
Home » Alberta’s Great Outdoors: Explore with Nature Alberta and Mountain Life Magazines
Share this post!
By Amber McLinden
For nature enthusiasts, the beautiful Rocky Mountains, with their ski hills and incredible prairie landscapes, are the perfect playground – and sometimes the perfect school. Get to know this fascinating province with the inside scoop on everything from animals to activities in magazines like Nature Alberta and Mountain Life.
Animal Friends
While some people believe coyotes to be occasionally inconvenient visitors to our backyards, Nature Alberta explains their presence in “Coexisting with Coyotes.” Learn more about these familiar creatures, and how to avoid unwanted conflict while keeping them safe.
One activity of interest to a certain type of outdoorsperson may be hunting. But it’s just as important to know the implications of including certain animals on your list during your next excursion. With Nature Alberta, you can stay up to date with developments in this sport with “Grizzlies in the Crosshairs: Unpacking the Decision to Reinstate the Grizzly Hunt.”
There’s no greater Canadian pastime than spotting the birds coming to visit – or populate – your backyard. So what can you do for them? Nature Alberta answers this question in “Four Ways to Help Your Backyard Birds.” Learn how to keep the cats at bay and the windows visible in this informative article.
Personal Stories
It’s not just the places that make Alberta special – it’s the people too. Learn about the personal impact of an epic adventure on the Trans Canada Trail in Mountain Life’s “We All Need Each Other.” Kristin Schnelten shares Dianne Whelan’s story as she dishes out both life and travel lessons – whether your next trip is on the horizon or waiting to be planned, this story of adventure is both encouraging and cautionary.
Mountain Life teaches us that it’s possible to rethink your life in the face of hardship in “Trail and Error.” Writer Kristy Davison shares the incredible story of Matt Hadley, a Canmore-based trail builder and ex-pro mountain biker, as well as a catastrophic injury that led him to rethink the way he enjoys the outdoors.
Activities Abound
How do you enjoy the outdoors? Maybe you’re a brave backcountry adventurer, or somebody looking for a cozy winter getaway. In “Any Shelter in a Storm,” Mountain Life highlights how sometimes D.I.Y. is the best option for your next mountain stay. Think snow caves and base camp tents – as long as you have the right clothes to stay warm!
Itching to embrace the Alberta waters and learn more about fishing? Get to know its appeal in “The Tug is the Drug” from Mountain Life. The cold Rocky Mountain waters streaming down from the winter melt are one of the many incredible aspects of fly fishing. Learn why it’s so addictive and the methods that make this type of fishing unique.
Albertans only have a few warm months to enjoy summer activities, including access to the hiking trails that aren’t blocked off by stubborn snow. Kananaskis is one of many areas to explore, and Nature Alberta shares the importance of protecting the land in “Conserving Kananaskis.” Understand the practice of clearcutting and the harm it does to the environment. Kananaskis isn’t just an enjoyable place to hike, but also an important part of the natural life of Alberta.
There’s More to Explore
Interested in learning more about the great outdoors in Alberta? You’ll also want to take a look at Alberta Outdoors, which we highlighted in our post “Editor’s Pick: Behind the Alberta Outdoors Rebrand.” The magazine has expanded their focus from fishing and hunting to now include content on hiking, biking and camping, and wilderness survival. You can also further explore the Rockies with Where Canadian Rockies visitor guide, and hit the slopes like a pro thanks to Forecast Ski Magazine and King Snow Magazine.
Amber is a freelance writer, journalist and fact-checker who has worked with a range of Alberta-based publications including Avenue Calgary, Spur Magazine, WestJet Magazine and more. To learn about Amber and her work or to connect, you can visit her website at ambermclinden.com.