A Ha Ling Peak Hike - Canmore Alberta (Chinaman's Peak)

The Canadian Rockies have to be one of the mosthas on the terrain and forest. Once you enter this
breath taking mountain ranges in the world andarea you will the trail becomes a lot more narrower
people from around the world travel to hike theand it begins to diminish into no trail at all. Be
glorious peaks. One such peak that is often hiked byextremely careful for loose rock as it can cause you
professionals and amateurs alike is Ha ling peak into be seriously injured. Also be aware of any falling
Canmore, Alberta. Ha ling peak stands out like a sorerock that may have been dislodged by people hiking
thumb amongst its mountain range. The hike is notahead of you. Ha ling peak and well any peak for
the most challenging hike in the Rockies but is still notthat matter has a significant amount of loose rock
a hike to be taken lightly. I would recommend doingthat at any point could cause a rock slide. If you find
some smaller hikes in the area before attempting toyourself in this situation find a place to hide behind a
ascend this peak.tree of larger rock.
Ha ling peak is located in western Alberta about anThe final ascent is above the tree line and is bare
hour and half from Calgary in a small town calledfaced rock with a significant amount of loose rock.
Canmore. The hike in total will take about 3 hours upThere is no trail to the top and choosing your own
and roughly 2 hours down. Luckily the sun does notline is your best bet. Again I cannot stress how
set till well after 9pm during the milder months soimportant it is for you to be aware and sure footed
starting this hike in the late afternoon is a definitebecause of the nature of the terrain. Also it can be
possibility. As mentioned the hike is quite challengingvery windy at the top and if you stand to close to
that is very steep for the most part of the hike.the edge it could blow you right off. This has
Make sure to bring an ample supply of water andhappened in the past so do not take this warning
some snacks because it is very exhausting.with a grain of salt.
The Ha Ling peak hike has a lot of different terrainOnce you have made to the top the ha ling peak
that will be encountered while ascending its peak.hike the views are absolutely amazing on side you
Because of this it is recommended that you wearlooking down into the large valley on side and on the
layers and are prepared for rapid weather changes.other endless peaks. You will notice a large
The hike begins well below the tree line and you aretemperature change from the bottom but it is well
surrounded by lush vegetation. The trail itself is hardworth the exquisite views. Making it to the top is
and firm dirt with a lot of tree roots. Be careful ofvery rewarding and you really do feel like you are on
your footing and not to trip of the tree roots, manytop of the world. Upon your descent it very
ankle injuries have been reported on this hike. Thisimportant to not let the loose rock have you slide
terrain will last for about half of the ascent of the hadown the rock face. The hardest part of the
ling peak hike and can be very challenging with manydescent is the first couple hundred feet after that it
steep sections.is smooth sailing back to the base. Overall the ha ling
After trekking through the more bushy areas you willpeak hike in Canmore Alberta is a must ascent for
start to notice a mix of rock and trees. Trees areavid hikers and I hope you get a chance to check it
not as close together any more and are not as big.out.
You can definitely tell the change in that the elevation