Heading Out

Nora D.S. Robins is co-ordinator of Internal Collections at the
University of Calgary Libraries.

Calgarians have at their doorstep some of the most spectacular and
varied scenery in the world. Calgary itself is blessed with more than
100 natural areas covering over 2900 hectares. It has Fish Creek Park,
Canada’s largest urban park, as well as Nose Hill Park, the largest
city-run natural area in Canada. More than 300 kilometres of pathways
connect various parts of the city, primarily along the three major
corridors of Bow River, Elbow River, and Nose Creek. Added to this is
the city’s proximity to the Rocky Mountains and Kananaskis Country.

Heading Out is intended “to offer snapshots of the best the outdoors
has to offer in this region.” Its seven chapters—“Wild Calgary,”
“Urban Getaways,” “Day-Trip Destinations,” “Weekend
Destinations,” “On the Rockies,” “Kananaskis Country,” and
“Playing It Safe in the Rocky Mountains”—cover the city and its
surroundings. Within each chapter, every destination’s entry begins
with a map, access directions, a description of the terrain, activities,
hours (if applicable), and telephone numbers for those seeking
additional information.

What makes this guidebook stand out from the many books on Calgary and
the Rockies is its lack of clutter, its family orientation, and the
author’s knowledge of each of the places he describes. Masterman has
written about the outdoors (for the Calgary Herald) for over 20 years,
and it shows. His guide should be owned by every Calgary family,
newcomer, and visitor.