A taste of mountain air and western fare.

When snow melts and flowers bloom, Canadians shed their winter clothing and rejoice -- summer has arrived. It's a season we of the Great White North never take for granted.
Snow shovels are traded for garden hoes, boots for sandals and, above all, kitchen stoves for outdoor grills. We love to prepare meals outside on an open flame because food cooked on a grill just tastes better.

To satisfy our obsession for cookouts, also known as barbecues and campfire roasts, are dozens of picnic sites with fire rings and grills at scenic locales all over Banff, Kananaskis and Jasper.

Here in the Canadian Rockies, you can combine a barbecue with a backcountry trail ride. Outfitters offer morning, all day and evening packages that include horseback or wagon rides to wilderness destinations where participants are treated to western fare. There's grilled-to-order Alberta steaks, baked beans and cowboy coffee, plus items not generally associated with wrangler cuisine such as Holiday on Horseback's Caesar salad, fresh vegetables, fruit and cheese, and homemade baking.

The scenic ride to the barbecue site builds a hearty appetite for a fire-kissed meal. But tasty food is only part of the experience. It's also an opportunity for outdoor exploration and camaraderie. When you're surrounded by postcard perfect scenery, all it takes for strangers to become friends is a game of horseshoes, lasso practice and fireside story telling. The beauty of cookouts is that they feed the belly -- and nourish the soul.

Getting There -- Banff's Holiday on Horseback and Rafter Six Ranch Resort east of Canmore offer cookouts at remote sites. Boundary Ranch in Kananaskis barbecues on the patio. In Jasper, Skyline Trail Rides and Pyramid Riding Stable offer box lunches. Lake Louise backcountry teahouses can be accessed by Brewster Lake Louise Stables and Timberline Tours trail rides. Multi-day pack trips elevate cookouts to a whole new level.