Day Hiking in the Canadian Rockies July 20

Day Hiking in the Canadian Rockies

July 20 - 30, 2023

Trip #2333

Photo credit: Larry Yetter

Trip Overview

We are glad that you are interested in this exciting trip! Please read the information carefully, and then

[email protected] , or John English, 508.944.6650, en[email protected]om.

The National Geographic rates the Canadian Rockies one of the ten “must see” wilderness destinations

in the world. Towering snow-capped peaks, huge glaciers, serene glacial lakes, dramatic waterfalls,

flowering alpine meadows provide breathtaking views and memorable experiences each day.

We will fly into Calgary, Alberta, Canada to rent cars and begin our journey. We will spend our first night

at a motel in Calgary and our first day hiking to Lake Annette. After the hike we will drive to the Hi-Lake

Louise Alpine Center where we will spend the next eight nights. Each day we will hike trails with

panoramic vistas that will have a startling impact. They are hikes that you would be eager to do again.

Most hikes will be in Banff National Park, one will be in Yoho National Park and one in Jasper National

Park. We will spend our last night in Calgary at a motel near the airport and enjoy a farewell dinner

before departing for home.

Location of Banff National Park. Map credit: banffnationalpark.com.

Trip Difficulty

This is a moderate / vigorous (4 / 5) hike geared towards the outdoors adventurer and experienced

hiker. You must be able to hike up to 13 miles per day at a moderate pace with elevation gains between

1,500 feet and 3,400 feet, while carrying enough equipment to keep you safe in the event of bad

weather or injury. To see more about the rating system, click on this link: AMC Trip Rating System:

Ratings

Photo credit: Ursula Anders

Daily Itinerary

Following is the daily itinerary which we plan to follow. Note that the hikes may be changed, or days

swapped, to take advantage of the best weather. (mi. = round trip mileage, ft. = feet of elevation gain).

On the full days of hiking, the hiking time per day will average in the 6 to 8 hours timeframe counting

breaks, lunch and photography stops.

Day 1, THUR 7/20:

Fly to Calgary, Alberta where we will rent cars, shop for lunch supplies, have dinner and spend the night.

Day 2, FRI 7/21:

We’ll begin our hiking by going to Lake Annette (8.7 mi., 820 ft.). While the lake is beautiful, it is the

views of Mt. Temple’s sheer 4,000 foot north face, which are the most impressive and the main

attraction. The hiking trail conditions vary from packed paths through larch and fir forests, to rocky

grassy slopes, and a steep ascent on a boot beaten route on a talus slope.

Day 3, SAT 7/22:

Hiking to Helen Lake, the packed dirt trail passes through a spruce and alpine fir forest before emerging

into a sub-alpine zone where we can see meadowland beauty and distant scenery. After a break at the

lake, we can continue to a high ridge with improved views. The ridge crest trail here is rocky but well-

defined. On a 2014 trip, this area was populated by many friendly marmots and in 2016, the group

encountered a grizzly. (8.3 mi. 2,300 ft.).

Day 4, SUN 7/23:

We will drive north on the beautiful Icefields Parkway, stopping at some scenic outlooks along the way.

Then we will do two short hikes: (1) to the saddle on Parker Ridge (2.5 mi. 892 ft), accessed via a broad

trail through open forest, which then switchbacks through heather to an open tundra, and a final steep

climb; and (2) to Wilcox Pass (5 mi. 1,100 ft.), reached by a trail that steeply ascends through a 400-year-

old forest of pine and spruce, then maintains an effortless grade through the pass. Few hikes anywhere

are as instantly and extravagantly gratifying as these are. The views of the Columbia Icefield are

amazing.

Day 5, MON 7/24:

We'll want to get an early start to avoid the crowds for this very popular hike which starts at beautiful

Moraine Lake and goes through the Valley of the Ten Peaks to the eye-popping views from Sentinel Pass

(9.2 mi. 2,381 ft.). Hiking begins on a wide, well-maintained trail that runs through a forest, ascends to

alpine meadows with an easy grade, then reaches the Pass via sweeping switchbacks. On our return, we

will take a side trail for about a mile for close up views of the spectacular, and rightly famous, Valley of

the Ten Peaks.

Day 6, TUE 7/25:

Today we will climb the spectacular 9,000 ft. Fairview Mt. (6.6 mi. 3,328 ft.) on the highest-elevation

hiking trail in the Canadian Rockies. Hiking is steep the entire way to Fairview. Along the way, we will go

through Saddleback, a meadow-like pass rich with wildflowers and a destination in its own right. After

the Pass, the trail plunges deeply into a valley, then steeply switchbacks up to the summit, where you

can enjoy a spectacular view of the iconic Lake Louise.

Day 7, WED 7/26:

We will do a 3.4 mile walk through world-famous Johnston Canyon in the morning. Trail highlights

include crossing steel catwalks that are bolted to the rock walls, as well as an easy paved path past

cascades to a waterfall. After the hike, we drive into beautiful Banff for some sightseeing, food and/or

souvenir shopping and dinner.

Day 8, THUR 7/27:

In Yoho National Park, our hike starts at the awesome Takakkaw Falls, possibly the highest waterfall in

Canada. After admiring the Falls, we head to the Iceline Highpoint (10.5 mi. 2,265 ft.) This is a steep hike

on trails that traverse rocky slopes and a rugged glacial moraine, but the postcard-worthy scenery makes

the trip more than worthwhile. Views of Emerald Glacier and the west face of the Vice President are

dazzling highlights.

Photo credit: Ursula Anders

Day 9, FRI 7/28:

We will hike along Mosquito Creek to one of the finest wildflower meadows in Banff National Park at

Molar Pass. A rocky, rooty and at times muddy, mucky trail ascends towards the Pass, drying and

steepening as you complete the ascent up to the grassy, rocky headwall. The Pass offers an excellent

view of the twin-peaked Molar Mountain as well as the glacier-crested summits of Mount Hector. (12.6

mi. 1,775 ft.).

Day 10, SAT 7/29:

Today's hike from Chateau Lake Louise through the Plain of the Six Glaciers (8.6 mi. 1,522 ft.) is probably

the most famous and popular hike in the Canadian Rockies. We'll get up early for this, so we can enjoy

the dazzling beauty of this colossal amphitheater and get to the teahouse before things get too

crowded. Hiking is easy on a paved path to Lake Louise and around the lakeshore. There is a gentle

ascent to glacial rubble, some switchbacks, and the trail ends on a steep talus slope worth climbing only

for the spectacular viewpoint. After the hike, we will drive to Calgary for our Farewell Dinner and to

spend the night before our departure for home.

Day 11, SUN 7/30:

Fly Home.

Accommodations, Meals and Transportation

We will spend the first night in Calgary at a hotel near the airport. We will then drive to Banff National

Park where we will spend eight nights in a hostel in Lake Louise. We will return for our final night in the

Calgary airport area.

Hi Lake Louise Alpine Center is a modern hostel with in-room sinks and toilets, showers just outside the

room entrance, 4 people per roomy five-bed rooms, a pleasant dining room, a spacious, sunny deck, a

large, peaceful library and a complete kitchen.

Photo credit: hihostels.ca website

Dinners will be at local restaurants. Breakfast in Calgary will be provided by the hotel. While at Lake

Louise, all breakfasts and lunches are the participant’s responsibility. Breakfasts may be purchased at

the cafe in the hostel when time permits. On days when we will have to leave the hostel to start our hike

before the cafe opens, participants may prepare pre-purchased continental breakfast food in the kitchen

of the hostel and eat it in the dining area. All lunches should be “trail lunches,” which may be prepared

in the hostel’s kitchen facilities with pre-purchased food. We will purchase food before we leave Calgary

and then resupply as needed during the trip. There is a food mart in Lake Louise and supermarkets in

Banff.

Some participants will be asked to share in the driving, which requires a check of your driving record.

Please inform the leaders if you are willing to do this.

Summary of Daily Itinerary Table

Weather

The weather in Banff National Park in July is pleasant and nice for hiking. The average highs are in the

mid 60s while the average lows are in the mid 30s at night. While rain is always a possibility, the park

only averages 2 inches of rain for the entire month of July.

Trip Price

The trip cost is $2,400 per person for shared occupancy for AMC members. The cost for Non-members is

$2,500. To join AMC (2020 pricing $50 individual, $75 family) click Join AMC.

The price for this excursion is based on quotes or estimates obtained at the time the trip was planned.

The final price of the trip will be adjusted in accordance with the best final arrangements we can make.

Any savings we achieve, as well as any cost increases we incur will be shared by trip participants. Our

cost estimates are conservative, and so a refund is more likely than a price increase. All Adventure Travel

trips are run on a non-profit basis and refunds, if any, are issued after the trip’s financial accounting is

complete.

In accordance with AMC policy, you are subsidizing the leaders' costs. Beyond this, the leaders are not

allowed to realize any profit from this excursion. The trip price includes an AMC overhead fee to cover

the administrative expenses of offering Adventure Travel excursions. The trip fee also includes

emergency medical and evacuation insurance coverage, which is required by the AMC. It does not

include insurance for travel delay, interruption, or cancellation, or for baggage loss. If these possibilities

concern you, individual travel insurance is recommended.

More information about included emergency medical and evacuation insurance, as well as about

optional and recommended travel insurance, will be provided to participants in their formal acceptance

letters, which will be sent out when the trip has the required number of accepted applicants.

A deposit of $1,000 is due with the application. The balance of $1,400 is due by April 1, 2023.

The trip fee includes:

● ten nights of lodging.

● Dinner for the entire trip, starting with dinner on July 20, 2023, excluding alcoholic beverages.

● Continental breakfast for the two nights spent at a Calgary Hotel (mornings of 7/21 and 7/30).

● Car rental and gas.

● Park Entrance fees.

● Emergency medical & evacuation insurance coverage.

The trip fee does not include:

● Airfare. The trip leaders will advise you and will facilitate group travel, but the purchase of tickets is

the responsibility of the participant. At this time, we estimate that the cost for a round trip ticket

between the US East Coast and Calgary will be in the range of $700 to $1000.

● Breakfasts (except those noted above), lunches, beverages, trail snacks, personal items, optional

activities, & incidental expenses.

● Travel insurance

Participant Expectations

Please see expectations described in the Terms and Conditions document. People wishing to participate

in this trip must have previous hiking experience at the intermediate level or higher. Although the hiking

will be at a moderate pace, this is not a trip for beginners or people who have not hiked during the past

year. This trip is not the right time for getting into shape. You should already be in good physical

condition by the time you arrive in Calgary.

Hiking with a pack, up mountains above 8,000 feet is physically demanding, especially for people who

generally reside at or near sea level. Although the elevations for the most part are not high enough for

contracting altitude sickness, the combination of physical exertion and lower oxygen levels will require

that we pace ourselves and pay close attention to proper nutrition and hydration.

Bears are rarely a problem in the Canadian Rockies, but we will be carrying bear spray and we will

review safe practices for hiking in bear country before we start our hikes.

National Park Rules: We will obey the rules and regulations of the National Parks that we will be

hiking in.

Application Process

We expect a group size of 16 people, including the 2 leaders. This trip is likely to fill quickly. If you are

interested, you should apply as soon as possible. When registration is complete, we will send all

participants the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all those going on the trip. A wait list will be

established when the trip is full.

If you decide that you would like to sign up for this trip, please follow Apply Here to the application and

forms. The application, medical form and waiver are now all included in this simple application. A

reservation deposit of $1,000 per person is due with your application.

Please make your check payable to the Appalachian Mountain Club and mail it to Leslie Carson at

64 Mill Road, East Sandwich, MA 02537.

You will be considered qualified for the trip when the leaders have determined by conversation with you

that you and the trip seem to be a good match. You will be formally accepted when the trip leader

confirms the trip has a sufficient number of participants and it is going as planned.

Cancellation Dates and Amounts

When the trip has been filled and non-refundable deposits are required, participants will be asked to

commit to spending these amounts, with the prospect of not getting these monies back should the trip

be canceled. If a participant cancels from the trip, the participant will be liable for any non-refundable

monies that have already been committed. Once the trip has been declared a go and the final payment

has been made, participants who cancel may be liable for any amount up to the full amount of the trip.

If a person on the waitlist is able to replace someone who cancels, then the person who cancels may be

refunded some or all of the funds they have paid.

Terms, Conditions and General Information

Please carefully read the terms and conditions

Subjects include:

Cancellation Policy

Leaders’ Right to Change Itinerary

Leaders’ Expectations of Participants

Trip Price

Travel Documents

Safety

AMC Activity Rating System

Traveling and COVID

Trip Leadership

Leslie Carson is a four-season hiking/backpacking leader with the

AMC Southeastern Massachusetts Chapter. She completed the

New England 67 4K Footers in 2017 and has led hikes for AMC’s

August Camp in the Pacific Northwest since 2013. She has led AT

trips hiking in the Dolomites, Nepal, Patagonia, Morocco, Utah,

Arizona, Idaho and trekking the Haute Route in Switzerland. Her

personal travels include the Tour du Mont Blanc, Nepal, Ireland,

Peru, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, Belize, Canada, Caribbean

islands, Hawaii and many of our national parks. She is certified in

Wilderness First Aid and CPR. When not hiking, planning trips or

traveling, she enjoys kayaking, cross-country skiing, reading and

gardening.

Leslie can be reached at 508-737-6627 or

[email protected]

John English is a four-season day hike and trip leader for the AMC

NH Chapter. He has completed the NH 48, the NH 48 in winter,

and the NE 67. He is now working his way through the NE 111 and

NE 67 in winter. John has led at AMC August Camp and has taught

at the AMC NH Cardigan Lodge series. He has been hiking in over

40 of the US National Parks and Monuments. John has traveled to

over 20 foreign countries, hiked the Machu Picchu trek in Peru,

and has hiked in the Alpine areas of France, Germany, and

Switzerland. Contact: [email protected], c/ (508) 944-6650.

For questions: Leslie Carson, 508.737.6627, [email protected] , or John English,

508.944.6650, [email protected] .

What to Bring

A gear list will be provided to all participants closer to the dates of travel.