Golden Larch Valley Day Hike

We can either meet you at our classroom in Canmore or will pick you up at your hotel in Banff, or you can meet us in Lake Louise at the ski resort parking lot.  Our hotel pickups will be between 7:45am-8:30am depending on where you are located.  If meeting our guides in Lake Louise, we will depart the parking lot at 9:30am.  We will aim to start our trek from Moraine Lake at 10:30am. 

The trail begins at the Moraine Lake parking lot, leading us through a forested area with switchbacks as we ascend to the stunning Larch Valley. Along the way, we’ll be treated to breathtaking views of Moraine Lake and the surrounding mountains. The glacial-fed Moraine Lake is famous for its mesmerizing turquoise-blue waters.  After about an hour and a half to two hours of walking, we’ll arrive at Larch Valley just in time for lunch.  After lunch, we’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the scenery and take pictures of this beautiful valley. The snow-capped mountains and golden-yellow larches combine to create one of the most picturesque hiking experiences in the world. The sight of golden larches against the backdrop of the rugged mountains creates a truly picturesque scene, making this hike a favorite among nature enthusiasts and photographers.

At roughly 2pm we will begin our descent back to the shoreline of Moraine Lake where we will bring you back to your original destination.  

Please note: The golden larch season varies from year to year depending on weather conditions, and we cannot guarantee when they will be visible.

Meeting Place and Time

For this trip you have three options for meeting our guides. 

Option 1 – Meet our guides at 7am at our classroom in Canmore AB. Our office is located at 100, 50 Lincoln Park, Canmore. See this map for the location. 

Option 2 – We can pick you up at your hotel in Banff on the route to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.  We will need to know the location and name of your accommodation prior to trip departure. 

Option 3 – We can meet you at the Lake Louise Ski resort parking lot at 9:30am. Meet outside between the Whiskey Jack Lodge and the Lodge of the Ten Peaks. Please ensure that you have your hiking equipment with you. 

At the end of the program, we will drop you off at your original destination between 3:30pm and 5:30pm pending where your departure begins. 

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 1 guide for 12 clients with a minimum of 4 clients. 

Yamnuska is licensed to operate in Banff National Park. 

Getting to Lake Louise and Transportation

Canmore is situated 100km (65miles) west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway. Calgary International Airport is well connected to major cities throughout North America and Europe. Once in Canmore, we will supply all the transport needed for the trip. 

There are shuttle options between Canmore and Banff to the Lake Louise Ski resort that run several times daily. For more information, please contact our office, and we would be happy to assist you. 

Frequent shuttles connect Calgary International Airport and Canmore. Banff Airporter is the best way to get between Calgary Airport and Canmore/Banff. When you book with Yamnuska Mountain Adventures you will receive a 15% discount on Banff Airporter Scheduled Services. 

Park Passes

Please note that this tour takes place in Banff National Park.  For those guests meeting us in Canmore, we include the park entry. Guests who are being picked up in Banff or Lake Louise are required to purchase their own pass.

National Park passes are available both online at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/admission and in-person at National park gates and some information centres.

Accommodations & Meals

Accommodation in Canmore is not included. A variety of accommodation options exist in both Canmore and Banff, including campsites, hostels, all levels of hotels as well as condo-style accommodation with kitchens or suites.  We recommend that you book your own pre- and post-trip accommodation well in advance as all levels of accommodation in the Bow Valley fill quickly. 

Meals are not included, so please ensure you bring enough food and water for a full day in the mountains.

Clothing List

When walking in the mountains, it is important to be able to adjust to the changing conditions. We recommend bringing clothing that can be layered to achieve comfort as you change from periods of activity to periods of rest.  

We recommend bringing: 

• Sunhat – Wide brim or baseball style 
• Jacket – A midweight synthetic jacket 
• Waterproof / Breathable Rain Jacket 
• Hiking Pants – Preferably windproof and quick drying. Blue jeans and cotton pants are not recommended. 
• Footwear – A comfortable pair of shoes that are broken in and have a rubber sole are best suited for this program. Avoid sandals, flip-flops, crocs, and open toed footwear. 
• Water Bottle – Anything from a half liter to one liter is appropriate. 
• Camera  
• Lunch and Snacks

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. Full payment is due at the time of booking.

We understand that sometimes plans may change, or unavoidable situations arise, that necessitate having to cancel or change a trip plan. However, please understand that once your trip is booked, we reserve your space and assign staff and resources to ensure your trip runs smoothly. These costs are not recoverable at the last minute.

Should you need to cancel your trip, the following cancellation policy applies:

For groups up to 7: Reservations are fully refundable, or changeable, up to 48 hours prior to trip departure.  Within the final 48 hours, any changes or cancellations, or no-shows on the trip date, are non-refundable.

For groups of 8 or more: Reservations are fully refundable, or changeable, up to 7 days prior to trip departure.  Within the final 7 days, any changes or cancellations, or no-shows on the trip date, are non-refundable.

Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the trip. Click here for a waiver copy.

The Simpson Group offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical, and Personal Effect Loss for both Canadian and International Travelers. Other providers offer similar services and we encourage you to select an appropriate level of coverage. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Insurance Risk 
One of the ways to mitigate risk is by purchasing appropriate insurance. Simpson Group Insurance Services who are travel & health risk specialists, work with technical and high-risk insurance solutions both in medical and non-medical spheres.  We highly recommend that you review your insurance needs to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Simpson Group have a team standing by to answer any of your questions.

Emergency Medical Evacuation
While there is typically no charge for search & rescue in the National and Provincial Parks for active pass holders, costs such as air & ground ambulance after the rescue are not covered by your park pass. The chance of a large bill associated with this risk is a real possibility.

For Canadians
A common myth is that healthcare across provinces is fully covered. There are many things which do not carry interprovincial agreements. Ambulance services, medical evacuation, and some services which one province charges more than another you’d be responsible to pay the difference.

For Internationals
A common myth is that healthcare in Canada is free. Although it is less expensive than US healthcare, charges for non-residents can still be very high. Proper medical health insurance is essential if you were to get injured. Most coverages exclude rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, backcountry skiing and the like. Simpson Group can make sure all those risks are well covered.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons, business, family, flight delays, injuries, and other unplanned events.  For these eventualities, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment. We can assure you that circumstances do arise that prevent guests from participating in trips or courses and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is a relatively easy way to manage your level of risk of unforeseen events.

For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend Simpson Group Insurance Services.  For more information and to purchase a plan, visit Simpson Group’s website.