Alberta has long been sold on its postcard mountains, but a new travel series makes the case that the province's real appeal is its unpredictability. In 'Along for the Ride', comedian and avid traveller Brooks Wheelan takes on Canada's wildest province with a loose plan and an open schedule, and the results read like a solid blueprint for anyone tempted to do the same.
His first stop is Crowsnest Pass, a climbing hub in the southwest corner of the province where beginners can get a proper introduction to bouldering and sport routes. Wheelan arrived with zero climbing experience, and local outfitter Uplift Adventures had him on the rock within hours. It's a gentle entry point to a province that doesn't stay gentle for long.
The headline hike is in Waterton Lakes National Park, which sits just across the border from Montana's Glacier National Park. The Crypt Lake Trail is an 11.8-mile round trip that starts with a boat ride to the trailhead, passes four waterfalls, and finishes at a secluded glacial lake. The famous finale: a ladder, a crawl-through tunnel, and a cliffside traverse using bolted chains. It's one of the few hikes in North America where the last stretch is as memorable as the destination.
If that sounds a bit much, Waterton offers softer options in every direction. Waterton River Trail Rides runs horseback trips through the foothills with the Rockies as a backdrop. There's a lake for every energy level too: the short and family-friendly Akamina Lake Trail (0.6 miles), the 6.4-mile Bertha Lake Trail for a solid half-day effort, and the 12-mile Carthew-Alderson route for a proper wilderness day. Wheelan's advice on the glacial water is blunt: swim the moment you arrive, because you won't if you wait. Those who'd rather stay dry can rent kayaks, canoes and paddleboards at Cameron Lake, or take a guided paddle or boat cruise from Waterton Village.
Sleep options lean charming and slightly eccentric. The Prince of Wales Hotel, a chalet-style national historic site, commands a point over Upper Waterton Lake and puts you steps from the village. In Crowsnest Pass, Charmed Resorts offers 16 fairy-tale-themed cottages, while out on the prairies, Twin Butte Silos at Searpoint Cattle Ranch converts grain silos into cosy stays with wide-open views.
Waterton remains one of the quieter Canadian Rockies parks, which is exactly its draw — you get dramatic terrain without Banff-level crowds. And the province's own advice, courtesy of Wheelan, is worth stealing for any trip: don't overplan. Alberta, like its rodeos, tends to take over anyway.
