Is Fall The Best Season?

The leaves are changing and it's Peak Fall in Alberta right now. Go outside and enjoy it!

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Maybe it’s the colourful landscape, maybe it’s the falling of golden leaves and crunch underfoot, or maybe it’s the brisk temperatures when you leave your house in the mornings and hot sun during the afternoons.

There’s just something about fall that makes us want to be outside and soak it all in.

And, you don’t need to travel to the mountains to enjoy stunning fall scenery.

From the local dog park to downtown bike paths, nature’s beauty is currently on full display across Alberta. (And yes, dear Ontario readers, we understand that maple trees are beautiful and make fall out east arguably even more stunning than here in Alberta.)

While fall may be the shortest season we experience in Alberta, we find it’s one of our most photographed (all the photos in this post are from the last two weeks) and most enjoyed.

The falling leaves, and need for a warm jacket in the brisk mornings, are a good reminder that this season is short and winter is coming.

Yes, winter is coming.

As we’ve said before, living in a place with such wildly different seasons (-30 degrees in winter and +30 degrees in summer, eight hours of sunlight in winter and 16 in summer) makes going outside all the more interesting. There are so many different activities you can do and look forward to.

We routinely find ourselves getting excited for skiing in the depths of summer, and longing for those dreamy, long summer days in the middle of winter.

How boring would it be to live somewhere where snow never falls? Or leaves never change?

While we’re big advocates of embracing winter and going outside even when it is cold and there is snow on the ground (more of this in the coming months!), we know this is hard for a lot of people.

So, rather than dread the coming winter, get outside and enjoy this beautiful fall.

If you’re reading this from Calgary, the larches should still be decent this weekend, though nearing the end of their golden hue. Crowds have been nuts this year (and it’s the Thanksgiving long weekend this weekend), so be sure to have a backup plan (or two or three) in place and brace for traffic.

And, please be prepared for snow.

Annalise was treated to a tiny dusting of snow on the mountaintops at Arethusa Cirque last week, but has seen photos and read trail reports of large dumps of snow at larch favourites like Chester Lake and mountain bike favs including trails in Bragg Creek.

Remember to pack layers for your fall hikes, dig out those toques and gloves, and be conscious of your footwear. Just because it’s 20 degrees in Calgary, doesn’t mean the weather will be anything similar in the mountains.

And, speaking of toques and gloves, we always find spring and fall a good time to assess your gear closet/room/bins (however you store your outdoor setups) and keep track of what worked and what didn’t for next year.

Outdoor gear often goes on sale in the off-seasons, so it’s a good idea to keep a running list of any additions you may want to make.

Annalise’s undeveloped basement full of gear currently has sleeping bags and tents hanging and airing out after a summer of heavy use, and the winter clothing bins have been pulled out. The Going Outside Snack Bin has also been updated with more winter-friendly favs, which makes for one less thing to think about when you’re heading outside.

Let us know what you’re loving about fall and how you’re prepping for winter in the comments below or in our subscriber group chat.

We’ll be taking next week off for Thanksgiving, so we’ll be back in your inboxes Oct. 18th. Until then, go outside and soak up Peak Fall!

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⛰️🥾️ Go Outside is written by Annalise & Cailynn — writers, outdoor enthusiasts and sisters who’ve been hiking, biking and skiing near Calgary since childhood and continue to be happiest outside.

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