Hi.
Welcome to my blog. I’m here to share about my experiences since moving from Michigan to Alberta!
Welcome to my blog. I’m here to share about my experiences since moving from Michigan to Alberta!
Length: 7.3 miles (11.7 km)
Elevation Gain: 3,083 ft (939.6 km)
Date Hiked: July 19, 2020
Disclaimer: This is not a hike, it is a rock scramble. If you do not have rock scrambling experience, make sure you do your research and are well-prepared. I highly recommend a helmet for this climb as rocks can easily fall from other climbers. We purchased helmets immediately after this hike, because we wanted to do more scrambles and recognized the dangers that come with it.
Heart Mountain is a great rock scramble and ridge hike that's about an hour from Calgary. You'll take Highway 1 until the Lac des Arcs exit, take a left, and it'll feel like you're about to get on the highway, but you'll take a quick left to the parking lot. The trail begins very well marked as it's also the trail along Heart Creek—an easier alternative for those not able to climb. It'll likely be a busy lot so try to get there early if you can.
About a half-mile in, the well-marked trail will continue to the right, but that's not the path you want to take. When we did this hike, there was no sign telling us where to go and AllTrails was a bit confusing. You'll follow a packed down trail to the creek where you'll cross and see the trail continue into the woods. At this point, your ascent begins and you should be able to easily follow the beaten-down trail. You may see multiple trail options, but they all get you to the same point.
The entire climb up is either walking on rock slabs or scrambling up the side of the slabs. Be aware of who is ahead of you because rocks will fall. Keep your distance and be alert. If at any point you don't feel comfortable climbing, turn around. This scramble is no joke and once you commit, you'll want to keep traversing the horseshoe so you're not descending the slabs and cliffs.
Once you reach the top of Heart Mountain, there's plenty of area to stop and snack if you need to. Otherwise, continue along the path. You'll go down a little bit and back up until you reach the peak of Grant MacEwan Peak. This is where we stopped for a break and would be considered the true summit of the full hike. The views are unbelievable up here so take some time to enjoy!!
From this point, you'll venture on the path toward the back of the mountain. It gets a little confusing so make sure you have your map handy. We saw what looked like a scree slide down, but that was NOT the mapped trail. It actually continues as a ridge along the back and you'll get a view of Barrier Lake which is really cool. This ridge walk is literally in the shape of a horseshoe so you'll be able to see where you're going.
Once you make it to the last summit, take a deep breath because you're about to head down a TON of very loose rock. When we did this hike, it was very dry out so we really took our time. Get your poles out, if you haven't already, because you'll need them for stability. After what seems like hours, you'll be descending through trees. This trail is well marked so just keep following it, but keep your map handy just in case. Once you get below the treeline, you still have almost a 2.5-mile hike out so don't get too excited about getting back to the car just yet. The last mile or so is parallel to the road so if you're hearing cars, you'll know you're in the home stretch.
The trail will bring you back to the creek, which you'll cross again and head out on the well-marked trail you came in on. I loved this hike so much and will absolutely do it again. It's a great rock scramble, but be prepared for a long day of climbing and hiking.
