Great Divide Nature Interpretation

Lake Louise ski area open? Check! Lake Louise frozen and ready for skating? Check! Snow in the forecast? Check!
We start our snowshoeing season in a few weeks, on December 1. In the meantime, here's a quick peak of today's skating session on Lake Louise (that's Nadine and the Chateau Lake Louise), and a few pieces of "ice art."

A few weeks ago, we were in Waterton for a holiday, and we wrote about how the wildlife was thriving in the areas burned in the 2017 Kenow fire. Here's another post about how the plants are doing in the burn, including the amazing story of a geranium that can grow from seeds that are hundreds of years old!

Book your tour today and experience snowshoeing against the dramatic backdrop of Canada's Rockies. Email us at info@greatdivide.ca or call us at 403-522-2735 to reserve your spot.

The road to Moraine Lake is closed for the season, but i decided to ride my bike up there today, just to check out the lake for skating.
On the way up, I got perform a wildlife rescue!
There was a little black triangle on a snowy section of the road, which stuck out like a sore thumb. As I got closer, I realized it was a mourning cloak butterfly. It didn't fly away, so I got off my bike and went over to see what was wrong. The poor little thing's feet were frozen to the ic...e on the road.
I cupped my hands around it, and blew warm air on it until its feet unstuck, then I carefully carried it up the road to a sunny patch. It immediately oriented itself to warm in the sun. My hope is that it flew off to find a log or some loose bark to hibernate under.
Oh, and by the way, I did get to skate on Moraine Lake, for the first time in my life, and it was lovely.
See more

We're getting a last little hit of Indian summer this week, but in the shade, you can see that winter is knocking on the door.
In the last few days, I've taken photos of some beautiful icicles forming on shady aspects, like the Guardwall, on the Stanley Glacier trail in Kootenay, and on the flank of Mount Fairview, across Lake Louise.
Snowshoeing season starts in six weeks, on December 1!

We went to Waterton Lakes National Park a week ago, to hike and visit friends. It was amazing to see the landscape one year after the Kenow fire. The snow wasn't what we'd been hoping for, but it sure revealed how the burned landscape was full of wildlife.

Here's an interesting update from one of the park's ecologist. Looks like the spring night-time closure of the Bow Valley Parkway is good news for some of the animals.

This is not the first time we've posted pictures of pikas this year, but they are just so darned cute! I (Joel) saw one on the shore of Lake Agnes, yesterday, perched on a rock in the snow. I zoomed in for a quick video. Enjoy this 15 seconds of unadulterated cuteness...

Today we did the last hike of our 2018 summer season. As the last few weeks of posts have made clear, it's been more like winter than summer lately, and today was no exception: Joel was at Lake O'Hara, and my guests and I hiked through almost a foot of snow. But it was exquisite, with sparkling snow crystals, frozen lakes, and icicles.
Next up: snowshoeing season, starting in December! Stay tuned...

Some friends shared a post of some great footage of a wolverine in Jasper National Park last week. Definitely worth watching.
Nadine got her lucky sighting last year (see the link below to re-live it), but Joel is still waiting for a wolverine after a quarter century in the mountains.... sigh.
http://greatdividenaturenotes.blogspot.co m/…/wolverines.html

It might say "autumn" on our calendars, but it was full on winter today up at Sentinel Pass! Thanks, Rocky and Corinne, for being so adventurous, and we give praise to the ice cleats, for keeping us safe on the trails.
We've got a few days left in our "summer" guiding season, and can equip you with cleats, poles, warms clothes, mittens, and everything you need to enjoy an amazing "winter" experience on the trails.

Today's mountain goats, lounging in Paradise Valley. Looks like they were enjoying some downtime before winter.

Fall has begun, and we wanted to celebrate it!
https://www.greatdivide.ca/autumn-art/

From our friends in Jasper National Park: this is a timely note about elk safety during the rutting season.

The early season snow has led to some great works of snowman art, and some amazing scenery. Today, I took Lisa and Tony into a snowy world at Sentinel Pass, above Moraine Lake. The proverb says, "may you walk in beauty," and we sure did!

After more than a week of on-again, off-again snow, it finally cleared up today, and the results were stunning. Here's the view from the high point of the Moraine Lake Road.

Snowy today, but our guests from Iowa and Arizona found the trail into Kootenay Park's Prospector's Valley an enchanting scene. There were beautiful fall colours at our feet, and on the surrounding hillsides.
September is a magical month in the Rockies...

A year ago this morning, the people and wildlife of Waterton Lakes National Park woke up to a landscape transformed. The Kenow fire had gone on a tear overnight, and burned significant parts of the park. Nadine and Joel first met in Waterton. Joel worked there for the national park, and Nadine at the nearby historic sites in Crowsnest Pass, so the park is a special place for us. We'll be heading down there for a holiday in October, and we'll share our experiences then, but for now, here's a peak at what's happened in the last year...

No wine glasses to clink, so we did a sandwich toast at Lake Oesa yesterday. Thanks Kristin & Graham, for a great day on the trail, amid the spectacular fall colours and fresh snow of the Lake O'Hara area.

What a trip of a lifetime and highly recommended. Nadine was so informative and educated us all on the area and history. Her humor added so much to the trip and she kept the hike at a great pace for all. Highly recommended! Hope to be back some day!!!

Went on three hikes with Joel (Stanley Glacier, Plain of 6 Glaciers and The Valley of 10 Peaks) and one with Nadine (Bow Glacier Falls). The four hikes were absolutely beautiful, but what truly makes it magical is having them guided by people who are passionate about their job and who, through their knowledge and stories, transmit their love for nature. I would love to come back and most definetely go hiking with Joel and Nadine.

Went for a snowshoe hike on February 25th with Nadine, and learnt a lot about the wildlife, their behaviours and even the trees and how the forest functions with all the animals and plants. Seems like a great deal of information, but Nadine somehow brings them across in such a comprehensive and fun manner. Very impressed by her knowledge and passion for Lake Louise, and appreciate her patience as well because I kept stopping now and then to take photographs. Had a great time snowshoeing with Great Divide, thank you Nadine! :) Would definitely recommend if you are looking to explore beautiful Lake Louise, but would like to have an enriching experience as well.

We were recommended Joel and Nadine by our hotel, Cathedral Mountain Lodge, and kudos to Cathedral for their recommendation! Joel was incredibly informative and super nice! He asked us our preference for a walking speed and set an amazing pace that wasn't fast, so we didn't get out of breath going up the incline. I feel like I walked away from the experience knowing a lot more about Canada, the national parks, geology, fossils, wildlife and everything in between!



Would happily recommend Joel to anyone, and I would happily choose him again if I'm lucky enough to find myself in Canada's beautiful National Parks again.



Thankyou Joel for all your knowledge, time and patience �

We loved our experience with Joel. We had 8 people ranging from 8-61. The hike was tailored to be amazing for each of us. We had so many different weather elements and it just added to our adventure. If you are even considering doing one of these guided hikes, book it immediately! You will not regret it!

We had a group of 5 adults (family) and chose the private tour. Youngest is 22 - 55. It was a little chilly out but oh so worth it. We loved the exercise, fresh air and scenery. The forest was stunning and Joel was a great guide in the way he opened up the forest during the winter for us. He is very articulate in bringing the winter slumber to life. Loved the facts about snow, yes snow, fires, squirrels and their middens and the wood frog!!!!!! He balances the physical exertion with information sessions and then a delicious snack of tea/hot choc and homemade energy bars.

We had a great guided hike with Joel up Big Beehive in Lake Louise. He provided us with great information about the enchanted forest, answered all of our questions, and gave us great tips for the rest of our stay! He is a genuine guy that added a lot of fun and facts into our trip. We are so glad we chose to book with him, and hopefully will do so again!

We had a blast with Joel leading the way through a beautiful trail in the Lake Louise hill sides. He was very knowledgeable of the terrain and kept all of our group entertained the entire tour, all the while being very cognizant of our varying skill levels. We had so much fun snow shoeing that we actually went out ourselves the next day after receiving some great technical tips and techniques from Joel. We highly recommend their snow shoe tours! BTW the home made power bars were yum yum :)

We did 2 hikes with Nadine ( Valley of the 10 peaks and Larch Valley and the Sentinel Pass) on august 28 and 30th. What a great experience it was! We learned so much, on varied subject like : trees, flowers, mammals, glacier, geology, Mountaineering, Hollywood in the Rockies etc. It was always explained in a fun imaginative way with props and pictures. Nadine even sang for us! Good voice , Nadine! We feel those 2 guided hikes enriched our whole vacation , and we are glad we took them early in our trip. Also, we never felt rushed, the pace was always right, giving us plenty of time for pictures. We received a follow-up e-mail with pictures , links and info of what was discuss during our hikes. We thought it was very professional of them. We wholeheartedly recommend Great Divide! Thank you Nadine!

Today we had an amazing few hours snowshoeing in the wilderness and mountains with Joel. The igloo visit was the icing on the cake. A wonderful experience and would highly recommend. Can't wait to return. The Fenwick Family from Toronto.

This was our first trip to Canada and my first time snowshoeing and this was a great experience. It was awesome to get a little more information about the park and where we were exploring while we were hiking around. Being able to go off trail and start a new path in the snow was a very cool experience.

Such a fun and informative adventure! We learnt all about Canadian snow and how truly magical it is. You learn so much more than just snowshoeing and Joel was such an excellent, fun and professional guide. Would recommend for anyone and everyone!

Our family spent a memorable time with Nadine yesterday in the beautiful lake Louise nature. Although it was a cold day, Nadine had extra mitts, boots, hats and other equipment to make our experience more enjoyable.



We expected to enjoy the beautiful nature and the opportunity to participate in some outdoor recreation. Nadine did not disappoint. The environment was spectacular. The biggest extra surprise was the educational component to the activity. Nadine was super knowledgeable and interesting. We all learned something and felt a deeper understanding of the reality of Canadian winter living.



The homemade hot chocolate and power bars were the icing on the cake of a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this activity for people of various fitness levels, ages, and experience levels. Can I give 6 stars?

Nadine was an absolutely fantastic guide and endless source of knowledge. She went at just the right pace and we had a great time hiking around Moraine Lake. She tailored the tour to our exact interests and abilities. We learned a ton about grizzly bears and the national parks. Nadine answered all of our tough questions. She even sent us a follow-up email further explaining concepts that interested us. An outstanding experience thanks to Nadine's enthusiasm and humor.

My first time snowshoeing. Absolutely loved it. The wilderness, serenity and local knowledge from Joel was great. We saw Wolverine tracks in the snow and sat down by the river for a hot chocolate and snack. Perfect day out.

Joel was an extremely knowledgeable and thorough guide. I really enjoyed the interpretations on the various aspects of the hike, and he made it highly interactive with all of the group members. He took the time to answer any questions we had, and got to know us all individually. Not only is this hike highly recommended, I would do a different hike with them if I returned to Banff/Lake Louise area in the future.

I booked a tour with Joel and Nadine as part of a birthday surprise trip, and what a fascinating and memorable surprise it was! We went out into the woods and made our way through the stunning, snow-covered scenery while being wonderfully introduced to snowshoeing, which we consequently want to give another try soon! Joel has been a perfect and contagiously enthuastic nature guide for us, who enjoyed to share what seemed like only a tiny fraction of his knowledge about wildlife and flora in the Rockies. Even the self-made snacks were absolutely fantastic, so that he happily sent us the recipe together with some photos after the tour. There is so much more to see and learn that we hope to meet again some time!

Hiking with Joel from the Great Divide Nature Interpretation was the absolute highlight of an already amazing visit to Banff! This team is incredible, and they made it an experience to remember! Highly recommend!!!!

Had the great good fortune to go on four hikes with Joel and Nadine over the course of a recent stay in the Lake Louise area. Each one was incredibly enjoyable. Joel and Nadine are storehouses of information on everything from lichen to trees to glaciers. We learned much and they made it so much fun, all the while allowing us to continually pause to admire the stunning scenery of the Canadian Rockies. I cannot recommend them highly enough and will certainly be sending any friends and family who travel to the Banff area their way.

What a trip of a lifetime and highly recommended. Nadine was so informative and educated us all on the area and history. Her humor added so much to the trip and she kept the hike at a great pace for all. Highly recommended! Hope to be back some day!!!

Went on three hikes with Joel (Stanley Glacier, Plain of 6 Glaciers and The Valley of 10 Peaks) and one with Nadine (Bow Glacier Falls). The four hikes were absolutely beautiful, but what truly makes it magical is having them guided by people who are passionate about their job and who, through their knowledge and stories, transmit their love for nature. I would love to come back and most definetely go hiking with Joel and Nadine.

Went for a snowshoe hike on February 25th with Nadine, and learnt a lot about the wildlife, their behaviours and even the trees and how the forest functions with all the animals and plants. Seems like a great deal of information, but Nadine somehow brings them across in such a comprehensive and fun manner. Very impressed by her knowledge and passion for Lake Louise, and appreciate her patience as well because I kept stopping now and then to take photographs. Had a great time snowshoeing with Great Divide, thank you Nadine! :) Would definitely recommend if you are looking to explore beautiful Lake Louise, but would like to have an enriching experience as well.

We were recommended Joel and Nadine by our hotel, Cathedral Mountain Lodge, and kudos to Cathedral for their recommendation! Joel was incredibly informative and super nice! He asked us our preference for a walking speed and set an amazing pace that wasn't fast, so we didn't get out of breath going up the incline. I feel like I walked away from the experience knowing a lot more about Canada, the national parks, geology, fossils, wildlife and everything in between!



Would happily recommend Joel to anyone, and I would happily choose him again if I'm lucky enough to find myself in Canada's beautiful National Parks again.



Thankyou Joel for all your knowledge, time and patience �

We loved our experience with Joel. We had 8 people ranging from 8-61. The hike was tailored to be amazing for each of us. We had so many different weather elements and it just added to our adventure. If you are even considering doing one of these guided hikes, book it immediately! You will not regret it!

We had a group of 5 adults (family) and chose the private tour. Youngest is 22 - 55. It was a little chilly out but oh so worth it. We loved the exercise, fresh air and scenery. The forest was stunning and Joel was a great guide in the way he opened up the forest during the winter for us. He is very articulate in bringing the winter slumber to life. Loved the facts about snow, yes snow, fires, squirrels and their middens and the wood frog!!!!!! He balances the physical exertion with information sessions and then a delicious snack of tea/hot choc and homemade energy bars.

We had a great guided hike with Joel up Big Beehive in Lake Louise. He provided us with great information about the enchanted forest, answered all of our questions, and gave us great tips for the rest of our stay! He is a genuine guy that added a lot of fun and facts into our trip. We are so glad we chose to book with him, and hopefully will do so again!

We had a blast with Joel leading the way through a beautiful trail in the Lake Louise hill sides. He was very knowledgeable of the terrain and kept all of our group entertained the entire tour, all the while being very cognizant of our varying skill levels. We had so much fun snow shoeing that we actually went out ourselves the next day after receiving some great technical tips and techniques from Joel. We highly recommend their snow shoe tours! BTW the home made power bars were yum yum :)

We did 2 hikes with Nadine ( Valley of the 10 peaks and Larch Valley and the Sentinel Pass) on august 28 and 30th. What a great experience it was! We learned so much, on varied subject like : trees, flowers, mammals, glacier, geology, Mountaineering, Hollywood in the Rockies etc. It was always explained in a fun imaginative way with props and pictures. Nadine even sang for us! Good voice , Nadine! We feel those 2 guided hikes enriched our whole vacation , and we are glad we took them early in our trip. Also, we never felt rushed, the pace was always right, giving us plenty of time for pictures. We received a follow-up e-mail with pictures , links and info of what was discuss during our hikes. We thought it was very professional of them. We wholeheartedly recommend Great Divide! Thank you Nadine!

Today we had an amazing few hours snowshoeing in the wilderness and mountains with Joel. The igloo visit was the icing on the cake. A wonderful experience and would highly recommend. Can't wait to return. The Fenwick Family from Toronto.

This was our first trip to Canada and my first time snowshoeing and this was a great experience. It was awesome to get a little more information about the park and where we were exploring while we were hiking around. Being able to go off trail and start a new path in the snow was a very cool experience.

Such a fun and informative adventure! We learnt all about Canadian snow and how truly magical it is. You learn so much more than just snowshoeing and Joel was such an excellent, fun and professional guide. Would recommend for anyone and everyone!

Our family spent a memorable time with Nadine yesterday in the beautiful lake Louise nature. Although it was a cold day, Nadine had extra mitts, boots, hats and other equipment to make our experience more enjoyable.



We expected to enjoy the beautiful nature and the opportunity to participate in some outdoor recreation. Nadine did not disappoint. The environment was spectacular. The biggest extra surprise was the educational component to the activity. Nadine was super knowledgeable and interesting. We all learned something and felt a deeper understanding of the reality of Canadian winter living.



The homemade hot chocolate and power bars were the icing on the cake of a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this activity for people of various fitness levels, ages, and experience levels. Can I give 6 stars?

Nadine was an absolutely fantastic guide and endless source of knowledge. She went at just the right pace and we had a great time hiking around Moraine Lake. She tailored the tour to our exact interests and abilities. We learned a ton about grizzly bears and the national parks. Nadine answered all of our tough questions. She even sent us a follow-up email further explaining concepts that interested us. An outstanding experience thanks to Nadine's enthusiasm and humor.

My first time snowshoeing. Absolutely loved it. The wilderness, serenity and local knowledge from Joel was great. We saw Wolverine tracks in the snow and sat down by the river for a hot chocolate and snack. Perfect day out.

Joel was an extremely knowledgeable and thorough guide. I really enjoyed the interpretations on the various aspects of the hike, and he made it highly interactive with all of the group members. He took the time to answer any questions we had, and got to know us all individually. Not only is this hike highly recommended, I would do a different hike with them if I returned to Banff/Lake Louise area in the future.

I booked a tour with Joel and Nadine as part of a birthday surprise trip, and what a fascinating and memorable surprise it was! We went out into the woods and made our way through the stunning, snow-covered scenery while being wonderfully introduced to snowshoeing, which we consequently want to give another try soon! Joel has been a perfect and contagiously enthuastic nature guide for us, who enjoyed to share what seemed like only a tiny fraction of his knowledge about wildlife and flora in the Rockies. Even the self-made snacks were absolutely fantastic, so that he happily sent us the recipe together with some photos after the tour. There is so much more to see and learn that we hope to meet again some time!

Hiking with Joel from the Great Divide Nature Interpretation was the absolute highlight of an already amazing visit to Banff! This team is incredible, and they made it an experience to remember! Highly recommend!!!!

Had the great good fortune to go on four hikes with Joel and Nadine over the course of a recent stay in the Lake Louise area. Each one was incredibly enjoyable. Joel and Nadine are storehouses of information on everything from lichen to trees to glaciers. We learned much and they made it so much fun, all the while allowing us to continually pause to admire the stunning scenery of the Canadian Rockies. I cannot recommend them highly enough and will certainly be sending any friends and family who travel to the Banff area their way.

What a trip of a lifetime and highly recommended. Nadine was so informative and educated us all on the area and history. Her humor added so much to the trip and she kept the hike at a great pace for all. Highly recommended! Hope to be back some day!!!

Went on three hikes with Joel (Stanley Glacier, Plain of 6 Glaciers and The Valley of 10 Peaks) and one with Nadine (Bow Glacier Falls). The four hikes were absolutely beautiful, but what truly makes it magical is having them guided by people who are passionate about their job and who, through their knowledge and stories, transmit their love for nature. I would love to come back and most definetely go hiking with Joel and Nadine.

Went for a snowshoe hike on February 25th with Nadine, and learnt a lot about the wildlife, their behaviours and even the trees and how the forest functions with all the animals and plants. Seems like a great deal of information, but Nadine somehow brings them across in such a comprehensive and fun manner. Very impressed by her knowledge and passion for Lake Louise, and appreciate her patience as well because I kept stopping now and then to take photographs. Had a great time snowshoeing with Great Divide, thank you Nadine! :) Would definitely recommend if you are looking to explore beautiful Lake Louise, but would like to have an enriching experience as well.

We were recommended Joel and Nadine by our hotel, Cathedral Mountain Lodge, and kudos to Cathedral for their recommendation! Joel was incredibly informative and super nice! He asked us our preference for a walking speed and set an amazing pace that wasn't fast, so we didn't get out of breath going up the incline. I feel like I walked away from the experience knowing a lot more about Canada, the national parks, geology, fossils, wildlife and everything in between!



Would happily recommend Joel to anyone, and I would happily choose him again if I'm lucky enough to find myself in Canada's beautiful National Parks again.



Thankyou Joel for all your knowledge, time and patience �

We loved our experience with Joel. We had 8 people ranging from 8-61. The hike was tailored to be amazing for each of us. We had so many different weather elements and it just added to our adventure. If you are even considering doing one of these guided hikes, book it immediately! You will not regret it!

We had a group of 5 adults (family) and chose the private tour. Youngest is 22 - 55. It was a little chilly out but oh so worth it. We loved the exercise, fresh air and scenery. The forest was stunning and Joel was a great guide in the way he opened up the forest during the winter for us. He is very articulate in bringing the winter slumber to life. Loved the facts about snow, yes snow, fires, squirrels and their middens and the wood frog!!!!!! He balances the physical exertion with information sessions and then a delicious snack of tea/hot choc and homemade energy bars.

We had a great guided hike with Joel up Big Beehive in Lake Louise. He provided us with great information about the enchanted forest, answered all of our questions, and gave us great tips for the rest of our stay! He is a genuine guy that added a lot of fun and facts into our trip. We are so glad we chose to book with him, and hopefully will do so again!

We had a blast with Joel leading the way through a beautiful trail in the Lake Louise hill sides. He was very knowledgeable of the terrain and kept all of our group entertained the entire tour, all the while being very cognizant of our varying skill levels. We had so much fun snow shoeing that we actually went out ourselves the next day after receiving some great technical tips and techniques from Joel. We highly recommend their snow shoe tours! BTW the home made power bars were yum yum :)

We did 2 hikes with Nadine ( Valley of the 10 peaks and Larch Valley and the Sentinel Pass) on august 28 and 30th. What a great experience it was! We learned so much, on varied subject like : trees, flowers, mammals, glacier, geology, Mountaineering, Hollywood in the Rockies etc. It was always explained in a fun imaginative way with props and pictures. Nadine even sang for us! Good voice , Nadine! We feel those 2 guided hikes enriched our whole vacation , and we are glad we took them early in our trip. Also, we never felt rushed, the pace was always right, giving us plenty of time for pictures. We received a follow-up e-mail with pictures , links and info of what was discuss during our hikes. We thought it was very professional of them. We wholeheartedly recommend Great Divide! Thank you Nadine!

Today we had an amazing few hours snowshoeing in the wilderness and mountains with Joel. The igloo visit was the icing on the cake. A wonderful experience and would highly recommend. Can't wait to return. The Fenwick Family from Toronto.

This was our first trip to Canada and my first time snowshoeing and this was a great experience. It was awesome to get a little more information about the park and where we were exploring while we were hiking around. Being able to go off trail and start a new path in the snow was a very cool experience.

Such a fun and informative adventure! We learnt all about Canadian snow and how truly magical it is. You learn so much more than just snowshoeing and Joel was such an excellent, fun and professional guide. Would recommend for anyone and everyone!

Our family spent a memorable time with Nadine yesterday in the beautiful lake Louise nature. Although it was a cold day, Nadine had extra mitts, boots, hats and other equipment to make our experience more enjoyable.



We expected to enjoy the beautiful nature and the opportunity to participate in some outdoor recreation. Nadine did not disappoint. The environment was spectacular. The biggest extra surprise was the educational component to the activity. Nadine was super knowledgeable and interesting. We all learned something and felt a deeper understanding of the reality of Canadian winter living.



The homemade hot chocolate and power bars were the icing on the cake of a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this activity for people of various fitness levels, ages, and experience levels. Can I give 6 stars?

Nadine was an absolutely fantastic guide and endless source of knowledge. She went at just the right pace and we had a great time hiking around Moraine Lake. She tailored the tour to our exact interests and abilities. We learned a ton about grizzly bears and the national parks. Nadine answered all of our tough questions. She even sent us a follow-up email further explaining concepts that interested us. An outstanding experience thanks to Nadine's enthusiasm and humor.

My first time snowshoeing. Absolutely loved it. The wilderness, serenity and local knowledge from Joel was great. We saw Wolverine tracks in the snow and sat down by the river for a hot chocolate and snack. Perfect day out.

Joel was an extremely knowledgeable and thorough guide. I really enjoyed the interpretations on the various aspects of the hike, and he made it highly interactive with all of the group members. He took the time to answer any questions we had, and got to know us all individually. Not only is this hike highly recommended, I would do a different hike with them if I returned to Banff/Lake Louise area in the future.

I booked a tour with Joel and Nadine as part of a birthday surprise trip, and what a fascinating and memorable surprise it was! We went out into the woods and made our way through the stunning, snow-covered scenery while being wonderfully introduced to snowshoeing, which we consequently want to give another try soon! Joel has been a perfect and contagiously enthuastic nature guide for us, who enjoyed to share what seemed like only a tiny fraction of his knowledge about wildlife and flora in the Rockies. Even the self-made snacks were absolutely fantastic, so that he happily sent us the recipe together with some photos after the tour. There is so much more to see and learn that we hope to meet again some time!

Hiking with Joel from the Great Divide Nature Interpretation was the absolute highlight of an already amazing visit to Banff! This team is incredible, and they made it an experience to remember! Highly recommend!!!!

Had the great good fortune to go on four hikes with Joel and Nadine over the course of a recent stay in the Lake Louise area. Each one was incredibly enjoyable. Joel and Nadine are storehouses of information on everything from lichen to trees to glaciers. We learned much and they made it so much fun, all the while allowing us to continually pause to admire the stunning scenery of the Canadian Rockies. I cannot recommend them highly enough and will certainly be sending any friends and family who travel to the Banff area their way.