Highwood Circuit
Dates Price Meeting Place & Time Itinerary Difficulty, Fitness & Prerequisites Guides & Group Size Accommodation & Meals Transportation Clothing & Equipment Insurance Booking Information
The Highwood region of the Front Ranges of the Canadian Rockies lies just to the south of Canmore. Small alpine valleys are linked by high passes and ridgelines make spectacular trails. As the summer progresses the area becomes dry and so a perfect time to hike there is in the late spring. Most of the winter snows have melted and wildflowers are found on the forest floor and alpine meadow alike.
We especially recommend this hike to those of you who like to avoid high season travel and who want to explore less beaten trails.
2010 Date
Aug. 29 - September 1
Cost
$855 CDN Includes guides, Park fees, out-trip meals, group camping gear and local transfers.
Not included: Canmore accommodation, Gratuities & 5% Goods and Service Tax (GST)*. Cancellation insurance available for $45.
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.
Meeting Place and Time
We will meet you at our Yamnuska Mountain Adventures office at 8.00am 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 7.40 and 7.50am.
Please ensure that you have your hiking equipment with you.
White Mountain Avens, a spring flower of the Highwood Range. Alf Skrastins photo.
Program Itinerary
|
Hiker on Mist Ridge. |
Day 1:
Picklejar to Cliff Creek
At 8.00am 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.
Once packed we drive for and hour and a half south over the Highwood
Pass to the Picklejar Creek trailhead. The highway itself, which will
have only opened a few days before, is one of the most beautiful
in the Rockies and a must for dedicated sightseers let alone hikers!
We hike up Picklejar Creek (named for the nearby lake with fish so abundant it was like a "picklejar") and over the pass at its head to a great campsite in Cliff Creek. Distance 5km. Elevation gain 515m, loss 50m.
Day 2:
Mist Ridge to Rickert's Creek
Today we are going to enjoy one of the exceptionally fine ridge
walks that typify hiking in the Front Ranges of the Rockies. We follow
the crest of Mist Ridge for 5km during which we'll be able to enjoy
the expansive views of the surrounding peaks and ranges. We then drop
onto Rickert's Pass from where we can to descend to the Sheep Valley
and another lovely campsite. Distance 13km.
Elevation gain 225m, loss 600m.
|
Waterfall in Junction Creek. |
Day 3: Sheep
Valley to Junction Creek
We have a long way to go but easy trails and negligible elevation
gains will make for easy travel as we head down the Sheep Valley past
the huge overhanging cliff face of Gibraltar Mountain. Following a
good route that stays above the south bank of the Sheep River we head
into Junction Creek. We follow the valley to a campsite by a
spectacular waterfall. Distance 17km. Elevation gain 100m,
loss 100m.
Day 4:
Junction Creek to Picklejar Lakes
Or final day takes us high into the alpine zone once more. Climbing
steadily we head up into a wild and beautiful valley. We go right to
the highest meadows, well above treeline, to a narrow pass at 2400m. A
long scree descent drops us down to Picklejar lakes where we rejoin
the regular trail. A further hour an a half of hiking brings us back
to the highway 2km from where we set out four days earlier. We then
return to Canmore. Distance 10km. Elevation gain 600m., loss 650m.
Note: Bad weather can make parts of this itinerary inadvisable. Alternate routes in the region do exist and may be used if conditions dictate a change.
How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?
This trip is rated challenging due to substantial elevation gains over untracked, rocky terrain. Backpack weights are moderate. Participants will be carrying personal clothing and gear plus a fair share of food and group gear (tents, stoves etc) for the entire trip. As food and fuel are used up the backpacks become a little lighter day by day. By keeping personal gear light, pack weights need not exceed 15kg (33lbs). 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 strongly recommended. Participants must be in good physical condition and able to carry a backpack over hilly terrain for a succession of days.
The trails range from easy to minimal to non-existent at some places. In addition we may have to ford some streams. 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).
Lunch break on the Highwood Circuit. Alf Skrastins photo.
Visit our Trip Difficulty Comparison Chart.
Accommodation and Meals
On the trail you will be staying in modern, lightweight 2- and 1-person weather-proof tents.
|
Backcountry Meadow Camp |
Accommodation in Canmore is NOT included. For your convenience we can arrange bed and breakfast hotel rooms 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 4. 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.
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 four.
Getting to Canmore and Transportation
Canmore is situated 100km (65 miles) 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.
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.
Fishing
The fishing opportunities on this trip are very limited and we do not recommend bringing fishing gear.
Insurance
There is no charge for rescue in this area. However you should ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident whilst here. Obtain extra travel insurance if necessary.
To Book
Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. A deposit of $315 CDN (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 $45, 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.
