Mount Assiniboine Walking Tour
Walk among flower-speckled meadows and turquoise lakes. Hike up through golden larches and along the ridges above. Take in the views from a sun-baked summit!
Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famous for its meadows and easy hiking peaks which lie below the Matterhorn-like summit that towers above.
This relaxed hiking program is for those interested in experiencing four days of walking in this beautiful sub-alpine region. There are not many areas where it is possible to do this and yet avoid carrying the heavier backpack usually required to visit such a place.
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CLIMB MOUNT ASSINIBOINE WITH YAMNUSKA!
2008 Dates
July 6 - 9, August 1 - 4, August 24 - 27,
September 7 - 10
Cost
$1345.00 Canadian includes guides,
Mount Assiniboine campground fees, most meals, helicopter shuttle to and from Mt. Assiniboine and local transfers.
Not included: Canmore
accommodation, Gratuities & Goods and Service Tax (GST)*.
Cancellation insurance available for $71.
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.
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* a 50% rebate of the GST is available to
non-residents of Canada.
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Meeting Place and Time
We
will meet you at our Yamnuska Mountain Adventures office at 8.30am 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 8.00 and 8.20am.
Please ensure that you have your hiking equipment with you.
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Program Itinerary
Day 1: Fly
to Mount Assiniboine
At 8.30am 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
before packing and heading to the helipad for 12.30pm.
 Twenty eight kilometers and a twelve minute helicopter flight leaves
us a world away in a land of lush meadows, turquoise lakes, snow
covered glaciers and rocky peaks. We fly from Spray Lakes in Kananaskis Country
(50km south of Canmore), to British Columbia's Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park,
landing right beside the historic Lodge. We will be based at the
nearby Lake Magog campground. After settling in and
taking a bit of a break we can then head out for the remainder of the
day to explore a bit and get a feel for the area, Gog Lake is not far
away and we can sit by the lake and watch the Osprey fishing or the
marmot who is checking us out!
Day 2: Day hike
There are numerous trails and scenic circuits to explore. A good outing is to
hike on past Gog Lake to Wonder Pass (2395m) with the ridge walk to the summit of Wonder Peak an option if we find there's still energy to spare. The mountain scenery is always spectacular and depending on the season there will be wildflowers or flaming Larches to add to an already inspiring view. Then it's back to the
campground for a cup of tea, followed by a hearty meal and a good rest.
Distance 7km. Elevation gain 650m.
Meadow walking, 2007
Day
3: Day hike
Today we will head off in a different direction - Either Sunburst,
Cerulean and Elizabeth Lakes, Chuck's Ridge and the Nub (14km, 545m)
or to Og Pass and Windy Ridge (17km, 500m) . From high alpine meadows to rocky ridges, to crystal clear lakes and deeply shadowed forests, it's all here for us to explore!
Day
4: Our last day in paradise!
We still have some time for a last walk before we fly home in the
afternoon, wandering the meadows for the last time we head back
reluctantly for the flight back to Mount Shark. We should be back in Canmore by mid-afternoon.
Join the guides for an evening in one of the local restaurants to cap off a rewarding and enjoyable
trip.
Hiking
to the Nub, Assiniboine behind
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How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?
This a relaxed walking program and the daily itinerary will be chosen based on the groups energy and aspirations. There is NO technical mountaineering involved in the ridge walking or easy summit.
We classify it as easy to moderate.
Being in good shape for hill walking will significantly enhance enjoyment. Try to get out and do some walking and general fitness training before you come.
On the 1st day the group will be carrying the heaviest loads, food and
gear for the entire trip but only for 2km of flat trail. You will be carrying a day pack containing spare clothing, your camera, lunch and something to drink each day.
Visit our Trip Difficulty Comparison Chart.
Camping at Mount Assiniboine
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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.
Walking group on Nub Peak, Mount Assiniboine
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Accommodation and Meals
At Assiniboine we will be staying at the Lake Magog
campground.
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 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 to which we can add a
variety of fresh items (we do have to keep baggage weights down for
the flight in). 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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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.
Our ride to Mount Assiniboine
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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.
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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. |
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Fishing
Sunburst, Cerulean and Magog Lakes fish well for rainbow trout.
Participants are welcome to bring lightweight fishing gear. BC licenses are required
and can be purchased from
Assiniboine Lodge. Fishing regulations apply.
Insurance
In Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park 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 $495CDN
(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
medical cancellation insurance for an extra non-refundable $71, 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!
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