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11 Pulse Pounding Adventures In Alberta

License plates in Alberta have the phrase “Wild Rose Country” scrolled across them but after reading this list you might think “Adventure Capital of Canada” more accurate.
CARMORE, CANADA - MARCH 2010: Andy Wasinger rides across a field on March 15, 2010 in Southern Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Kurtis Kristanson/Sports Studio Photos/Getty Images)
Sports Studio Photos via Getty Images
CARMORE, CANADA - MARCH 2010: Andy Wasinger rides across a field on March 15, 2010 in Southern Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Kurtis Kristanson/Sports Studio Photos/Getty Images)

License plates in Alberta have the phrase “Wild Rose Country” scrolled across them but after reading this list you might think “Adventure Capital of Canada” more accurate. Here’s a healthy dose of potential exploits to satiate any appetite for action.

Glacier Skywalk
Brewster Travel Canada
New attractions in national parks don't come around very often so when they do, they're usually pretty darn cool. The Glacier Skywalk, Jasper National Park’s latest addition, is no exception. This impressive site lets you dangle in the abyss, way out in the middle of a canyon, from a glass bottom platform. Get acquainted with your fear of heights as you observe birds soaring in the valley below and mountains towering above.
Luge/Bobsleigh
Dainis Derics via Getty Images
Canada Olympic Park (COP) is likely home to the country’s greatest collection of adrenaline-fuelled activities. Take advantage of the facilities built for the 1988 Winter Olympics with a run down the bobsled or luge tracks. Dubbed “the fastest sport on ice,” participants can hit speeds over 100 km/h and feel the intensity of up to four G-forces. If you happen to be in the neighbourhood during the summer, these toboggans on steroids are fitted with wheels for year-round thrills.
Skiing Delirium Dive
Ryan Creary via Getty Images
Grab your backcountry kit and drop in — that's if the height doesn't make you delirious. This special, experts-only, freeride zone inbounds at Banff's Sunshine Village resort is a steep cliff and chute-riddled area where skiers and riders can feel the true meaning of vertical. Avalanche equipment including beacon, probe and shovel are mandatory. Find yourself a (mandatory) partner to share in the stoke and dive in.
Zip Lining At West Ed
Jorge Luis Flores Alarcn via Getty Images
Fly above the clouds! No, wait, make that fly above the crowds as you zip line through West Edmonton Mall. The world’s largest indoor zip line will keep you buzzing after you’ve buzzed the heads of everyone in the water park below you. There are four 137-meter parallel lines, which makes the set up perfect for a group experience. Bring a few friends and get ready to launch.
White Water Rafting
Banff Adventures
White water? More like white knuckle! Consider spending a day on the Bow River getting soaked. Rafters wind their way through the revered Horseshoe Canyon and if the up-to-Class IV rapids don’t keep your adrenalin pumping, there’s cliff jumping, too.
Via Ferrata
Norquay
It might be Italian for "iron path" but having a steel set of something else might help as you cling to the side of Mt. Norquay in the Alberta Rockies. Luckily, there's a certified guide that'll lead you on your journey as you ascend a series of ladders and suspension bridges with the added benefit of a fixed anchor system in case you fall. Don't forget to bring your real camera (put the strap over your head so you don’t have to worry about dropping your phone) and a pair of closed-toed shoes.
Zip Lines
eileenmak/Flickr
Another offering from the epicenter of Alberta adventure; Calgary Olympic Park’s zip line is like none other in North America. Dubbed “The Monster” this setup is the pinnacle in a three-part crescendo of zip lines. Riders take off from the top of the park’s ski jump and experience speeds up to 120km/h during their descent.
River Surfing
theqspeaks/Flickr
The water might be cold enough to take your breath away or stop your heart but it’s nothing a few millimeters of neoprene won’t fix. Despite being a land-locked province, surfing in Alberta is alive and well. Riding natural and man-made river waves, there’s nothing quite like slaying perfect breaks hundreds of kilometers from the coast.
Fly Boarding
RobBixbyPhotography/Flickr
If the current realm of human abilities has bored you, this should help. Flyboarding is the culmination of just about every superhero fantasy out there. Head to the lake, strap a jet pack to your feet and take off. Hover 30 feet in the air or use the propulsion to rocket you in and out of the water. It may sound like something from back to the future, but it is real and you get to be Marty McFly.
Ice Climbing
Digital Vision. via Getty Images
Axes, crampons, helmets, harnesses might sound like the equipment list for a soldiers heading into battle. If you’re in the mountains though, it’s a totally different story. Set yourself up with a guide for a day of climbing frozen waterfalls and other awesome ice formations.
Snow Kiting
Sports Studio Photos via Getty Images
Although Alberta is home to some amazing mountains, the province also has an abundance of flat, windy, open spaces. Boring, you say? Wrong! Snow kiting is the best way to take advantage of the prairie landscape. Lock some skis to your feet, tie a kite to your body and be gone with the wind! Lessons are available throughout the Alberta.
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