June 2012
I’ve lived in Calgary, at the foot of the gorgeous Rocky Mountains, most of my life. All that recreational potential just sitting there totally wasted on me. Don’t get me wrong; I love driving through the mountains and admiring their beauty, but I have never truly taken the time to explore them up close and personal.
You know that person who packs a lunch and heads out for a hike on a Saturday morning?
I’d love to be that person but I just haven’t done it. Why? Because I have absolutely no idea where to even begin; it’s really intimidating.
Most of the people I know who go hiking are really avid adventurers. You know who I mean, the crazy ones who buy a tricked out tent, pack a week’s supply of freeze-dried food and venture out in the mountains to truly become one with nature. Not my cup of tea since my commitment to survival hiking is 2 hours, tops.
I was thrilled when I discovered the book Take a Hike with Your Children from Tots to Tweens in the Canadian Rockies. The author, Lynda Pianosi, has written an incredible book filled with 46 hikes in Banff, Canmore, Kananaskis, and Lake Louise. All of her recommended hikes have been kid tested and approved and are all under 5 kms.
Each hike is labelled with handy icons indicating stroller accessibility, sun/shade levels, toilets, picnic areas and more. Pianosi has also graded the hikes based on level of difficulty (according to a child’s abilities). The most challenging hikes in the book are easy enough for adults and just the right balance of tough and fun for kids.
My copy of Take a Hike with Your Children is already dog-eared, bookmarked and highlighted. I am so excited to head out to the mountains and check out some the trails featured in the book.
Take a Hike with Your Children is an absolute must for anyone wanting to take their kids, whether they are tots, teens or in between, on a hike in the Rockies.
You can purchase the book online at: www.takeahikewithyourchildren.ca or in the following stores in Calgary:
Babes in arms
Campers Village
Chapters Chinook
The Great Outdoors Junior Outfitters
Lilly Moss Baby
The Norseman
Once Upon A Child, Varsity location
If you are a retailer interested in selling the book, please contact Lynda at Lynda@pianosipublishing.ca.
