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The Banff Sawback Traverse
Classic Front Range Hiking
The more we hike in the Rockies the more
special places we discover! Join us this summer for our inaugural
Banff-Sawback Traverse during which we travel to lakes and passes in
the Front Ranges of Banff National Park. From spectacular Johnson
Canyon we head north to Lake Louise via Pulsatilla Pass and Baker
Creek with a visit to high and wild Badger Pass.
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2008 Dates
August 29 - September 2 with
David Begg
September 17 - 21,
guide yet to be announced.
Cost
$945.00 Canadian includes guides,
out-trip meals, Park 'Wilderness Pass',
group camping gear and local transfers.
Not included: Canmore
accommodation, Gratuities, & 5% Goods and Service Tax (GST)*.
Cancellation insurance available for $50.
Optional pre and post trip
accommodation
packages are available from $80 per person per night for
shared room lodging ($160 for single occupancy). Purchase
with booking. Subject to availability.
* a 50% rebate of the GST is available to
non-residents of Canada.
Currency Exchange Calculator
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Meeting Place and Time
We
will meet you at our Yamnuska Mountain Adventures office at 7.30pm the
evening of Day 1.
Our office is located at 200, 50 Lincoln Park, Canmore. See this map
for location.
For
your greater convenience we offer a pre-meeting shuttle service within
Canmore. Please let us know in advance where you will be staying if
needing this service. Pickup will occur between 7.00 and 7.20pm.
Please ensure that you have your hiking equipment with you.
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Program Itinerary
Day 1:
At 7.30pm we meet at the
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures office in Canmore. We'll go over the trip with you and check to see that you are properly outfitted.
Day 2: Johnston Canyon to Luellen Lake
We will pick you up after breakfast, deal with last minute gear issues
and food packing then drive to the trailhead (45 minutes). We
start on one of the most beautiful canyon trails in the Rockies, Johnston
Canyon. The creek has worn an impressive canyon deep into the limestone. A steel
walkway will take us across cliffs, over deep pools and beside impressive
waterfalls before we leave the canyon to reach the upper valley at the Ink Pots.
After pausing for lunch we continue up the valley leaving the tourists and
manicured trails far behind. We hike through forests of spruce and lodgepole pine
with
the occasional open meadow before finally coming to our campsite by the
tranquil waters of Luellen Lake.
Distance: 17.1 km, Total elevation gain: 545 meters.
Descending from Pulsatilla Pass
Day 3:
Luellen Lake to Badger Pass
After a while the forest opens out and we emerge onto continuous
meadows which dominate the upper valley. Just after the Badger
Pass Junction we set up camp then head off later in the morning for a
side trip to Badger Pass. At 2545m the pass is very high indeed,
reached via open meadows and talus slopes and surrounded by a sea of
tilting limestone peaks it is a wild and wonderful place. Content with
the view we then retrace our steps to our camp.
Distance: 16 km, total elevation gain: 745 meters, elevation loss:
595 meters. Day 4:
Badger Pass Junction to Baker Lake
Yet more superlative hiking as we hike through open meadows
and larch stands towards Pulsatilla Pass which we reach
mid-morning. On the pass at 2345m, Johnston Creek stretches
far behind and ahead we see the mountains surrounding Baker
Lake, our objective. The meadows continue and we pass by Pulsatilla Lake with perhaps a solitary loon gracing its
alpine waters. The trail down into the
forest of Wildflower Creek is rough and steep until
we reach the .junction with Baker Creek and the final leg up
to Baker Lake. Distance: 16.4 km. Total elevation gain: 695 meters, elevation loss:
545 meters
Day 5:
Baker Lake to Lake Louise
Baker Lake with its meadow setting is an amazing place.
On this, our final day we will have some time for exploration before
heading past Ptarmigan Lake over Boulder Pass and down to Lake Louise
to return to Canmore! Distance 11 km.
Elevation gain 100 meters, loss 525
meters.
Hiking
past Ptarmigan Lake expecting rain!
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How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?
This
trip is rated moderate to challenging due to three consecutive 16km days plus the rough nature of some of the trail. Because we are
only carrying food for three nights, backpack weights are moderate.
Participants will be carrying personal clothing and gear plus a fair
share of food and group gear (tents, stoves, etc.). By keeping personal
gear light, pack weights need not exceed 16kg (35lbs). Please read our
Travelling Light & Making Backpacking More Fun
for information and suggestions for clothing and equipment.
Prior hiking experience is
not a prerequisite but is recommended. Participants must be in good physical
condition able to carry a backpack over hilly terrain for a succession
of longish days.
The trails
range from exceptionally good in the first few kilometers to quite
rough. We will hike a regular and steady
pace that conserves energy but you still must be in reasonably good
hiking shape and comfortable with rough trails. We cannot
emphasize enough that training pays great dividends in enjoyment. We
suggest you train by walking and/or cycling and/or hiking (ideally in
hilly terrain).
Visit our Trip Difficulty Comparison Chart.
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Guides and Group Size
Yamnuska Mountain Adventures' guides are certified through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Our professional guides have extensive experience in the Canadian Rockies. Guides also have advanced wilderness first aid training and heritage interpretation accreditation. Guides carry emergency equipment including
a first aid kit, bear spray and radio.
There will be a maximum of eight guests and a minimum of two.
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Accommodation and Meals
On the trail you
will be staying in modern, lightweight 2- and 1-person weather-proof
tents.
The first and last
night's accommodation in Canmore is NOT included. For your
convenience we can arrange bed
and breakfast hotel rooms for these and other nights at $160
per night. These will be at the recommended
Westridge Country Inn. Double or single occupancy, the cost is the
same. For those wishing to defray this cost we will try to pair them
with other participants. This accommodation can be booked with the trip
online or by calling us. Subject to availability.
You can also make
your own arrangements. Check our
links page for a range
of Canmore accommodations.
Excess luggage can be left at
your hotel or our office.
We supply all meals and trail snacks from
lunch on Day 2 to lunch on Day 5. Groups generally go out for dinner
in Canmore with the guide on the final evening (own cost).
Trail cuisine is constructed from lightweight ingredients including
our Yamnuska custom-made dehydrated dinners. Please specify any special dietary requirements you have on
booking so we can incorporate them into our menus.
In case of more complicated diets a surcharge may apply.
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Getting to Canmore and Transportation
Canmore is situated 100km (65miles) west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway. It is well served by scheduled bus lines both from Calgary (airport and downtown), Banff (20km west) and points further west. Calgary International Airport is well connected to major cities throughout North America and Europe. Once in Canmore we will supply all transport needed for the trip.
Frequent shuttles connect Calgary International Airport and Canmore. Greyhound Bus
Lines (1 800 661 8747) serves Canmore from points east and west along the Trans-Canada
Highway. Call 609 8790, 609 0300, 609 1490 or 609 8505 for taxis in Canmore.
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Clothing and Equipment
We
supply group camping and cooking equipment plus a full emergency and first-aid kit. You will need to bring personal equipment (backpack, sleeping bag, etc.) and clothing. Yamnuska
Mountain Adventures does have rental and
retail equipment such as sleeping bags, mats,
and backpacks.
Rental Gear List. Contact us in advance to reserve.
What you bring will have a big impact on the quality of your experience,
we especially urge you to read our
notes on lightweight
gear and clothing.
Please download the list below and make sure
that you will have the items listed.
Clothing and Equipment List (pdf)
Contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
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Gear and Clothing Sales
Yamnuska Mountain
Adventures now has a range of backpacking equipment
and clothing for sale including recommended light-weight packs, sleeping bags, sleeping mats and
clothing. Clients signed up for a
Yamnuska Program receive 5% off retail items, with
larger discounts available on our package deals.
Details on packing light & recommended items.
Catalogue and purchase information. |
Fishing
Luellen and Baker Lakes fish well for cutthroat and brook trout.
Participants are welcome to bring lightweight fishing gear. National
Park fishing licenses are required (purchase in Canmore).
Fishing regulations apply.
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Insurance
In the National Parks there is no charge for rescue. Ensure that you have adequate travel insurance or that your health plan will cover you whilst here.
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To Book
Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment.
A deposit of $348CDN (including GST) is required at time
of booking. Final payment is due eight weeks before the start of the
trip. To avoid unnecessary cancellation penalties we suggest
you take our cancellation insurance for an extra non-refundable $50, this
can only be purchased at the time of booking.
For detailed Booking Instructions and Conditions, click here.
Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the trip. Click here for waiver copy.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you need to know anything else about this hike!
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