Degree of Difficulty:
Easy
Time to Complete Round Trip:3-4 hours
Where to Park:
Ha Ling Peak is a prominent peak above the town of Canmore. Follow the Spray Lake Reservoir road and try not to throw too much dust up into the air for the cyclists. Go past the Canmore Nordic Centre, and park at the Goat Creek parking lot.
The Route (see photo below):
Cross the road and hike up a gravel embankment. Beyond you'll find a small bridge and furthur a utility shed. To the left and behind the shed is an obvious trail.
Make your way up the trail, until the trees thin and the summit comes into view. You'll find a trail which hugs the treeline to the right. Soon this trail veers left up toward the summit.
At the summit you will find a beautiful view of Canmore. Don't send any rocks over the edge, because there will likely be climbers below.
(This isn't a really good photo of the route. I'll post a better picture soon.)
Some History:
Ha Ling Peak was formerly known as Chinaman's Peak, but the name was changed to honour the first known person to ascend the peak in 1886, Ha Ling. The story goes that Ha Ling, a Chinese miner, accepted a bet for one hundred dollars that he couldn't reach the summit. Of course, he achieved the summit, planted a flag, won the bet, and assured his place in Alberta Rockies history.
