We collaborate with experienced athletes, coaches, guides and creatives to bring you clinics that will improve your skills, challenge your thinking, and change the way that you connect to the mountains.
Running Clinics.
Please get in touch with us if you are unsure if one of our clinics is a good fit for you and we will be happy to recommend the best option based on your goals and experience. While most of our introductory clinics are designed to accommodate everyone, some may be better suited to beginners.
Don’t see the clinic that you are looking for here? We are able to create custom programming based on you or your groups’ interests. We always welcome opportunities for collaboration with the ultimate goal of helping more people safely experience our backyard.
We aim to keep clinic pricing accessible. If cost is a barrier, or if you’re in a position to support someone else’s spot, please get in touch. We’ll do our best to help.
What goes up must come down (and up and down and up and down). This clinic focuses on the technical and physical skills that make climbing smoother and descending more controlled. Led by accomplished mountain athlete Emma-Cook Clarke and Front Ranges Guide Adam Mertens, this session will explore:
Efficient uphill movement, pacing, and breathing
When (and how) to power hike versus run
Downhill foot placement, body position, and line choice
Managing fatigue and fear on technical descents
Adapting technique to terrain, conditions, and distance
We will use repeated sections of trail to allow for focused practice, feedback, and refinement. This clinic is suitable for any runner looking to refine their uphill and downhill skills.
Clinic details:
Date: April 11, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Canmore, AB (exact location TBD)
Price: $30 per person
Distance: 8 KM and 500 M (approximate)
Navigation for trail runners is about more than knowing where you are in a given moment. It’s about having a high level understanding of where you’re going, listening to what the terrain is telling you, and how to make good decisions and adapt when conditions change.
This clinic will cover:
Reading topographic maps with a runner’s eye
Understanding terrain, contours, and landmarks
Using GPS watches and phone apps effectively
Common navigation mistake trail runners make
What to do when you’re unsure, off-route, or low on daylight
This session combines short instructional segments with on-trail applications, reinforcing skills through real-world application. Expect a healthy amount of bushwhacking as we seek to intentionally get ourselves “lost.” Ideal for trail runners stepping into longer runs, new areas, or mountain terrain.
Clinic details:
Date: April 12, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Kananaskis, AB (exact location TBD)
Price: $30 per person
Distance: 8 KM and 500 M (approximate)
Hiking Courses.
The Outdoor Council of Canada (OCC) Field Leader Training is a nationally recognized outdoor leadership certification for people who work or volunteer in outdoor programs.
This course focuses on the roles and responsibilities of an outdoor leader operating in low-risk environments. You’ll learn how to create participant-centred experiences, manage both physical and emotional risk, and make sound decisions that support high-quality programming.
You’ll develop practical tools for planning, communication, collaboration, and supervision — all aimed at delivering safe, meaningful, and inclusive outdoor experiences.
What you’ll learn:
Core roles and responsibilities of an outdoor field leader
Principles of high-quality, low-risk outdoor programming
How to balance physical safety with emotional safety
Participant-centred leadership and inclusive decision-making
Planning tools that support quality, safety, and learning
Reflective practices that improve leadership over time
Who it’s for:
This training is for aspiring or current outdoor leaders, educators, guides, and volunteers working in low-risk terrain who want to strengthen their leadership and group management skills.
Course details:
Date: April 25-26, 2026 | 8:30 AM - 4 PM
Location: Canmore, AB (exact location TBD)
Price: $230 per person
This is a two day course. The first day will be primarily classroom-based and the second is entirely field-based. Course fee includes a one-year membership to the OCC.
Meet Your Instructors
Adam Mertens | Founder + Lead Guide
Adam is a Canmore-based hiking guide, teacher, and mountain athlete. A lifelong runner, his passion for trail running truly took shape after moving to the Bow Valley in 2017. He quickly discovered that running offered one of the most rewarding ways to experience the grandeur of the Rockies. In a matter of a few hours, it allowed him to reach peaks and see places that would normally take entire days.
Since making the move to Canmore, Adam has found his greatest joy in sharing experiences in the mountains with others. The vibrant local running community continues to inspire him through stories, motivations, and the friendships that it fosters. Guiding people’s first experiences in the Rockies with The Howl Experience, Outward Bound Canada, and SkiUphill has been one of the most meaningful parts of his work.
Adam has been an ACMG Hiking Guide since 2018. He is also a certified Elementary Teacher and ambassador with Arc’teryx Alberta, combining education, mentorship, and adventure in all that he does.
Nikos Schwelm | Fast Light Photography
Nikos is a professional photographer, currently based out of Canmore, AB, on the edge of the Canadian Rockies. He thrives on moving quickly through the mountains with a camera, capturing authentic stories showcasing his friends and fellow mountain athletes. The perfect day would start with waking up well before dawn, packing up a bag of gear, then heading off on an all-day exploration with a few good friends, capturing candid shots as we go.
Nikos has found his life-long passion in the world of mountain sports photography. Trail running, Ski-touring, Mountaineering, and Backpacking have all captured the attention of his lens. He especially loves to explore the boundaries between various mountain sports, and tell the stories of those athletes who choose to find their own ways through the mountains, blurring the lines between those traditional mountain activities.
Nikos's approach to photography is taken directly from the activities that he loves to capture. Less is more. Speed is safety. Plan obsessively, adjust when necessary. Enjoy every moment.