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Mount Assiniboine Backpack
Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park
From Mount Assiniboine, 'Matterhorn of the Rockies', vast alpine meadows stretch far to the
north interspersed with forested valleys and rocky peaks. It's a world-famous hiking area which we look forward to sharing with you!
This hike is designed specifically for
hikers and backpackers who want to avoid more difficult itineraries whilst still preserving a true back country experience. We start with a day and a half in the core area around the base of Mount Assiniboine before heading out on a three-day backpack trip to Sunshine Meadows.
From
the vast park-like Assiniboine Meadows we drop into the eerie
rockscape of the aptly named "Valley of the Rocks". The next day we
climb to Citadel Pass back to beautiful meadows which will lead us the
next day to the trip's conclusion at Sunshine.
Join us in July and August when the alpine wildflowers are in full bloom or in September when the
fall begins by tinting meadows and larches yellow and red in
summer's final explosion of color!
If great scenery, healthy exercise and good company sound like a great holiday then come and join us for an unforgettable mountain experience.
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2008 Dates
June 29 - July
3,
July 20 - 24 with
Kevin Blades
August 15 - 19, guide yet to be announced.
September 1 - 5 with
Alison Cardinal
Cost
$1245.00 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 $66.
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 8.30am the
morning 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 8.00 and 8.20am.
Please ensure that you have your hiking equipment with you.
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Program Itinerary
Day 1: Fly
to Mount Assiniboine
At 8.30am 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
before packing and heading to the helipad for 12.30pm.
Twenty eight kilometers and a twelve minute helicopter flight leaves
us a world away in a land of lush meadows, turquoise lakes, snow
covered glaciers and rocky peaks. We fly from Spray Lakes in Kananaskis Country
(50km south of Canmore), to British Columbia's Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park,
landing right beside the historic Lodge. We will be based at the Lake
Magog camping area which is 2km away. Once we have set up our tents we
are free to go for a walk to nearby Sunburst and Cerulean Lakes. Their
names give testament to their beauty.
 Day
2: Day hike in the Assiniboine area
There are many options ... the meadows and views are gorgeous. An enjoyable day which allows us to gradually acclimatize to the altitude and get used to hiking.
We can finish off with tea and cake at the Lodge.
Day 3: Magog to
Porcupine
Now the backpacking begins and we embark upon the most scenic hiking route out of Assiniboine, that to Sunshine Meadows via Citadel Pass. Today we head south across the meadows to Og Lake
from where the trail descends among the eerie formations of the Valley of the Rocks.
Dropping further we enter the Golden Valley to reach our campsite below Citadel Pass
for a welcome cup of tea.
Distance 16km, total elevation gain 250m, total elevation loss
565m, mostly level or downhill but with occasional small hills) .
Day 4: Porcupine to Howard Douglas Lake
A steady climb of 430m brings us to the summit of the Pass at
2360m. Hiking upwards we may be distracted by bighorn sheep at a
"mineral lick" not 200m from the trail or by the profusion of
wildflowers in the slide paths. Half way to the Pass we emerge back
into the meadows and stop above an alpine lake for a break. The Pass
comes soon after and we can see far across the meadows to Sunshine,
tomorrow's destination. Behind us rises Assiniboine, still dominating the skyline. Once over the Pass we
continue for another 3.5km to our campsite which is nestled in the
trees by Howard
Douglas Lake. Energy to spare, then a hike up Quartz Hill for views in
all directions will finish the day off nicely. Distance 7.5km, total elevation
gain 500m.
Day 5: The last leg of our journey takes us 6km across the
famous Sunshine Meadows to the Sunshine ski area an optional side
trip to Rock Isle Lake. It's all downhill from here with a shuttle bus to the valley floor where
transport to Canmore awaits. This allows us to finish up in Canmore by
3pm. After hot showers and a rest we can head out to celebrate our adventure at one of the excellent local restaurants.
Distance 6km, total elevation gain 250m, total elevation loss 400m.
Rock Isle Lake near Sunshine .. photo Mark Totten
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How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?
This
trip is rated moderate. Backpack weights are moderate,
on the 1st day the group will be carrying the heaviest loads, food and
gear for the entire trip but only for 2km of flat trail.
Day 2 will require daypacks only. On the backpack portion (last 3
days) 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 14kg (32lbs) on the 1st
backpacking day,
thereafter weights drop. Please read our
Travelling Light & Making Backpacking More Fun
for information and suggestions on clothing and equipment.
Prior hiking experience is
not a prerequisite but is recommended. Participants must be in good physical
condition and able to carry a backpack over hilly terrain for
three days.
The trails are generally
good. We will hike a regular and steady
pace that conserves energy but you must be in as good
as possible hiking shape before you come. 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 Adventure 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 1 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.
Camping at Howard Douglas, Mount Assiniboine Backpack
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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. |
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Fishing
Sunburst, Cerulean and Magog Lakes fish well for rainbow trout.
Participants are welcome to bring lightweight fishing gear. BC licenses are required
and can be purchased from
Assiniboine Lodge. Fishing regulations apply.
Insurance
In the National Parks there is no charge for rescue, in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park however you may have to pay for evacuation should you hurt yourself or fall ill (not astronomically expensive). 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 $458CDN
(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
medical cancellation insurance for an extra non-refundable $66, 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.
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Please don't hesitate to contact us if you need to know anything else about this hike.
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