Germany is home to many fortresses and castles. You may be surprised to learn that the Canadian version of a fortress is much older than any of the fortresses you will find in Germany. Instead of dating back hundreds of years, it dates back millions of years! At least it does when you refer to Fortress Mountain, a popular peak in Kananaskis, located in the Canadian Rockies, that is is aptly named as it resembles a fortress. And while it is not impenetrable as a true fortress should be, getting there does take a lot of work – round trip it’s between 18-20 km, depending which way you go and requires 1100 meters of elevation gain. But that just makes you appreciate the view even more – once you’ve caught your breath. As with any true fortress, one must be prepared for anything, but instead of shots being fired at you, at Fortress Mountain your enemy may be hail. When I was there hail almost the size of golf balls was pelting us. It did motivate us for a quick descent though! Note this photo was taken from nearby Mount Chester, on a much better day than when I hiked Fortress Mountain.
This photo has been submitted as part of Travel Photo Thursday, a weekly travel photography showcase organized by Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox where you can see more travel photos from around the world and by Eileen at Digital Photography and Multimedia Digital Art where you can find great photo tips.
You may also be interested in:
Hiking in Kananaskis
Camping in Kananaskis
For more info on scrambling Fortress Mountain contact the tourist office in Kananaskis Country. (Note the trail is only an official trail to the lakes, the actual ascent up the mountain is on an unofficial trail, but as Fortress Mountain is a popular scramble the tourist office can likely give you some info on the conditions).
