Degree of Difficulty:
Easy, some mild exposure
Time to Complete Round Trip:3 hours up and down, 4 to 6 hours for circuit route
Information:
Heart Mountain is across the TransCanada highway from the Exshaw factory. Everyone who drives into the mountains from the east sees this factory within a few minutes of leaving the prairies and entering the looming Rockies. Heart mountain is directly left (south) of the factory and the the highway.
Where to Park:
Park either immediately below the obvious trail observed from the highway, or you can park a little further west via the Lac des Arc interchange at the Heart Creek parking lot.
The Route (see photo below):
Make your way up the easy trail, avoiding the cliff to your right. Soon you will come to a rock band which must be scaled. Look for a diamond-shaped metal marker attached to the rock. This is the easy way up. Continue uphill to a narrow steep gully. This gully can be rattling in icy conditions. In the summer it's a cakewalk.
The summit gives you a great view of Lac des Arcs. If you like, you can continue onward to do the complete Heart loop. Looking to the south and south-east you will see a circuit route which will take you on a pleasant U-shaped hike. Follow the trail. If you complete the whole loop, you will wind up near the highway but east of your car. The trail will lead you back eventually to your starting point.
