THE ULTIMATE CANADIAN ROCKIES LIBRARY

By Tera Swanson • Brought to you by Rocky Mountain Books

Guidebook, handbook, history, photography: the canon of Canadian Rockies literature is vast – just like the mountain range that has inspired it. And while no list is ever quite complete, we’ve curated a selection of mountain literature that belongs on the bookshelves of every Rockies enthusiast.

Mountain dwellers enjoy hanging off frozen waterfalls and scrambling along alpine ridgelines, but we also carve out time to rest, retreat and read in the comforts of home. There we discover stories that inspire us to reach new heights, prepare us to do so safely, and educate us on our surroundings and those who blazed the trail before us.

Which books are in your own library? Missing a few? If you’re looking to fill in some gaps, we recommend you check out your local library or support independent booksellers with your purchases. If you still can’t find them, use the links below to find a copy online!

Would you add any to the list? Use the comments below to let us know!

HISTORY – EARLY EXPLORERS

The Canadian Rockies have piqued our curiosities for centuries. Reading the words of the first explorers gives us insight into the way of thinking of the time, and also how they resonate with our own timeless ambitions and passions.

• The Canadian Rockies – New and Old Trails, by A. P. Coleman

• The Glittering Mountains of Canada, by J. Monroe Thorington

• Old Indian Trails of the Canadian Rockies, by Mary T.S. Schaffer

• In the Heart of the Canadian Rockies, by James Outram

• The Rockies of Canada, by Walter Wilcox 

• Where the Clouds Can Go, by Conrad Kain 

HISTORY – MODERN HISTORIANS

Part analysts and part narrators, the historians of our time have a gift of documenting events of eras past. Through the telling stories of Rockies heritage in compelling ways, they unscramble history and provide a more coherent picture for today’s readers. 

• Banff: A History of the Park and Town, by Ted Hart 

• Bold and Cold: A History of 25 Classic Climbs in the Canadian Rockies, by Brandon Pullan

• Conrad Kain: Letters from a Wandering Mountain Guide, 1906-1933, edited by Zac Robinson

• Diamond Hitch: The Pioneer Guides and Outfitters of Banff and Jasper, by Ted Hart

• Grandeur of the Canadian Rockies, by Meghan J. Ward and Paul Zizka

• Lizzie Rummel: Baroness of the Canadian Rockies, by Ruthie Oltmann

• No Ordinary Woman – The Story of Mary Schaffer Warren, by Janice Sanford Beck 

• Off the Beaten Track: Women Adventurers and Mountaineers in Western Canada, by Cindy Smith

• Powder Pioneers: Ski Stories from the Canadian Rockies & Columbia Mountains, by Chic Scott 

• Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering, by Chic Scott 

• Summit Tales: Early Adventures in the Canadian Rockies, by Graeme Pole 

• This Wild Spirit: Women in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, by Colleen Skidmore

• Through an Unknown Country: The Jarvis–Hanington Winter Expedition through the Northern Rockies, by Mike Murtha 

ANNUAL PUBLICATIONS

Not quite books and not quite magazines either, some Rockies-based publications deserve a category all on their own. Publishing as annual volumes, these two provide fresh perspectives and a diversity of voices while chronicling mountain culture and climbing in unique ways.

• Canadian Alpine Journal, published by the Alpine Club of Canada

• Canadian Rockies Annual collection, published by Wildly Supply Co.

CONTEMPORARY + CONSERVATION

These works dig deeper into the interweaving issues and modern mindsets that make up the fabric of Canadian Rockies mountain culture. Discover what lies beneath the surface of our mountain experiences, and how it may alter our paths moving forward. 

• Bears Without Fear, by Kevin Van Tighem

• Inner Ranges – An Anthology of Mountain Thoughts and Mountain People, by Geoff Powter 

• Men for the Mountains, by Sid Marty

• Our Place – Changing the Nature of Alberta, by Kevin Van Tighem

• Switchbacks: True Stories from the Canadian Rockies, by Sid Marty 

• Tales & Trails: Adventures for Everyone in the Canadian Rockies, by Lynn Martel 

• The Pipestone Wolves: The Rise and Fall of a Wolf Family, by Günther Bloch and Photographed by John E. Marriott 

• The Will of the Land, by Peter Dettling 

• Water, Weather, and the Mountain West, by Robert Sandford 

INDIGENOUS

The stories of First Nations and Metis people as they relate to Canadian Rockies history are rich, complex and, oftentimes, tumultuous. This selection offers a starting point for developing a deeper understanding and appreciation of Indigenous history, culture and contemporary issues.

• Bad Judgment: The Myths of First Nations Equality and Judicial Independence in Canada, by John Reilly 

• Blackfoot Ways of Knowing: The Worldview of the Siksikaitsitapi, by Betty Bastien

• Nakoda Summer: A Story of the Ya Ha Tinda, by Cliff Faulknor 

• Spirit of the Rockies: Reasserting an Indigenous Presence in Banff National Park, by Courtney Wade Mason 

• These Mountains are Our Sacred Places, by Chief John Snow 

• The True Spirit and Original Intent of Treaty 7, by Treaty 7 Elders

  GUIDEBOOKS

Thanks to the hard work of these guidebook authors we have an incredible amount of information at our fingertips. These guidebooks are our backcountry blueprints, making them essential and trusted additions to any adventurer’s backpack.

• A Peakbagger’s Guide to the Canadian Rockies: North, by Ben Nearingburg and Eric Coulthard

• Bikepacking in the Canadian Rockies, by Ryan Correy 

• Canadian Rockies Trail Guide, by Brian Patton and Bart Robinson 

• Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies, by Graeme Pole

• Kananaskis Country Trail Guide Volumes 1-5, by Gillean Daffern

• Rockies Central, by David P. Jones

• Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies, by Alan Kane 

• Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies, by Chic Scott and Darren Farley

• Sport Climbs in the Canadian Rockies, by John Martin and Jon Jones 

• Summits & Icefields 1 + 2, by Chic Scott and Mark Klassen 

• The 11,000ers of the Canadian Rockies, by Bill Corbett 

HANDBOOKS AND MOUNTAIN SAFETY

Reference books act like the recipes that compile a cookbook. They tell us the what and how so that we can enrich out mountain experience. These handbooks serve up the skills to make you a trusted partner in the mountains, provide information to help you interpret your surroundings, and build the foundation to keep yourself (and others) safe.

• Backcountry Avalanche Safety, by Tony Daffern 

• Backcountry Skiing: Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering, by Martin Volken, Scott Schell and Margaret Wheeler 

• Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies, by Linda Kershaw 

• Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, by Ben Gadd 

• Medicine for Mountaineering: And Other Wilderness Activities, by James A Wilkerson

• Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, by Harley McAllister & Abby McAllister

• Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, by Bruce Temprer 

• Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete, by Steve House and Scott Johnston

  CHILDREN’S BOOKS

When it comes to both reading and the outdoors, it’s never too early to start. These children’s books will sow the first seeds of intrigue for the mountains, and help develop an early understanding of why they are so special.

• A Berry Berry Good Day, by Laurie Schwartz 

• Canadian Rockies ABC, by Max Elliott 

• Canadian Wildlife Poem, by Max Elliott 

• Discovering Animals – English, French and Cree, by Neepin Auger

• Nupste and Lhotse Go to the Rockies, by Jocey Asnong

• Rocky Mountain 123s, by Jocey Asnong 

• Rocky Mountain ABCs, by Jocey Asnong 

  PHOTOGRAPHY & ART

As we discover the world around us, there are often few words for the magnitude of our appreciation. But the beauty that graces these pages comes close to capturing it. See the world of the Rockies through the lenses and perspectives of artists.

• An Adventurous Woman Abroad, by Michele Lang

• Legacy in Time: Three Generations of Mountain Photography in the Canadian West, by Henry Vaux 

• Mount Robson: Spiral Road of Art, by Jane Lytton Gooch 

• My Mountain Album: Art & Photography of the Canadian Rockies & Columbia Mountains, by Glen Boles

• Summits & Starlight: The Canadian Rockies, by Paul Zizka 

• Tall Tales & Long Lenses, by John Marriott 

• The Canadian Rockies, by Douglas Leighton 

• The Canadian Rockies: Rediscovered, by Paul Zizka

FICTION

Inspired by real-life influences, history and geographical places, fiction books also abound in the Rocky Mountains. Though fictional they allow us to examine truths and see the mountain environment in new ways.

• Raven’s End, by Ben Gadd

• Drowning in Darkness, by Peter Oliva

• The End of the Line, by Stephen Legault

• Icefields, by Thomas Wharton

• Hooker & Brown: A Novel, by Jerry Auld

This article contains affiliate links. By clicking on them and making a purchase, Wildly Supply Co. will receive a small commission. Thank you for helping us keep our creative juices flowing!

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Tera Swanson is a freelance writer and graduate from Mount Royal University’s Journalism undergraduate program. Whether laced into hiking boots or clipped into skis, her favourite way to explore the mountains is on her own two feet. She’s always up for anything that will end in the telling of a good story; be it through photography, from pen to paper, or over a locally brewed amber ale.

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