Rossland Directoryhiking & trail running

SWEATIN' TO THE GOLDIES

They come in chunky lug-soled hiking boots with bright red laces. They come in state-of-the-art trail runners and in those funny "foot gloves" that make their lower appendages like monkey feet. Some brave souls do it barefoot. But ninja-minimalist or maxi-clunk old-school, hikers and trail runners are in for a treat when they get a load of our world-class trails. There's gold in them thar hills.

Families with young children can pick from a number of leisurely trails with no big climbs and lots of places to stop, every hundred feet or so, for a snack or to dump out an entire day pack's contents for no apparent reason. And then maybe cry for a bit… More adventurous groups can tackle a hike like Red Top before lunch or spend all day gaining altitude on Old Glory. Nothing brings a family closer than leaving the rest of the world way down there.

Rossland's hardcore trail runners live here because they are like ascetic mountain bikers using their feet for tires and their knees as suspension. Pounding the pavement is great and all but nothing beats scrambling over knotty 500 year-old tree roots through a switchback forest that opens up on a vista that is as wild now as it was when that tree was still a pine cone. Knock out a quick 5km loop before breakfast or fill that CamelBak right to the top and tackle the legendary Seven Summits trail, home of the Broken Goat 50km Ultra Race.

And, if it turns out that those city slicker shoes are no match for our mountains, get a new pair at a great price—with insider advice—at one of our knowledgeable retailers. (PS: Your shoe size in Canadian is the same as in American. Contrary to popular belief there's no "exchange rate" on shoe sizes—and no exchanges on stinky, well-worn shoes.)