#letsomeoneelsedoit

During the time of the Cold War, the threat of nuclear attack was no joke. In an attempt to protect Canada’s most valuable documents, the government decided to build a large bunker in the Rocky Mountains. The idea was for it to be a high-tech, ultra-secure storage facility. At least that;’s what the story says...

The bunker is located in Mt. McGillivary and overlooks Lac des Arcs, just East of Canmore, Alberta. It is a short hike up to the entrance with the trail head location in the same parking lots as the Heart Creek Trail. It is a beautiful, easy-moderate hike. When you come across the entrance to the bunker, it is a little intimidating to think about going inside. It is dark and you have no idea what is in there.

We donned our flashlights and headlamps, trust me, you will want them, and made our way inside. It is not long before you are in complete darkness and the shadows off your lights begin playing tricks on your eyes. Once inside, the bunker comes to a “Y”. If you stick to the right, it simply comes to an abrupt end. If you stick the the left though, it goes back quite a distance and there are large “rooms” off of the main cavern. 

When entering the rooms, be sure to watch your step as remnants of makeshift fire pits litter the ground. Unfortunately, people have vandalized the walls quite a bit and most (not all) of the images are a little unnerving. Nothing like lifting your light to take a picture and you have a spray painted demon face staring back at you. Regardless, it is very interesting to explore and just take in the sheer size of this cave and think about the manpower that had to go into building it.