Stoked On Waterfalls: Volume 1: A Guide to Alberta's Roadside and Short Hike Waterfalls

By Jason Walchuck

This is the first volume in the Stoked on Waterfalls book series about waterfalls in Alberta. Volume 1 aims to cover every waterfall in Alberta located within 500 meters (with a few longer exceptions) of any public road. There are 208 waterfalls described in this book that meet the criteria. This book is to be used as a guide to help you reach every waterfall as quickly and as safely as possible. Each waterfall has a driving description, hiking description, level of difficulty, GPS coordinates, colour photo, and detailed map showing how to reach the waterfall. My hope is that this book will inspire more people to get outside and enjoy the natural beauty the province of Alberta has to offer.

Alberta has over 800 waterfalls I currently know about, and I look forward to documenting every waterfall and sharing this information with likeminded people who love getting outside and exploring in Alberta's amazing wilderness. Please look for the next volumes in my series as I continue to explore and chase waterfalls in Alberta!

Please check out my website at stokedonwaterfalls.com for more information.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Dec 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9780228817727

Book preview

Preface

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would write a guidebook. The idea of writing a guidebook never crossed my mind since I was always very happy relying on other people’s information. In my early twenties, I got heavily into hiking and began collecting a large amount of great guidebooks for different areas in the Canadian Rockies. One night out of sheer boredom, I was curious to know how many waterfalls were in each of my Alberta guidebooks. I started going through each book and listing all the waterfalls in an Excel spreadsheet. When I was finished, the waterfall number was just under 200. I thought this number was pretty impressive, and it got me wondering why there was no guidebook for waterfalls found in Alberta. That’s when I got the idea that maybe I would write it.

From looking at my initial Excel spreadsheet list, I decided to keep on researching to see what other Alberta waterfalls were out there. I began looking at internet hiking reports, Instagram posts, Facebook posts, and I even decided to spend some money and purchase some out-of-print guidebooks on kayaking and ice climbing, even though I do neither of these activities. I also began talking to local people and searching out potential waterfall locations on Google Earth. Before I knew it, my initial spreadsheet for waterfalls located in Alberta ballooned from 200 to over 800. As of 2019, I have visited and documented over 500 waterfalls in the province. My goal is to continue on this journey and visit and document every waterfall in Alberta so that I can share all of these wonderful places with everyone who enjoys waterfalls just as much as I do.

This is first guidebook in my Stoked on Waterfalls series, and I’m hoping it won’t be my last. In this book you will find all the information needed on how to reach roadside waterfalls and waterfalls that require a hike of 500 meters or less from any public road in Alberta. (There are a few slightly longer exceptions found in the book.) In the coming years, I hope to write and release the following:

Volume 2: A Guide to Waterfalls in Southern Alberta

Volume 3: A Guide to Waterfalls in South-Central Alberta

Volume 4: A Guide to Waterfalls in Central Alberta

Volume 5: A Guide to Waterfalls in Northern Alberta

I sincerely hope this book will take you to some amazing waterfalls you never knew existed. I have enjoyed chasing waterfalls all over the province, and I am thrilled to share these locations with you. I also want to say sorry/not sorry if I’ve found your secret waterfall spot. I feel that everyone should have an equal opportunity to visit a place if they’re willing to make the time and effort. The Alberta Rockies cover a large area, and there are plenty of waterfalls out there for everyone to enjoy. Last, I hope that this book will inspire you to get outside and become absolutely STOKED ON WATERFALLS!

Acknowledgments

This is the first book I’ve written and by far the largest project I’ve ever attempted and completed. There are many people I feel I need to thank. First and foremost, I want to thank my father, Ken, my mother, Myrna, and my younger sisters, Jennifer and Brittney. Without you and the support you’ve given me over the years, I’m not sure if I would have had the motivation to keep working to complete this book. Thanks so much for all your love and support!

I would also like to thank my many cousins, uncles, and aunts who have given me support on both the Walchuck and Dusevic sides of the family. The love and support from you all has been awesome and encouraging. It’s always nice to be able to turn to you if I needed anything.

A special thank-you also needs to go out to my cousin Mike Walchuck. You’ve been my constant hiking buddy since 2007 and my best bud from before then. I have no idea how many kilometers we’ve hiked together or how many peaks we’ve summited. Thanks for always being down to hike and explore anywhere and everywhere. It’s been one hell of a ride, buddy!

Additionally, I’d like to thank Mike’s family for always letting me stay with them in the Edmonton area and for all the support you’ve given me over the years. Thanks, Tom, Brenda, and Amanda for the fantastic hospitality and all the fun times our families have had together over the years!

I’d also like to also give a special thanks to my good buddies Adrian Knievel, Loc To, Mikey Jones, Sean Davies, Colin Heuven, and Daniel Gallagher for all the awesome hikes. It’s been a blast. Also, thank you for providing some additional information for a few of the waterfalls found in this book. I really appreciate it!

I also want to give a special thanks to my good buddy Spencer Madden for your support on the project from day one. It’s always great bouncing ideas off you on some epic hike in the middle of nowhere. I can’t wait to hit the trail again with you in the future!

I’d like to also thank some of my other hiking buddies or anyone who has given me information about any Alberta waterfall. I’d like to thank Savanna Luterbach, Jon Elder, Natasha Loran, Lincoln Weller, Martin Weller, Rhys Bar, Lovy Mangat, Jessica Clark, Keir Egger, Jared Egger, Mark Lushington, Freya French, Constance Ratelle, Cameron von Bratt, Jenna Faye Handel, Perry Hofbauer, Nolan Madden, Frances Ackerman, Ashley Tkachyk, Tylor Lafferty, Lindsey Baden, Anne Ritchie, Steven Wilker, Erin and Day Rudolf, Tyler and Jenna Golding, Chelsea and Kelly Pederson, and Megan Posein. My apologies if I’ve forgotten anybody.

It is important that I also remember my roots and where I came from. I want to thank the Lushington, Bowden, and Freeland families for being great friends to our family growing up. Camping on May long weekend in Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia, was always a time I looked forward to as a kid. Thanks for all the amazing memories.

This entire book was written in my living room in the northern city of Fort McMurray. I want to give a BIG thank-you to all my awesome coworkers in Fort McMurray who have given me support over the years regarding the book. It doesn’t go unnoticed and is much appreciated!

I also want to give a really special thanks to Nathan Livingston. Thank you for taking Mike and me up to Kindersley Pass that one evening after work to show us that hiking is more than just hiking to fish for trout at a high mountain lake. That first hiking experience definitely opened my eyes, and I haven’t looked back since!

Last, I want to thank all the previous authors of the guidebooks I’ve collected over the years for doing all that impressive legwork to find and document some of these amazing places. Without your guidebooks, I don’t know if I would have felt inspired to write my own. I’d like to also thank Tellwell Publishing for helping me publish my first book. Hopefully we can publish a few more in the future.

Introduction and How to Use This Book

First and foremost, I want to thank YOU, the reader, for taking a chance on me and buying my first guidebook, wonderfully published by Tellwell Publishing. I hope this book will lead you on a few awesome adventures in the near future!

Now without further ado, WELCOME to Stoked on Waterfalls—Volume 1: A Guide to Alberta’s Roadside and Short Hike Waterfalls. Within these pages, I have documented 208 waterfalls that are found within the boundaries of Alberta that require 500 meters or less of hiking from any public road (with a few longer exceptions). These are all the waterfalls that I currently know about. I chose the 500-meter number since I feel it best represents the distance of a short hike. Almost anyone can walk 500 meters despite what physical shape you are in. I intended this book to be written for people of all shapes and sizes and of varying physical ability.

In regards to the waterfalls mentioned in this book, I generally tried to stick with those that flow all year around. The last thing I want is for someone to hike to a waterfall and it be dried up. The only exception I made is Lower Sentry Cave Falls. Similarly, I also avoided including waterfalls that are only ice climbs in the winter. Ice climbs such as Quick and Dirty in Waterton Lakes National Park would meet the 500 meter or less criteria, but I believe this waterfall doesn’t flow well for most of the year and would not count as a permanent waterfall. There are also some waterfalls in the Crowsnest Pass Region found on Drum Creek and York Creek that are located within 500 meters of a road that weren’t included in this book. Waterfalls on Drum Creek were not included because the shorter access to reach these waterfalls is on private industrial property, and hiking up Drum Creek to the waterfall from the community of Hillcrest Mines is longer than 500 meters. Similarly, a waterfall located on the lower stretches of York Creek is found within 500 meters of a road, but it was omitted because it requires crossing through private property to reach the creek. Hopefully, I will figure out a legal way to reach these waterfalls in the future that avoids crossing private property.

How to Use This Book

Stoked on Waterfalls – Volume 1: A Guide to Alberta’s Roadside and Short Hike Waterfalls is divided into many regions based on the geography of the province. The first is the Waterton Lake’s National Park Region, and the last is the Grande Cache and Whitecourt Region. In total, I have split the Province of Alberta into fourteen geographical regions. Each has an overview page with important information regarding the region.

Each region’s overview page is accompanied by a general overview map outlining which streams have waterfalls. After the overview map, there is a quick description of the region that includes information on where the driving directions begin. After the quick description of the region, there is a numbered list for each waterfall found in the region. Each waterfall is listed underneath the stream or localized area where the waterfall is located.

After the region’s overview page, the individual waterfall description pages follow. Each waterfall description in the book is organized in subsections containing all the important information needed to reach each waterfall. The subsections include the Waterfall Photo, the Level of Difficulty, the Driving Directions, the GPS Coordinates and Name of Waterfall, the Waterfall and Hiking Descriptions, and a Map.

Waterfall Photo: Every waterfall in this book has a photo and caption. I felt it was important for each waterfall in the book to have a photo so you can see what you are hiking to and if it is worth your time and effort. All photos in this book were photographed by me unless otherwise indicated.

Level of Difficulty: The driving and hiking difficulties for each waterfall are given by a color rating system. I went with the Green, Blue, and Black rating system that you often see used on ski hills. Green is easy, blue is moderate, and black is challenging.

In regards to driving difficulty, a green rating is given to any waterfall that can be reached by all vehicles on paved roads to get to the parking area. A blue rating is given to any waterfall that can be reached by most but not all vehicles. Access to these parking areas usually requires driving on decent gravel roads or rough pavement. A black rating is given to any waterfall that requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Access to these parking areas usually requires driving on rough gravel or dirt roads. Use extreme caution when taking these types of roads.

In regards to hiking difficulty, a green rating is given to any waterfall that requires minimal effort and elevation gain to reach it. A blue rating is given to any waterfall that requires elevation gain, a possible easy scramble, easy bushwhacking, or an easy creek crossing to reach it. A black rating is given to any waterfall that requires multiple creek crossings, tricky scrambling, and often extensive and gnarly bushwhacking to reach it. These black routes normally do not have a trail. Extreme caution must always be exercised when hiking to these waterfalls. The total one-way distance from the parking area to waterfall is also given in this subsection as well as a brief description of any hazards that you should expect along the trail or route. All the ratings in this book are my own personal opinion. Most people should have no issue reaching a blue-rated waterfall.

If you happen to see Red text in this subsection, this indicates there is red tape associated with the waterfall. This may be an annual closure or a certain risk that you may be taking, such as trespassing onto private or industrial land. Always evaluate your plans if you see red text in this subsection.

The last bit of information in this subsection deals with duration—the total amount of time that I predict it will take the average hiker to hike from the parking area to the waterfall and back. My times are fairly generous as I have tried to estimate the duration for the average hiker in varying physical shape.

Driving Directions: All the waterfalls have a detailed driving description from a central location that I introduce in the region’s overview page. These specific directions are given in meters or kilometers and will help you reach parking area for waterfall. Whenever you get to the end of a driving description, please try to respect where you park your vehicle, and try not to impede traffic by becoming an unavoidable obstacle. GPS coordinates for each parking area are also given at the back of the book.

GPS Coordinates and Name of Waterfall: In this subsection, the name, GPS coordinates, and elevation of each waterfall are given.

In regards to the waterfall names, many of the waterfalls in this book are unofficially named. Any waterfall that is officially named in Alberta can be found in the Canadian Geographical Names Database on the Government of Canada website. If the waterfall is officially named in Alberta, I have written an Official beside it. If the waterfall is not in the Canadian Geographical Names Database but has an official campground named after it, a road sign to the waterfall, a provincial recreation area named after it, or a provincial park named after it, I have written an Official designation beside the waterfall name. If the waterfall is not found in the database, I have written Unofficial beside it. Dealing with unofficial names or unnamed waterfalls is something I found very frustrating when writing this book. For each stream, I have done extensive research to find an official name or a common unofficial name. At the end of the day, if I was unsuccessful in finding a name, I decided to name the waterfall myself or enlist the help of some of my buddies to name a few waterfalls. An unofficially named waterfall sounds and reads much better than Unnamed Creek Waterfall #1.

In regards to the GPS coordinates, each waterfall in this book has its own GPS coordinates that I personally took with my handheld GPS. The GPS coordinates found are given in latitude and longitude using the degrees, minutes, and seconds format. My hope is that these GPS coordinates will help you reach each waterfall if my route descriptions have changed due to Mother Nature. Additionally, I have included a lengthy table at the back of the book with a summary of all the waterfall GPS coordinates and all the parking area GPS coordinates for each waterfall. If my driving descriptions don’t make any sense, or if you want to access the waterfall from a different direction than what is described in the book, you can always enter the coordinates into your GPS and reach the parking area.

In regards to elevation, I have included an elevation for each waterfall taken off my GPS. Most elevations were taken at the base of the waterfalls, but some were taken near the tops of the waterfalls. Overall, the elevations in this book are not 100 percent accurate, but they will give you a rough idea. I have given the elevation in both meters and feet.

Waterfall and Hiking Description: In this subsection, a waterfall description and hiking description are given for each waterfall. Generally, the first paragraph describes the waterfall and the geographic features that can be found surrounding it. All heights given for waterfalls are unofficial and based on my own estimates. Similarly, the classifications type for each waterfall is also based on my own interpretation.

The second paragraph in this subsection gives a detailed hiking description to the waterfall starting from the parking area or from a previously visited waterfall. Any hazards that may be encountered along the way are also mentioned in this paragraph. The total one-way distance to the waterfall from the parking area is also mentioned as well any options after you’ve reached the waterfall.

Map: Every waterfall in the book has a map to show you where to park, the trail or route, and where the waterfall is located on the stream. Parking is indicated by P, and the waterfall is indicated by WF or a number value if there are multiple waterfalls on the map. A colored line (usually red) is used to indicate your trail or route to the waterfall. Some maps also have VP. VP stands for viewpoint. In some situations, the viewpoint may be as close as you can safely get to the waterfall. Each map also contains a north arrow and a scale bar.

I made all my maps using Atlas of Canada topographical maps on the Government of Canada website and the Open Government License—Canada (https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada).

Waterfall Safety

Many hazards and risks exist when searching for waterfalls. This book is to be used as a guide that will show you the quickest and safest routes that I have found to each waterfall. Please note that the risk potential increases for each hazard with increased hiking difficulty. Some of the hazards I mention include creek crossings, bushwhacking, scrambling, wildlife, ticks, waterborne bacteria and viruses, and weather. I also provide a list of certain gear I feel is necessary to have when hiking to waterfalls and what you should have in your pack in case you need to be rescued.

Stream Crossings: Crossing streams and getting my feet wet was a common occurrence when chasing waterfalls. Sometimes it was to get a better photo of the waterfall, and other times it was just to make progress up or down the stream. If you are crossing streams, you need to really assess the flow of the stream, depth of the stream, and type of rocks found at the bottom of the stream. The cloudier the stream, the riskier the stream crossing will be. Whenever you are crossing any section of flowing water, be prepared that you could potentially fall in. Mentally prepare yourself for what you would do in that situation. One thing you should do before any stream crossing is ensure that any electronic or valuable gear is protected in a dry bag. There is nothing worse than falling into a stream and having your camera, cell phone, or any other valuable piece of equipment get submerged and damaged from the water. Whenever I’m crossing a stream, I try to wear a good pair of sports sandals or an older pair of hiking boots that still have good grip in the water. Hiking poles also help a lot with balance, and bringing a towel and an extra pair of socks is a good idea. It is important to be mindful of the outside temperature when crossing streams. Hypothermia can set in quicker in colder conditions. Another important factor to consider when crossing streams is rain. If you are crossing multiple streams, be aware that there is a good likelihood the stream you crossed an hour ago when it was dry and sunny out may increase in volume if the area is hit with a sudden downpour of rain. Make smart decisions, and turn around sooner than later if you have to.

Bushwhacking: I have a love/hate relationship with bushwhacking. I love it because if you’re willing to do it, you can sometimes find some amazing places. On the other hand, I hate it because it’s easy to fall or get hit in the face with a branch. Some bushwhacking is easy, and some is extremely difficult. Be prepared to take your time and make sure every step you take is a careful one. Be mindful that you will often have to return the same way you came. If I know there is any chance I am going to have to bushwhack my way to a waterfall, I make sure I’m wearing long pants and a long-sleeve shirt. A pair of safety glasses is also not a bad idea to throw into your pack. Most of the black routes in the book include challenging bushwhacking.

Scrambling: The art of scrambling is commonly defined as the action of climbing up and over steep or loose terrain. For the waterfalls in this book, it is sometimes needed in order to get to the bottom or top of certain waterfalls. Often, you’ll need to use your hands to help you climb up and over the terrain. One of the biggest risks with scrambling is loose rock being kicked down from one hiker to another. If you are scrambling to the top or bottom of waterfalls, it is important that you use good teamwork and communication with your hiking partner. Go up or down one at a time, and call whenever each other is clear. Always yell ROCK if you have dislodged a rock. A rock helmet and climbing gloves are great pieces of equipment that you should throw in your pack to prevent or lessen an injury. If you are scrambling down to a waterfall, and you do not feel comfortable on the terrain, DO NOT PROCEED. Turning around is the best way to avoid getting into trouble. Being stubborn may lead to a rescue or worse. Only go down what you can get up and go up what you can get down. Many accidents and rescues happen in the mountains because people make poor decisions. People have died from scrambling, and waterfall canyons can be unforgiving. Always use extreme caution when you are out in scrambling terrain.

Wildlife: One of the biggest hazards out there when looking for waterfalls is wildlife. Almost all the waterfalls in Alberta are located in the Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountains also happen to be home to many different species of wildlife. Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, cougars, coyotes, as well as elk and moose at certain times of the year can create interesting and somewhat dangerous situations. Wildlife like to hang around water, and many of the critters follow the creeks and river valleys in the mountains. This increases the likelihood of having a wildlife encounter. The best way to avoid an encounter is by making a lot of noise. Unfortunately, it is tough to make a lot of noise when you are hiking by a noisy stream. Yelling can be effective, but that can be tough if you are exerting a lot of energy in challenging terrain. I find that bringing an air horn along for the hike is more effective since it makes a louder noise and carries farther than a voice muffled by a stream. If you happen to have a chance encounter with wildlife, always make sure you carry bear spray and have it quickly accessible. Bear spray will do you no good if it is buried at the bottom of your backpack. I actually carry two bear sprays just in case I have to use one on a long hike. You never know if you will have to use the bear spray again on the same animal or a different animal. Bear spray does expire, so make sure you always check the expiration date.

Ticks: Ticks are a species of arachnid that are found throughout the Rocky Mountains, commonly seen from early April to mid-July. They are a species I loathe. Ticks attach to a host and begin sucking the host’s blood. Sometimes, this can lead to infection or disease. The two main species of ticks found in Alberta are the Rocky Mountain wood tick and the black-legged tick (deer tick). Both species carry awful diseases. The Rocky Mountain wood tick is known to carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can lead to paralysis; the deer tick is known to carry Lyme disease, a highly debilitating bacterial disease known to cause many long-term health problems. The best way to prevent getting these diseases is by not getting bitten by a tick. Ticks can be found anywhere in the wilderness, but they usually prefer grassy and rocky slopes. The best way to prevent a bite is by wearing a hat, a light-colored long-sleeve shirt, and light-colored pants. Tucking your pants into your socks may look silly, but it will prevent a tick from stealthily climbing up your leg underneath your pants. Perform regular tick checks on yourself and your hiking partner once or twice a hike and after a hike. Ticks usually spend over an hour crawling on a host before they decide to dig in. Another way to prevent getting bitten is by using bug spray with DEET, although checking yourself regularly is the best method.

Waterborne Bacteria and Viruses: Waterborne parasitic bacteria and viruses can be transmitted by ingesting untreated or unfiltered water containing protozoa, bacteria, or viruses. If you’re hiking to a waterfall on a hot day, it may be tempting to try some of the delicious-looking water in a crystal-clear stream. This decision should be taken with care and caution. The two common parasites found in Alberta are giardia (beaver fever) and cryptosporidium. These parasites are known to naturally occur in the feces of wildlife. Both are unpleasant, and symptoms include diarrhea, dehydration, fever, cramping, and fatigue. These symptoms can last for two or three weeks. The best way to prevent ingesting these small parasites is to treat any water you