''The Canadian Rockies Trail Guide'' by

Brian Patton Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word me ...

and

Bart Robinson Bart is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Bartholomew, sometimes of Barton, Bartolomeo, etc. Bart is a Dutch and Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and derives from the name ''Bartholomäus'', a German form of the biblical name ''Barthol ...

, describes 225

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

and

backpack A backpack—also called knapsack, schoolbag, rucksack, rucksac, pack, sackpack, booksack, bookbag or backsack—is, in its simplest frameless form, a fabric sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders ...

ing

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...

s in the

Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...

, including in

Banff National Park Banff National Park is Canada's oldest National Parks of Canada, national park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park. Located in Alberta's Rockies, Alberta's Rocky Mountains, west of Calgary, Banff encompasses of mountainous terrain, wi ...

and

Jasper National Park Jasper National Park is a national park in Alberta, Canada. It is the largest national park within Alberta's Rocky Mountains spanning . It was established as a national park in 1930 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Its locatio ...

. The first edition was published in 1971, with subsequent editions in 1978, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2007, 2011, and 2022 (10th edition). The book is published by Summerthought Publishing of

Banff, Alberta Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise. At above Banff is the community with the second highest e ...

. Trail updates are supplied by the book's authors on their Canadian Rockies hiking blog. The Trail Guide is one of the best-selling non-fiction books in Canada, often referred to as a "bible" by hikers. Its first seven editions sold more than 230,000 copies. For the first edition, the two authors hiked 108 trails with a custom-built trail

odometer An odometer or odograph is an instrument used for measuring the distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or car. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two (electromechanical). The noun derives from ancient Gr ...

, which allowed them to measure trail distances more accurately than the

Parks Canada Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...

trail signs. For each trail, the book lists: * the length of time normally required to complete the trail * the amount of elevation gain or loss, in metres and feet * the maximum elevation in metres and feet * the topographic map(s) covering the area * how to get to the trailhead including GPS * distances, in kilometres, to notable features along the way * detailed description The Whyte Museum hosted a retrospective exhibit for the book's fortieth anniversary in 2011.

References

External links

Canadian Rockies hiking blog
1971 non-fiction books Canadian Rockies Canadian travel books Hiking books Books about Alberta {{travel-book-stub