Is it early? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Once the sky starts its morning light, we’ll celebrate with a delicious alpine breakfast at the summit. It’s the ultimate way to peak (literally) before most people have even found their socks.

This brisk hike is short, yet steep and guaranteed to get your heart pounding. But every step is a bribe for the view at the top: first, the pale gold of the sun spilling over the prairies, then the mirror-sheen of Upper Waterton Lake, and finally the townsite below looking like a tiny watercolour painting.

Expect about 30-45 minutes of steady upward hiking on well-worn switchbacks and rocky steps. It’s a quad-burner, but accessible for fit beginners who don’t mind a little incline for a big reward. Along the ridge, we’ll snag a panoramic ledge to watch the morning unfold.

While you soak in the dawn, we’ll serve up steaming coffee or tea, fresh pastries, seasonal fruit, and something savoury to hit the spot. And while you have your mouth full, your guides will share the “inside scoop” on Waterton’s secrets, from interesting facts about geology to tales of early expeditions.