Hiking and Yoga
Price Meeting Place & Time Itinerary Sample Hikes Difficulty, Fitness & Prerequisites Your Guide Accommodation & Meals Transportation Clothing & Equipment Insurance Booking Information
Yoga and hiking... what a combination for a transformational weekend in the Rockies! Long time hiking guide and Yoga instructor Kristen Stuart combines her passions to present us with a weekend of Renewal in the Rockies. Practice yoga in breathtaking natural settings and reconnect with yourself and with nature on this yoga and hiking retreat. Surrounded by the majesty and grandeur of the Canadian Rockies you will rejuvenate mind, body and spirit through daily yoga sessions, guided hikes and evening fireside discussions on incorporating health and wellness into your daily life.
2010 Date
September 10 - 12
Cost
$750 CDN
Includes yoga coaching and instruction, guided hiking, 2 nights shared accommodation and meals.
Not included: Gratuities & 5% Goods and Service Tax (GST)*. Cancellation insurance available for $40.
* a 50% rebate of the GST is available to non-residents of Canada.
Meeting Place and Time
We gather at Baker Creek Chalets near Lake Louise at 7pm. Reception staff will direct you to the meeting room when you check in. Map
Program Itinerary
Friday night at Baker Creek Chalets
We begin Friday night with a low key welcome reception and gentle
Ashtanga yoga session to help you settle in and unwind from your
journey.
Enjoying the great outdoors while liberating mind and body!
Saturday
After a restful night's sleep, we start our day with an invigorating
Rise and Shine Flow yoga class to recharge the body and rekindle your
spirit. Following a scrumptious breakfast we will head out on a full
day hike to experience the spectacular scenery and rugged terrain the
Rockies have to offer.
Returning later in the afternoon there will be personal time to do as you wish. Our evening starts with a fresh and wholesome dinner at the Bistro restaurant, renowned for their French and Italian influenced cooking. After dinner we will wind down our day with a restorative yoga practice, easing away any strain or tension in the body and enhancing inner peace and calm. An evening discussion on wellness and active living will be offered.
Sunday
We begin this day with an early meditation before enjoying yet another
excellent breakfast. Fall in the Rockies with golden larch and aspen
decorating the valley walls is arguably the best time of year for
hiking and we can't miss this last opportunity for mountain enjoyment.
Returning earlier in the afternoon we will wrap up our weekend of Renewal in the Rockies with a Vinyasa Flow class
and closing circle before departing
rejuvenated and fresh.
September in Larch Valley
September Hiking
September in the Canadian Rockies is famous for the turning of the larches. Dominating the upper levels of the forest the alpine larches blaze in golden splendour through the middle of the month drawing hikers and photographers from far afield. The weather varies from the brilliant crisp and clear days of an Indian Summer to cool and showery with a touch of snow on the peaks. In either condition the hiking is fabulous and scenery unmatched.
Kristen will choose hikes that show this wonderful area at it's very best. Here are just a couple of possibilities:
Larch Valley and Eiffel Lake. Perhaps the most famous autumn walk in the Rockies and inspiration for generations of artists this hike is located in and not too far from Baker Creek. 12 km walking, 500m elevation gain.
Stanley Glacier, Just over the Continental Divide in Kootenay National Park this hike entails 8 km of walking and a 365m elevation gain. Hike into a beautiful hanging valley above Vermilion Pass. Mt. Stanley and the Stanley Glacier above.
Fall hiking in the Canadian Rockies
How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?
This is an easy to moderate difficulty program. Participants will be carrying a day pack containing spare clothing, camera, lunch and something to drink each day. No previous experience in yoga is necessary. Hikes will be chosen to best suit the group. This program is designed for fit walkers. Any training you can do before you arrive will enhance your experience. No previous mountain hiking experience required.
Accommodation and Meals
Baker Creek Chalets is located on the Bow Valley Parkway just east of Lake Louise in a lovely forested setting. It's restaurant is well known in the area and something of a destination in itself.
The program includes two nights accommodation in shared rooms. We can arrange a single room at an extra cost to you should you prefer.
On arrival Friday night we will be providing a light snack. Meals are provided from breakfast on Saturday to lunch on Sunday. Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements so that we can notify the restaurant in advance.
Your guide and instructor, Kristen Stuart, BA, PTS, MBS, RYT-200
 |
Kristen loves nothing more than sharing the beauty of the Rockies with hiking and trekking clients from around the world. Growing up enjoying the outdoors in northern Alberta, she backpacked her way across several continents before eventually choosing the mountains as her home. She has been working as a hiking guide in the Canadian Rockies for the past 6 years guiding a variety of hiking and interpretive trips in both summer and winter. You are most likely to meet her leading the "Canadian Rockies Walking Tour" and "Glacier Views" walking programs.
Kris has a strong passion for yoga and has combined this with her love for the mountains through her business called "OM Mind-Body Fitness", working as a Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor. By facilitating workshops and retreats, she strives to help people reconnect with themselves and their environment through self-reflection, yoga practice, hiking and meditation. She believes in the importance of balance in all aspects of life. As a wellness professional Kristen takes a mind-body approach that provides her clients with the necessary tools to make positive change in their life as they strive for optimal health and wellness. She encourages her clients to embrace the connection between a positive mind and a healthy body and to interact with their natural surroundings. Kris invites you to join her this fall on a yoga and hiking retreat for a weekend of "Renewal In the Rockies".
In her spare time you will find her pursuing her passions in the mountains for rock, ice and alpine climbing, backcountry skiing, practicing Ashtanga yoga or trekking and exploring mountain ranges around the world. She lives in Canmore with her mountain guide husband, Mike.
Qualifications
- CanFitPro Personal Trainer Specialist
- CanFitPro Mind-Body Fitness Specialist
- Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200)
- Wilderness First Responder First Aid
- CPR Rescuer
- ACMG Certified Hiking Guide
Group Size
The minimum group size will be 6, maximum 10.
Getting to Baker Creek and Transportation
Baker Creek Chalets are situated west of Canmore between and Banff and Lake Louise on the Bow Valley Parkway (see map). 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.
Let us know if you are having any difficulty in arranging transport to Baker Creek. We would be happy to put participants in touch with each other to facilitate carpooling from Calgary.
Clothing and Equipment
Your guide will be carrying a full emergency and first-aid kit. You will need to bring your own daypack and personal clothing. Cotton clothing is NOT recommended as an insulating layer as it causes rapid heat loss when wet.
What to Bring
- YOGA MAT
- HIKING BOOTS: These should be 'broken-in' and have good ankle support and tread. Your boots will make or break your holiday so some time spent getting used to them is time well spent.
- DAYPACK: Large enough to carry extra clothing (rain jacket & pants, sweater, gloves, hat), lunch and snack food, water bottle and camera plus accessories (rental available).
- TREKKING POLES
- SUNGLASSES
- WATER BOTTLE (1 Litre)
- SMALL BLISTER & FIRST AID KIT
- SUN BLOCK & LIP BALM
- INSECT REPELLENT
Hiking Clothing
- Wool or fleece HAT
- SUNHAT
- 3 TO 4 WARM LAYERED TOPS (1.Light weight polypro top. 2. medium or expedition weight polypropylene top. 3. fleece jacket or sweater
- T-SHIRT for warm, dry sunny days
- RAIN JACKET with HOOD (sufficient to withstand a day of rain or snow)
- Light GLOVES or MITTS
- SOCKS, several changes.. We suggest a wool blend for comfort.
- SHORT PANTS can be very comfortable for hiking, they should be quick drying, and preferably not cotton.
- HIKING PANTS (comfortable and quick drying, not cotton)
- RAIN PANTS (sufficient to withstand a day of rain or snow) (Rentals available)
- RUNNING SHOES OR OTHER LIGHT WEIGHT FOOTWEAR (backup in case you get blisters).
- BATHING SUIT - OPTIONAL
Optional Gear
-
CAMERA
Rental Information
We have daypacks and rain gear for rent. Please book in advance.
If you have any questions or need clarification don't hesitate to call or email.
Insurance
Please ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident while here. Obtain extra travel insurance if necessary.
To Book
Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. Full payment is required at time of booking. To avoid unnecessary cancellation penalties we suggest you take our cancellation insurance for an extra non-refundable $40 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.
