MORE INFORMATION
Canadian Rockies Hiking Tour Itinerary
DOWNLOAD THIS ITINERARY (pdf) (2008 Sample Itinerary)
Please note that this is a typical itinerary, and actual activities may vary to take advantage of weather conditions, local events, and to allow serendipity to play a hand in your experience. Accommodations are as outlined in the itinerary, although we reserve the right to change these should the need arise.
DAY 1
Stanley Glacier
Hike – moderate, 3-4 hours, with an approximate elevation gain and loss of 1,000 feet.
Upon meeting our guides in Banff, our exploration of the Canadian Rockies begins with an introduction to the major natural forces that have shaped these mountains. A 1968 forest fire cleared the valley below Stanley Glacier of vegetation, which has slowly recovered over the past 35 years. Here, a switchback trail leads through wildflower meadows, with expansive views of Stanley Glacier hanging at the head of the valley, and the waterfalls that pour over the cliffs at the glacier’s edge. Further along, the vegetation thins and there is the possibility of viewing the wildlife that forage among the scree, including marmot, pika, ptarmigan and mountain goat. We stop for lunch at the trail’s terminus before returning along the same route.
Later this afternoon we arrive at the lodge where we’ll be staying for the next two nights, nestled on the edge of Baker Creek. Tonight before dinner we enjoy a toast to the beginning of our week of adventure.
Baker Creek Chalets, Lake Louise
DAY 2
Lake Louise; Moraine Lake and Valley of the Ten Peaks
Hike – moderate, 4-6 hours, with approximate elevation gain of 1,200 feet.
Early this morning we head for Lake Louise, taking advantage of the twilight and this quiet time of day to take photographs of the famous lake, before making our way to our hiking area for the day, Moraine Lake.
Moraine Lake is seen to its best advantage as we climb into the famous Valley of the Ten Peaks. All ten summits, each over 10,000 feet high, loom over the Wenkchemna Glacier below. Our trail crosses meadows filled with wildflowers, and as we approach Eiffel Lake the most spectacular views down the valley are revealed. We enjoy a picnic lunch in this magnificent mountain environment, and if we are lucky, we will be entertained by snow avalanching from the hanging glaciers in the distance. We return down through this spectacular valley, gaining a second chance to soak in the fabulous views over the Valley of the Ten Peaks.
Baker Creek Chalets, Lake Louise
DAY 3
Bow Summit and Bow Falls
Hike – easy to moderate, 4-6 hours.
Off the Icefields Parkway, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful roads in North America, is the rustic Num-Ti-Jah Lodge on the shores of Bow Lake. This area is known as the favorite place of pioneer and trapper Jimmy Simpson, who spent the late 19th-century exploring the area. Our day’s hike begins here, and our goal is Bow Falls, where glacial meltwater gushes from below the base of Bow Glacier. Our hike brings us through dense forest, across small streams, and ultimately across a glacial moraine. Of course, magnificent mountain views are everywhere. We enjoy a picnic lunch at the falls before returning to Bow Lake.
Later this afternoon we enter Yoho National Park, established in 1886. The word yoho is a Cree Indian expression of astonishment or awe, and the name is fitting as the park is well known for its seemingly endless supply of hiking trails, spectacular waterfalls, and dramatic mountain peaks. Our home for the next two nights is a newly refurbished Rockies lodge, featuring cozy private cabins on the Kicking Horse River at the base of majestic Cathedral Mountain.
Cathedral Mountain Lodge, Yoho National Park
DAY 4
Yoho Pass
Hike – moderate to strenuous, 5-7 hours on hiking trails, with approximate elevation gain of 1,400’ and loss of 1,800’.
Following breakfast, our day begins with a visit to Takakkaw Falls, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Rockies. Takakkaw means “magnificent” in Cree, and the falls certainly are, dropping an estimated 1,200’, making it one of the highest falls in Canada. Be on the lookout for the mountain goats that frequent the surrounding cliffs.
Our hike today takes us over Yoho Pass. Along the way we are afforded views of Takakkaw Falls and Emerald Glacier as we make our way to the brilliant Yoho Lake. The Iceline Trail climbs steadily to the pass, and then descends through the lush vegetation of Emerald Lake’s alluvial fan. Possible wildlife encounters include moose, marmots and golden eagles.
At the end of the day we enjoy cocktails and appetizers by the river, toasting our days of great hikes, before a final celebratory dinner at our lodge.
Cathedral Mountain Lodge, Yoho National Park
DAY 5
Sherbrooke Lake or Paget Lookout and return to Banff
Hike – easy to moderate, 2-3 hours.
After a leisurely morning, we enjoy a final scenic hike at either Sherbrooke Lake or Paget Lookout. By 4 p.m. we arrive back in Banff, in time for you to check in to local hotels or catch an early evening shuttle to Calgary for flights out tomorrow morning.