Yoho Peaks and Waterfalls Hiking Tour
Yoho National Park is a gem of a park
and utterly evocative of all that is best in the Canadian Rockies. It
is located just over the Continental Divide west of Lake Louise. Fed
and formed by the glaciers of the Wapta Icefields the Yoho Valley
gauges deep into the land to meet the Kicking Horse River near the
town of Field. Tucked into a side valley near its head is the Stanley
Mitchell Hut, a perfect base for four days of superlative hiking.
Say "Yoho" (Cree word expressing awe and
wonder) and a waterfall comes to mind. The Yoho Valley is
surrounded by glaciers which feed some of the most spectacular
waterfalls in the Rockies. Our journey will be punctuated by the two
most spectacular, Takakkaw Falls where we begin, and Twin Falls at
the furthest reach of the valley. Between are others, each distracting
us from the trail; Laughing, Angels' Staircase and Point Lace come to
mind.
Peaks surround us, crowding the
valley walls. Old glacial benches, now covered in meadows allow us to
hike just beneath them. From the Hut which sits on the edge of a meadow just below treeline, we have an unobstructed view of two of the largest peaks,
rising just over a kilometre away. Hiking the "Whaleback" and the "Iceline" we will enjoy
two of the most famous alpine walks in the region.
You will be sharing the Hut with
participants on our intermediate-level
"Yoho Peaks"
climbing program, who will be attempting some of the many surrounding
peaks.
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2008 Dates
July 26 - 29, August 8 - 11
Cost
$995.00 Canadian includes guides,
Stanley Mitchell Hut accommodation, out-trip meals, Park fees and local transfers.
Not included: Canmore
accommodation, Gratuities & 5% Goods and Service Tax (GST)*.
Cancellation insurance available for $53.
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.
Currency Exchange Calculator
* 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 9.00am 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 8.30 and 8.50am.
Please ensure that you have your hiking equipment with you.
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Program Itinerary
Day 1: Hike Yoho Valley Trail to Stanley Mitchell Hut
Meet in Canmore at 9:00 am. After checking we have everything, we pack up then drive west
past Lake Louise to Takakkaw Falls which will take just
over an hour.
Takakkaw Falls dominate the trailhead and demand our attention. Once we
have paid our respects, we commence our hike through the forests of the
Yoho Valley. The trail is broad and easy save for one hilly hic-cup until
we reach Laughing Falls, our usual lunch spot. We will have passed by
Angels Staircase and Point Lace Falls early on and have admired the canyon
where the Yoho River, crammed into a narrow ravine cuts deep into the
limestone. Soon we turn west into the the Little Yoho Valley and
it's the Little Yoho River plunging through a narrow gap behind us that is
forcing us to raise our voices over the noise of the falls
(likened to the sound of
laughing by an early explorer) as we lunch.
Stanley Mitchell Hut in Yoho National Park
After our lunch a gradually climbing trail leads up into the hanging
valley of the Little Yoho. After a while the forest begins to open
in places and after crossing several meadows we arrive at the Hut which is
set on the edge of a meadow facing the peaks of the President Range.
Distance: 9.4 km. Total elevation gain: 545 meters.
Day 2: Day hike to Kiwetinok Pass
Our objective today is Kiwetinok Pass which, at an elevation
of 2450m,
will be the highest point of the trip. The upper reaches of the
Little Yoho Valley leading to the Pass
are lovely, with
flower-speckled meadows punctuated by stands of Engelmann
Spruce and Alpine Fir. On this quite steep trail we pass small
waterfalls tumbling off smooth limestone slabs sculpted by
prehistoric seas. The Pass is a place of austere beauty. Talus slopes
from the peaks on either side drop into the dark waters of an alpine
lake. From the Pass the vistas are stunning!
The snowy peaks of the
President Range seem just a stones throw away
while the eastern
skyline is dominated by the Waputik Icefields.
If we get back early we can still opt for a hike
up to the meadows below the Cats Ears and Isolated Peak to get views
of the President Peak and, further to the SE, the peaks of the Lake
Louise area. Distance: 5 km. Total elevation gain and loss
395m.
Peaks of the President
Range above Little Yoho Valley in early the morning light. T.
Valentine photo
Day
3: Day hike to Twin Falls and the Whaleback
This is a classic hiking circuit and our Hut is an ideal place from
which to start. We head initially back down the valley, passing the
trail by which we will return later in the day, to the Marpole Lake
Trail. Cleverly built across boulders and talus inhabited by the odd
marmot, the trail will bring us to the base of the noisy and
spectacular Twin Falls near the historic Chalet. It's all uphill from
here as we work the switchback trail taking us into the base of
Waterfall Valley and the very lip of the Falls. This has to be one of
the most spectacular lunch spots in the Rockies!
There's a price for such magnificent views and it's the continued
switchback climb to reach the crest of the Whaleback Ridge at 2210m.
Once again we are surround by peaks and glaciers on all sides and we
linger to take it all in before beginning the long, winding descent
back into the Little Yoho Valley where we retrace our initial steps of
the day back to the Hut.
Distance: 15.3 km. Total elevation gain and loss 465m.
 Day
4: Return to Takakkaw Falls via the Iceline Trail!
To finish our trip we hike across the famous "Iceline Trail" back to
Takakkaw Falls. We get it easy as we are already close in elevation to
the 2210m high point. A short distance from the hut we climb past
piles of old moraine from which inquisitive Pikas ("rock rabbits")
squeak at us. These cute little animals are responsible for the little
piles of leaves we've seen placed on rocks by the trail. Pikas spend
the summer drying herbs which they then store for sustenance during
the long winters. They pass the winter in burrows beneath the
snow and moraine rock
piles.
Soon
the trail flattens out and we begin to cross the rocky plains recently
vacated by the glaciers we see next to the trail. There are many
viewpoints from which we can admire the views from the Wapta Icefields
to the north, south east to the high peaks of the Lake Louise area and
the glaciers and massive walls immediately to our west. Descending
back into the main valley with Takakkaw Falls coming closer and closer
we complete four grand days of hiking among the waterfalls and peaks
of Yoho National Park! We return to Canmore by late afternoon.
Distance: 10.4 km. Total elevation gain 155m, elevation 700m.
Stepping
stones on the Iceline Trail, Yoho National Park
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How difficult is it? How fit and experienced need you be?
 We
rate this as an easy to moderate difficulty program. The trails
are mostly good with the exception of the Kiwetinok Pass trail which
is rough in places. Daily distances are not too long with the
exception of the Twin Falls circuit at 15km. There is some significant
uphill hiking, especially on days 2 and 3 plus long downhill sections
on days 2, 3 and 4.
Backpack weights are moderate. On Days 1 and 4 you will be
carrying a backpack containing your sleeping bags, personal clothing
and effects plus some food. On Day 1 the group will be assisted by a
porter who will be carrying much of the group food. On Days 2 and 3 you will be carrying a day pack containing spare clothing, your camera, lunch and something to drink.
By keeping personal
gear light, pack weights need not exceed 12kg (26lbs) on Day 1. Please read our
Travelling Light & Making Backpacking More Fun
for information and suggestions on clothing and equipment.
It
is important that you already be in reasonable good shape for hill walking. Try to get out and do some walking and general fitness training before you come.
Visit our Trip Difficulty Comparison Chart.
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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.
Hiking group at Stanley Mitchell Hut
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Accommodation and Meals
The Stanley Mitchell Hut is a mountain hut operated by the Alpine Club
of Canada. It is a rustic log Hut. We sleep in a large communal dorm.
There is no running water so no showers! We can wash in hand basins
using water which we haul from a nearby creek. We cook on propane
stoves and use propane lighting. This is the closest we may get to how
people lived in Canada's north many years ago. The Hut has tons of
ambiance and its living room provides a pleasant place to socialize.
If you do require hot showers and other such creature comforts
we would suggest our Canadian Rockies Walking Tour instead.
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. 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.
Porcupine takes the right of way!
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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.
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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
There are no fishable waters in this area.
Insurance
In the National Parks there is no charge for rescue. 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 $366CDN
(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 $53, 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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