Kids Can Move Mountains: Hiking Vision Quest Trail With My Kids
- Dan
- Mar 12
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 14
Sometimes the best adventures aren't the ones you plan.
They’re the ones that remind you why you started documenting them in the first place.
Recently our whole family was sick and stuck inside. The kids were watching some of our older camping videos on the TV, and something happened that stuck with me.
They asked to rewind the part where we climbed a mountain.
That moment reminded me exactly why I started making these videos — not just for YouTube, but so my kids can look back at these adventures years from now.
So I pulled that climb out of our longer camping video and turned it into its own story.
The Trail: Vision Quest Ridge
The hike we tackled was Vision Quest Trail, located just west of Nordegg, Alberta.
It’s a relatively short hike, but don’t let the distance fool you.
Trail Stats:
Trail: Vision Quest Ridge Trail
Location: Near Nordegg
Distance: 4.7 km round trip
Elevation Gain: ~698 m
Difficulty: Strenuous
Region: Canadian Rockies
Nearby Landmark: Abraham Lake
What makes this trail unique is the climb.
You gain nearly 700 meters in only about 2 km, which means the trail gets steep — really steep.
There were sections where the camera doesn’t even do it justice. One of the kids looked like they were standing still in the video, but in reality they were sliding backwards on loose rock.
The Reality of Hiking With Kids
This wasn’t a perfectly planned summit attempt.
And that’s okay.
We didn’t make it all the way to the ridge. At a certain point I made the call that it wasn’t worth pushing the kids further.
That’s part of the lesson too.
Adventure with kids isn’t about checking the summit box.
It’s about teaching them:
How to move safely in the mountains
When to push
When to turn around
And that they’re capable of more than they think
And honestly, watching them climb terrain like this proved something to me.
We always tell our kids they can move mountains.
On this hike… they actually did.
What We Learned
A few takeaways from this climb:
1. Footwear matters
The kids were wearing basic running shoes and it showed on the loose rock sections. Next time we’ll definitely be upgrading to proper kids hiking boots with better traction.
2. Steep hikes test confidence
This trail pushes comfort zones quickly — especially for younger hikers.
3. Kids are tougher than we think
They handled terrain that most adults would hesitate on.
The Views Were Worth It
Even without reaching the full ridge, the views from the mountain were incredible.
You get classic Nordegg backcountry scenery:
Rocky ridges
Pine forests
Wide open mountain views
And the best part?
Watching the kids take it all in after the climb.
Trail Location
Here’s where you can find the trail if you want to try it yourself:
Trail info source:https://adventurealberta.ca/vision-quest-hike/
Tip: This trail is best suited for experienced hikers or families comfortable with steep terrain.
Watch The Adventure
Here’s the full climb with the kids.
One Last Thought
This video wasn’t really made for you.
It was made for my kids.
So someday when they’re older they can look back and say:
“Yeah… we climbed that mountain.”
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