The Rockwall Highline
Kootenay National Park, Canadian Rockies
This sublime backpacking tour encapsulates much of the unique ambiance of the southern Canadian Rockies. Why is this? Perhaps it's
the representative landscapes and the way
they are revealed to us as we crest each pass and enter each valley:
Primeval forests, flower-strewn meadows, turquoise lakes reflecting
rugged peaks and glaciers with the occasional added glimpses of
wildlife.
Walking is never boring in this
wonderland with unbelievable flowers in July and August to be followed
in September by the blazing fall colors of the larches which punctuate
and define the alpine meadows.
With its mostly moderate distances and
opportunities for ridge hiking The Rockwall Highline can be
a great first
time backpacking experience in the Canadian Rockies, not only is there
exquisite scenery but you will also be sharing the trail with
like-minded people from around the globe. However we calculate, it all adds up to an active
and exhilarating mountain holiday!
printer friendly
version
2008 Dates
July 5 - 11,
August 2 - 8 with
Sharon Best &
Alison
Cardinal
Aug. 4 - 10 with
Tamara
Dykshoorn
September 6 - 12, guide yet to be announced.
Cost
$1295.00 Canadian includes guides, Park 'Wilderness Pass',
out-trip meals, group camping gear and local transfers.
Not included: Canmore
accommodation, Gratuities & 5% Goods
and Service Tax (GST)*. Cancellation insurance available for $69.
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.
Currency Exchange Calculator
* a
50% rebate of the GST is available to non-residents of Canada.
return to top
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.
return to top
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: Paint Pots - Helmet Falls
We start from the Paint Pots just off the Radium Highway (75km from
Canmore), a source of red ochre clay, used for body paint by the
indigenous people. Following first Ochre then Helmet Creeks,
a
gradually ascending trail leads us through mature forests of spruce
and fir which open up as we arrive at the campsite to find ourselves a
the base of a spectacular cirque dominated by one of the largest
waterfalls in the Rockies ... 352m Helmet Falls. Looking
carefully we may spot mountain goats grazing the precipitous slopes
that rim the cirque. Distance, 17km. Elevation gain 275m.
Rockwall Highline at Goodsir Pass
Day 3: Day Hike -
Goodsir Pass
Today and for the rest of the trip we are never too far from the lush
sub-alpine meadows that this trail is famous for. With light packs we head the short distance to Goodsir Pass
and its magnificent mountain vistas and rock-garden like meadows. From there we can, if so inclined, climb higher through the larch forests bordering the Pass to walk along the easy mountain ridges above.
Distance 6 - 10km. Elevation gain 430m.
|
Hiking beneath the Rockwall |
Day 4: Helmet Falls -
Tumbling Creek
Get ready for a heady dose of beautiful alpine scenery! Today the trail takes us to the base of Limestone Peak and the northern end of the 'Rockwall', our point of reference for the remainder of the trip. Before us lies a huge area of meadows that follow the Rockwall south. A five minute side trip takes us to Wolverine Pass (2380m), a giant cleft in the Rockwall. From here we
look over the Beaverfoot Valley to the spectacular spires of the Bugaboos some 70 kilometers away to the west (weather permitting). After this we drop a short distance into the head of Tumbling Creek and our camp.
Distance 11.6km. Elevation gain 975m., loss 580m.
Day 5: Tumbling Pass -
Numa Creek
Today is relatively easy involving a scenic climb to Tumbling Pass (2260m)
with the Tumbling Glacier not far to the side. The Pass is a narrow cleft,
the meadows dotted with larches that seem to be designed for our
aesthetic pleasure. Once on the Pass we can use the altitude to engage in some ridge walking
in order to enlarge the already
marvellous vistas. Then it's a long descent into Numa Creek where we camp once more.
Distance 8km. Elevation gain 400m, loss 670m.
Day 6: Numa Creek -
Floe Lake
Our last day with any climbing and what a spectacular climb it is! Today's objective is Floe Lake,
one of the most beautiful spots in the Rockies and a highlight of this
trip. We reach it via Numa Pass (2350m), the highest point on the
trail. We are surrounded by high peaks whilst meadows and forests drop into the valleys below. Amazingly the view gets better as we descend once again, for below us appears Floe Lake, its blue waters speckled with ice that fell from the glacier above. The hard work is behind us now as we settle into
this most spectacular lakeside camp. Distance 9.5km. Elevation gain
825m, loss 430m.
|
Floe Lake from Numa Pass .. Rockwall Highline |
Day 7: Floe Lake -
Radium Highway
In the summer of 2003 the valley below the campsite was burnt out in a large forest fire.
This provides us with the unique opportunity to hike in a forest in its regenerative phase. We descend for 10km through the burnt
forest to the Radium Highway. Up to 3 years ago there was no
view at all from the valley, now we see all the peaks. Closer at
hand we are surrounded by flowering perennials taking advantage of the
extra sunlight. Hiking in this valley we come to understand how fire
is a positive force of regeneration! Transportation is awaiting us at the trailhead and we head
back to Canmore for hot showers
and an evening of reminiscence and celebration! Distance
10.5km. Elevation loss 716m.
return to top
How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?
|
Hiking in the "burn", Day 7 |
This
trip is rated moderate. By using a food drops at Tumbling Creek, 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) on the 1st and
4th days,
thereafter weights drop. 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 and able to carry a backpack over hilly terrain for a succession
of 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.
return to top
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.
return to top
Accommodation and Meals
|
Camp at Floe Lake on the
Rockwall Highline |
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 7. 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.
return to top
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.
return to top
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.
|
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. |
return to top
Fishing
There are no fishing opportunities on this trip.
Insurance
In the National Parks there is no charge for rescue, 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.
return to top
To Book
Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. A deposit of $476CDN
(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 $69, 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.
printer friendly
version
return to top
|
mountain adventures
