A Rocky Mountain Wilderness Experience

Step off the plane at Calgary International Airport. Get into your rental car. Head west to the wilderness.

As the suburbs fade away in the rear-view mirror, and the hills begin to roll in earnest, you are heading to the small town of Canmore in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. In only 90 minutes, you will be surrounded by some of the most pristine wilderness in North America - all without even getting out of the car.

This is a town where bear and elk wander into backyards, and play stops on championship courses when bighorn sheep cross the fairway.

Anyone can get a taste of wilderness from the deck of a B&B. It's impossible to miss - just look up and look around. Breathe it in; let it change your perspective on life. It happens to all of us when we first run up against these immoveable, beautiful mountains. We want to explore them, get to know them, spend a lifetime among them.

For those who like to get up close and personal with the wilderness, Canmore is an ideal staging point for a long walk into the backcountry, whether you venture into Banff National Park or the less well-known Kananaskis Country. Both begin only five minutes' drive from town.

A half-day hike will introduce you to the wilderness, but to really take it in, you need to be out at least overnight. If you've never experienced this before, you might want to get a guide. Guiding companies can take you to places that will remain etched in your memory forever. And they take care of all the logistics for you.

Those who would like to be out there, but have no desire to sleep on a Therma-Rest, will enjoy the wilderness lodges that are dotted around the area, far from town and in most cases a hike in. This can be the best of both worlds - wonderful hiking by day, fabulous meals and a comfy bed by night.

Your adventure will be the start of a lifelong love affair with the Rockies. The opportunities here are almost endless, and you can be out for weeks and see few other people. When you return to Canmore, drop your packs near a patio table, order a meal and a drink.

You're back in town, but the wilderness experience will stay with you forever.