Hiking with tikes
by Michele Tipman Stott
The Bow Valley offers some of Canada's most spectacular scenery, but don't just sit and look at that pretty face – get out there and explore it. Taking your family into the backcountry, or even simply the “front-country”, is a great way to teach your kids to love being outside, to cherish and protect natural areas and to appreciate the rewards gained by working up a little sweat.
With an abundance of hiking options, there's a trail suited to even the littlest legs. If your child is less than 40 pounds, you can purchase or rent a baby backpack especially suited for a day on the trails with extra padding for the comfort of yourself and your child who will be riding. Remember to let them do a little of their own walking and take breaks so little legs and bums don't go numb. However, it is not recommended to take infants into the backcountry. A crying baby may as well be a dinner bell for a bear. And remember you're packing out what you pack in and depending on the length of your adventure that may mean lugging around dirty diapers. Maybe wait until next year.
Speaking of bears, whether travelling with children or not, and even if you are heading to a popular short trail, check with Kananaskis Country or Parks Canada’s visitors’ centres for bear warnings. If you are taking your kids and there is notice of a bear in the area, even if the trail is open, think twice and choose another hike.
Motivation is key to getting your child through the day without a meltdown. My oldest boy, Jacob, hiked to Lake Agnes tea house and Stewart Glacier viewpoint the summer he turned four years old. Your kids may surprise you with their enthusiasm and endurance. Here are a few tips on surviving a day in the mountains with children:
1. Let you child carry his or her own pack even if they are only carrying their own lunch or raincoat. No special treatment, this is their accomplishment too.
2. Choose a hike with a reward at the end like a waterfall, a teahouse, a wide mountain lake or a cirque.
3. Don't choose a trail that is heavily treed. The walk can become tedious to children if there are no rewards along the way and the mosquitoes can become upsetting for them as well.
4. Play games. Our favorite is the animal version of twenty questions.
5. Even if your kids don't eat a lot of sweets, the end run to your destination is the time to pull out a candy bar, a sweet piece of fruit or fruit leather. Some quick sugar energy goes a long way and it's not like they won't burn it off.
6. Don't feed the chipmunks or other wildlife you may encounter. They may bite and, besides, this is an opportunity to teach your children early to respect wildlife and the rules of the national parks.
7. A disposable camera and free reign to click as they please is a great distraction for a child and if they lose it – oh well.
8. Start with something short and easy to see how they (and you) do first time out. We aren't all outdoorsy types, kids included, and it's supposed to be fun.
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Canmore resident Peter Stott enjoys a hike with his sons Jacob, 5 and Matthew, 1 ˝, at Heart Creek, just east of Canmore.
9. Bring a wildflower guidebook and see how many different species you can find.
10. Bring a pair of binoculars and a bird identification guidebook.
11. Keep it safe by knowing what you are getting into. Invest $15 or so in a good hiking guide and ask a local what they recommend. If the hike includes scrambling or exposure (a trail that edges along a cliff) it's not for beginners or young children. Again, it's supposed to be fun and it won't be if it's scary or too hard.
Some good hikes for very young children include Grassi Lakes, Grotto Canyon or Heart Creek. Located close to Canmore, these are great for families because there are constant points of interest and the trails are relatively flat and very well-travelled. Next try Lake Agnes tea house, near Lake Louise. If your kids are older, hike the trail under Sulphur Mountain gondola in Banff. At the top have a snack or lunch and take a ride back down. Cascade Amphitheatre, starting at the Norquay ski area, is a slog but if you are travelling with teenagers the rewards and the "I-did-it" factor are tremendous. Once you have some experience under your belts, take your older kids (age 10 and up) for a full day up Pigeon Mountain, just east of Canmore.
Of course, whether you are travelling with your kids or not, the usual precautions apply. Get a good hiking book and take it with you or photocopy the page you need to reduce the weight in your pack. Be sure to bring bug spray, sunscreen and your first aid kit. Always pack to spend the night – even for a short outing. Bring a flashlight, plastic raincoats or garbage bags in case of a sudden downpour and bring at least double the food you think your family will eat. Each adult and child should carry a filled water bottle, about one or two litres per person, depending on the length of the hike and the heat of the day. Every hiker should be wearing proper footwear: well-fitting hiking boots or decent running shoes. Extra socks and a moleskin patch go a long way to preventing blisters. Be sure you know what to do if you encounter a bear or other wildlife. Information is available at the visitors’ centres and the Kananaskis Country office, in Canmore.
Wherever you choose to go, your children will remember those companionable days and the tremendous sense of accomplishment that they bring forever.
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