by Eva Kurilova
Canada is full of hiking trails for people of all skill levels, from flat, paved walkways along beautiful rivers to some of the most challenging hikes in the entire world. From number seven to number one, these are the most dangerous hikes in Canada. [Image credit: iStock.com/JurgaR]
The name alone tells you that the Crypt Lake Trail in Waterton National Park is not for the faint of heart. The 17 km hike begins with grueling switchbacks that take you up 700 metres in elevation, and only then does the real work begin! Next, you pass through a landscape littered with boulders and climb up a metal ladder which is bolted to the mountainside. Then, just before Crypt Lake, hikers must travel through a four-foot wide, 40-metre long rock tunnel. This one is not for the claustrophobic hiker!
Crypt Lake can be demanding, but it’s only the beginning. Next up is New Brunswick’s Fundy Footpath, a 41 km trek that usually takes about four days to complete. Hikers must put up with numerous elevation changes, rugged terrain and two tidal river crossings. Jagged cliffs and cable steps further add to the fun, as do numerous slippery creek crossings along the way. The spectacular coastal scenery is enough to overcome many people’s fears as they tread this trail, but don’t underestimate the challenge in completing.
Upping the distance to 66 km is the Mantario Trail in Manitoba. This trail, completed by only a couple hundred brave souls on an annual basis, stretches from Big Whiteshell Lake to Caddy Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park. Those who do tackle it typically take about four days to make it through the bogs, marshes and streams that can create tricky situations along the trail. Some spots even call for skilled scrambling. And did we mention the blood-sucking mosquito swarms? You’ve been warned.
If you’re looking for still more excitement, the you want to set your sights on the Chilkoot Trail, which begins in Dyea, Alaska and takes hikers to Bennet, BC through the challenging terrain of the Coastal Mountains. Once a major Yukon gold rush route, the 53 km Chilkoot Trail climbs into high alpine regions, exposing hikers to dangerous weather conditions and vertigo-inducing heights. Bear encounters are not an uncommon occurrence either.
The 75 km West Coast Trail is a classic and popular Canadian trail that attracts over 6,000 people a year. While safety precautions and preparedness make for high success rates, about 60 people do have to be evacuated annually because of factors such as injury, illness or hypothermia. The challenges of the West Coast Trail lie in its varied terrain, which takes a good deal of skill and ingenuity to traverse. Tramping through temperate rainforest and along slippery tide pools is apparently harder than you would think!
The difficulty of Akshayuk Pass begins with the journey it takes to find the trailhead. Located on Baffin Island in Canada’s remote arctic, Akshayuk Pass consists of 97 km of walking through everything from marshes to glacial moraines to stretches of barren sand. Freezing river crossings and the chance of polar bear encounters further serve to make this eight-day trek one of the most undeniably dangerous hikes in Canada.
What could be more dangerous than Akshayuk Pass? Say hello to the 355 km Canol Heritage Trail in the Northwest Territories. Even the most experienced hikers will take two to three weeks to complete the trail, and not just because of the distances involved. The chances of running out of supplies on this remote trail, the task of making three major river crossings and the high likelihood of grizzly bear encounters puts Canol Heritage Trail in a class of its own.
Remote locations, dangerous wildlife, extreme weather conditions and extreme terrain – Canada’s most dangerous hikes are certainly made to provide even the most proficient trail trampers with some heart-pumping adrenaline spikes.
