Kluane Backpacking Tour
Dates Price Meeting Place & Time Itinerary Difficulty, Fitness & Prerequisites Guides & Group Size Accommodation & Meals Transportation Clothing & Equipment Booking Information
Kluane National Park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 for it's outstanding representation of Alpine ecosystems and glaciology. This park is home to Mt. Logan, Canada's highest mountain and also boasts the spectacular Kaskawulsh Glacier which is one of our goals for this trip.
2009 Dates
August 21 - 27
Cost
$1240 Canadian includes guides, out-trip meals, Park 'Wilderness Pass', group camping gear and local transfers.
Not included: Flights to the Yukon, Whitehorse accommodation, Gratuities & 5% Goods and Service Tax (GST)*. Cancellation insurance available for $65.
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 at 5:00pm on the evening of Day 1. This pre-trip meeting will take place in one of the area's hotels (TBA).
For your greater convenience we offer a pre-meeting shuttle service within Whitehorse. Please let us know in advance where you will be staying if needing this service. Pickup will occur between 4:30 and 4:50pm.
Please ensure that you have your hiking equipment with you.
Program Itinerary
Day 1: At 5:00pm we meet at the hotel in Whitehorse. We'll go over the trip with you and check to see that you are properly outfitted.
Day 2: Whitehorse - A'ay (Slim's) West Trailhead - Camp at Bullion Creek.
We will pick you up after breakfast, deal with last minute gear issues
and food packing, then head off. Driving west from Whitehorse on the
Alaskan Highway we travel 280km to the A'ay (Slim's) West Trailhead.
We stop by the Tachal Dhal (Sheep Mountain) Visitor Centre near
Kulane lake which is the largest lake in Yukon territory. The trip
starts off from the old mining road. There are a few sections where we may need to
cross small rivers or streams depending on the trail conditions. We will begin to see bits of the Kaskawalsh glaicer which is one of the largest
in the park. Distance travelled: 6 km. Total
elevation gain & loss: +50m / 0m.
Hiking into Bullion Creek on the first day of our Trip
Day 3: Bullion Creek - Canada Creek Campground.
After breakfast, we pack up the camp and head out towards the glacier.
We pass through some nice stands of Pine and Cottonwood trees before
hitting the sand dues, an ecologically sensitive area in the park.
The next section of the trail can be a bit wet and muddy depending on
the conditions, but it is
pretty much flat all the way. Distance 16.5 km. Total elevation gain &
loss: +70m.
Day 4 and Day 5: Day hike from Canada Creek Campground.
- Option 1: Hike up to Observation Mountain. This peak gives us a magnificent view of the A'ay (Slim's) and Kaskawalsh rivers and their valley glaciers. Distance 15km. Total elevation gain & loss: +1200m / -1200m.
- Option 2: Hike on the Kaskawalsh glacier Moraine. To see Kaskawalsh glacier from lower angle. Distance 15km. Total elevation gain & loss: +400m / -400m.
Day 6: Canada Creek Campground - Camp at Bullion Creek.
We hike back to the campsite at Bullion Creek today following our
footprints from Day 3. We may have time to explore a bit of the
Bullion Creek area. Some interesting remains of an old camp and
washed out suspension bridge can give us perspective on previous
expeditions along this trail and the ever changing landscape that is
typical of glacier-fed watersheds. Distance 16.5 km. Total
elevation gain & loss: +0m / -70m.
Day 7: Bullion Creek Camp site - A'ay (Slim's) West Trailhead - Whitehorse
This is the last day of our adventure and we retrace our steps back to
the trailhead where we started 6 days ago. Cameras full of
fantastic glacier panoramas and hopefully some interesting wildlife,
we will have many great stories to share with friends and family when
we get back home! After hiking back to the mining road, we meet our van and drive
back to Whitehorse. Distance 6km. Total elevation gain & loss: +0m /
-50m.
Relaxing at camp after a beautiful day of hiking!
How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?
This trip is rated challenging due to successive longish days (15 - 16.5km). On the first and second days backpack weights are heavier. 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 20kg (44lbs) on the 1st day, thereafter weights drop quickly. 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 longish days.
The trails are generally good with occasional boggy sections. We will hike at a regular and steady pace that conserves energy but you still must be in good 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).
Kaskawalsh Glacier and River Valley
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 and in the Yukon. 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.
Ready for a day out on the trail!
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 Whitehorse 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 Westmark Hotel. 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. 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 Whitehorse 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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One of the local residents |
Getting to Whitehorse and Transportation
Whitehorse International Airport is well connected to major cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver.
Major airlines are Air Canada, and Air North.
Once in Whitehorse we will supply all transport needed for the trip.
The town is only 15 minutes for the airport. Call 609 8790, 609 0300, 609 1490 or 609 8505 for taxis at the airport.
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.
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.
To Book
Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. A deposit of $456 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 $65, 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!
