lemire’s advice for adventurers? “Get up early!” He says, “As the years pass, I realize how privi-leged I was to be in these mountains. Things change, but there’s still magic to discover.”

STAYING SAFE “Every single weekend, thousands of people are out in the mountains, but we only hear about the ones who get into trouble. So get out and have fun first of all,” Gadd advises. “Second, use the resources available if you want to travel in avalanche areas, and understand the terrain.”

Avalanche Canada provides online avalanche forecasts, terrain hazard ratings and maps at avalanche.ca. Yamnuska Mountain Adventures (p 55) and the Alpine Club of Canada (403-678-3200) run avalanche safety courses in Canmore. In Jasper, courses are offered by Rockaboo Mountain Adventures (p 106).

Or, improve your skills by hiring a guide. Gadd takes clients ice climbing, and Yamnuska and Rockaboo offer ice climbing and ski touring.

Don’t have the gear for a backcountry foray? Local shops (p 65, 93, 113) rent ski touring, ice climbing and avalanche safety equipment.

These bases for skiing or snowshoeing are operated by the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) and vary from century-old log cabins in meadows to bunker-looking dwellings above treeline.

“The huts are well kept,” says the ACC’s Keith Haberl. “You don’t have to carry a tent or stove, and sleeping pads are there—just bring a sleeping bag and food.” Sleeping and common areas, and kitchens, are shared with other guests.

Popular ACC huts open in winter include: Elk Lakes Cabin: The ACC’s closest hut to Calgary (a fam-ily favourite) is accessed from Peter Lougheed Park in Kanan-askis via a 9-km (3.5-hr) ski along partially track-set trails.

Elizabeth Parker Hut: Access this popular log cabin west of Lake Louise near beau-tiful Lake O’Hara by a 12-km (3.5-hr) ski up a fire road.

Bow Hut: Access this hut above treeline by Bow Glacier from the Icefields Parkway via an 8-km (5-hr) trail. “There are hazards,” Haberl warns.

Sydney Vallance (Fryatt) Hut: The full day ski to this cabin begins south of Jasper townsite off Hwy 93A; cut 11.5 km off the 23-km route if the

Athabasca River is frozen enough to cross.

All huts offer fantastic back-country ski terrain. At Elk Lakes Cabin, access quality waterfall ice climbing routes.

Backcountry lodges with meals, bedding and private room options are on p 34.

ALPINE CLUB BACKCOUNTRY HUTS