Canadian Rockies Hiker

Introduction
Alberta Canada

An extraordinary Inn-to-Inn Hiking and Rafting adventure in the Canadian Rockies.

Few areas can match the sheer spectacle of the Canadian Rockies, an alpine wonderland of towering summits laden with glistening glaciers, sapphire lakes and subalpine meadows blanketed with wildflowers.  Our carefully selected routes and creative itinerary feature both this region’s most-renowned sights and the lesser-known treasures that make our trip so special.  Each day highlights a unique facet of this magical paradise, blending the best of Banff, Jasper and Yoho national parks. 

Carrying only a light daypack, you will share alpine meadows with bighorn sheep, experience the best day hikes to be found in three of the Canadian Rockies' premier National Parks, and raft thrilling whitewater. Whether you are a light hiker, a seasoned adventurer, or a family with varied ability levels, our daily hiking options guarantee you a getaway to match your sense of adventure.

Inn Highlights: Our classic Canadian Rockies Hiker features Deer, Emerald Lake, and Num-Ti-Jah Lodges, three of the very best in the area and each with an idyllic setting.

Accomodation

Our classic Canadian Rockies Hiker features the following lodges:

Day 1:     Deer Lodge
Day 2:     Deer Lodge
Day 3:     Moraine Lake Lodge
Day 4:     Cathedral Mountain Lodge       
Day 5:     Cathedral Mountain Lodge

Deer Lodge is located just a five minute walk from Lake Louise itself. Much of the original hand hewn log structure and decor of Deer Lodge are still in place. All rooms have feather comforters and most are furnished with antiques from the era. View spectacular Victoria Glacier as you relax in the rooftop hot tub. Deer Lodge has one of the best dining rooms in the Candian Rockies where you can sample Rocky Mountain cuisine, the roots of which go back to both the lavish Victorian cooking from the CPR rail cars and the hearty meals prepared by Swiss and Austrian Mountain guides. The result of these diverse influences is a combination of smoked, cured or roasted wild game, fresh indigenous berries, wild fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and mixed grains.

Moraine Lake Lodge is a post-and-beam log structure graced with grand windows providing breathtaking vistas of the snow capped mountains and glacier fed lake. Steps from your room, you're treated to the stunning beauty and pristine splendor of the iridescent turquoise-coloured Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks, a sight visitors from all over the world come to see. One of the top gourmet restaurants in Banff National Park, the Walter Wilcox Dining Room at Moraine Lake Lodge offers a unique, elegant menu showcasing the best cuisine from the region. Signature dishes include buffalo carpacchio with roasted pine nuts and deer tenderloin with red currants and juniper berries.

Cathedral Mountain Lodge. The new lodge and authentic log cabins are nestled in the trees at the edge of the glacier fed Kicking Horse River. The cabins are perfectly appointed to create an oasis of luxury. Ponder the serenity of the wilderness while sitting on your private deck. Melt into the down duvet and pillows of your handmade log bed and indulge in a leisurely bath in your soaker tub with Aveda bath amenities. Warm yourself by the wood-burning stone fireplace in the lodge. The restaurant at Cathedral Mountain Lodge enjoys an excellent reputation for innovative presentation and fresh regional cuisine. Consistently chosen as one of the best small restaurants in the country, the menu showcases the best of the Rockies while focusing on the organic and free range inseason ingredients.

Riding

Itinerary

Day 1.  Hiking Banff National Park's Sunshine Meadow, Deer Lodge We assemble in Banff at 8.15am and immediately head west 20 minutes to the heart of the Banff National Park.  Following a bus shuttle to the base of Sunshine ski area, nothing is a more fitting welcome to our week-long alpine adventure than a hike among the alpine lakes and fields of wildflowers in Sunshine Meadows. After leaving the area of the downhill ski runs, we hike a circuit alongside and around Rock Isle, Laryx and Grizzly Lakes. It's then up to the viewing platform on Standish Ridge for 360 degree views of the surrounding peaks and valleys before concluding with a stroll through Twin Cairns Meadow. Mt Assiniboine, "the Matterhorn of the Canadian Rockies" and Banff National Park's highest peak, forms the backdrop of our hike. The highlight of Sunshine Meadows is the wildflowers which, at their peak in July and August, carpet the ground. The species in bloom through the season include moss campion, glacier lily, purple saxifrage, white mountain heather and alpine forget-me-not. Golden eagles fly overhead looking for the many ground squirrels that call this area home, feeding on the smorgasbord of luxuriant vegetation. Sunshine meadows loop hike (7.5 miles; 1000 feet of elevation and gain, then loss) Day 2: Hiking to Saddleback and Fairview Mountain above Lake Louise, Deer Lodge We begin today's short but demanding hike from the steps of our lodge. The trailhead climbs steadily from the Lake Louise boathouse up the lower slopes of Fairview Mountain through a forest of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir before reaching the flower-filled meadow. The meadow provides a pass between Fairview and Saddle Mountains and features a sublime view of the glaciated north face of Mt Temple. For stronger hikers, it's possible to continue to the 9000 foot summit of Fairview for stupendous views of Lake Louise and its surrounding cirque. The trail, barely discernable in places, switchbacks steeply and is quite rocky in places. Saddleback hike (5 miles, 1970 feet of elevation gain / loss) Longer Fairview Mountain option (additional 1 mile, another 1310 feet of elevation gain/loss)

Day 3.  Hiking Valley of the Ten Peaks to Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass, Moraine Lake Lodge Our alpine adventure continues today with a hike from the incredibly turquoise waters of Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks to stunning Larch Valley, a sub-alpine meadow of mosses, wildflowers, and the valley's namesake, soft-needled larch trees. We continue hiking to the top of Sentinel Pass, switchbacking our way to the highest point reached by a maintained trail in the park. Here we look across the Valley of the Ten Peaks at the Wenkchemma Range, dominated by the ice-draped summit of Mount Fay (10675 feet). This hike is rated by many as of the very best in the Canadian Rockies. Following our hike, feel free to paddle a canoe on the lake's calm waters before settling down to a sumptuous gourmet dinner at Moraine Lake Lodge. Moraine Lake to Sentinel Pass (7.5 miles roundtrip, 2,400 feet of elevation gain, then loss) Day 4. Hiking to Helen Lake, Cathedral Mountain Lodge Helen Lake is situated near Dolomite Pass, a region so named for its resemblance to the limestone crags of the Italian Dolomites. This vast alpine environment promises a wonderful day of hiking. You ascend through mountain meadows that, come midsummer, are ablaze with such colourful wildflowers as fleabane, paintbrush and ragwort. You continue hiking through forests and avalanche slopes until you reach the alpine region above the treeline. Your destination, Helen Lake, is nestled in a spectacular natural amphitheatre - the perfect setting in which to take a break and enjoy a well-deserved lunch. The area is a prime hoary marmot habitat, so keep an ear out for their telltale whistles. Energetic hikers may want to try the longer route up to the unnamed ridge above the lake for a panoramic view of the surrounding Banff wilderness - perhaps you'll dome up with a suitable name along the way! After this great hike we journey south to Cathedral Mountain Lodge, our home for the rest of the trip. This beautiful log lodge is set on the banks of the glacier fed Kicking horse river. Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint up to Helen Lake then back down Helen Creek (7.5 miles, 1400 feel elevation gain/loss) Day 5. Hiking Emerald Glacier and Yoho Pass, Cathedral Mountain Lodge The word "Yoho" is a Cree expression of awe and wonder, sentiments that will be affirmed on our hike through Yoho's spectacular glaciated landscape. After breakfast we drive up to see and hear Takakkaw Falls, the fourth highest waterfall in Canada, as it thunders more than 1,000 feet down into the Yoho Valley. We hike through forests of subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce along the remarkable Iceline Trail. One of the Canadian Rockies' classic routes, this aptly named trail takes us up into high alpine country, where we gain some views of the Emerald Glacier and look across the valley at Takakkaw Falls and the Daly Glacier that feeds it. After traversing to Yoho Lake for lunch we hike over Yoho Pass and then down to the shores of renowned Emerald Lake. Bask again in the glory of the beautiful Cathedral Mountain as you enjoy your gourmet dinner and unwind from the day's adventure. Emerald Glacier and Yoho Pass (9.25 miles, 1640 feet of elevation gain, then 2132 feet of loss) Shorter option (7.5 miles, 1640 feet of gain/loss) Day 6. Whitewater Rafting on the Kicking Horse River After breakfast, we head out for a whitewater rafting adventure on the Kicking Horse River, which got its name for a good reason. Paddles in hand, we shoot a series of rapids with colourful names like Man-Eater Hole, The Rollercoaster and the mile-long Portage Shotgun. After lunch, we will return to Banff for our trip's conclusion. Kicking Horse River (Rapids: class III, IV+)

Rates and Dates for Canadian Rockies Hiker

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Banff
Airport: Calgary
Transfer: Banff, Alberta

Climate: