First Training Hike: Trans Canada Trail

To test my gear and my endurance, I recently hiked a segment of the Trans Canada Trail.

I hiked from Bragg Creek to Canmore. It was very difficult because I didn't take snowshoes. It was a training hike, so it had to be hard.

The Trans Canada Trail is beautiful.

I learned a lot about navigation in winter and its importance. I lost the trail 3 times in 5 days. It is not well marked for winter. When navigating in winter, you need to pay attention to every landmark that you can recognize on a map. The trail is easy to loose, the aren't many markers. The snow covers everything, and animal tracks can mislead you. I learned to observe the trees; they have no branches if they are bordering the trail. Whenever I lost the trail I just wondered where would I go if I were the trail. Often the lack of branches on the side of a tree indicated that the trail passed at its side.

Next year I'll try to get the Trans Canada Trail to sponsor me to thoroughly mark the trail. I know where marks are needed.