Day 1 - Riders meet in Banff at 9:30 a.m. and are transported by van to Martin Stables. There they are met by their guides and horses and mount up for the ten mile ride to Banff Sundance Lodge via the glacier-fed waters of the Bow River, Healy and Brewster Creeks.

Day 2 - The adventure continues southward with a ride up to Halfway Lodge. The trail winds along the historic Strom pack trail with the rugged Sundance Range dominating the eastern horizon.

Day 3 - After a good night's rest at Halfway Lodge and a hearty breakfast, it's down to the corral to mount up for the day's ride. Trips may take riders to the headwaters of Brewster Creek or to the breathtaking views enjoyed at the top of Allenby Pass, at an elevation of 8,100 ft.

Day 4 - After a warm good-bye to the cook and Halfway, the trail leads back to Sundance Lodge. This will be home for the next two nights.

Day 5 - The day begins with a hot, ranch-style breakfast, fuel for the ride up Fatigue Creek. At midday, both horse and rider enjoy a restful break in the Fatigue Valley, while the lunch horse is unpacked and coffee is brewed. The lofty heights of the Continental Divide provide spectacular vistas of both Alberta and British Columbia.

Day 6 - The gang gets together for one last day on the trail, a "soft" ten-mile ride from Sundance to Martin Stables, arriving at approximately 4:30 p.m. The adventure has come to a close, but the magic of your holiday will linger on to be relived and shared.

The 4 day trip departs on a Sunday and spends the first night at Sundance Lodge, the second night at Halfway Lodge and returns back to Sundance for the final evening.

The 5 day trip departs on a Monday and spends the first night at Sundance Lodge, the second and third night at Halfway Lodge and returns back to Sundance Lodge for the final evening.
-- Special "Women Only" 5-day trip on Aug 17 to 21, 2009                     
    
       Subject to change

We do have propane lamps at the lodges, but supply is limited to only a couple hours at a time. There are candles out there, but would highly recommend bringing a flashlight. The lodge does provide towels and bedding.

When packing your gear, keep in mind it is being packed out to the lodge on a mule and our animals comfort is very important to us.  By following these guidelines you can help us ensure that.

You must pack your gear in soft-sided, cloth or nylon bag.  It can not have any hard edges, frames or wheels. Your gear is restricted to a Total maximum weight of 30 lbs. It’s a good idea to line the inside of your bag with garbage bags for waterproofing.  Your coat, rain gear, hat and gloves are packed separately from your duffel and are either worn or tied with saddle strings to the back of your saddle. Saddlebags, rain gear and other essentials that you are taking on your horse with you are not included in the 30 lb weight restriction.

EQUIPMENT RENTAL

It's a good idea to reserve ahead if you are interested in renting saddlebags or rain slickers. Saddle bags rent for $2 a day. Rain slickers rent for $7 a day.  You have the option of bringing your own saddle bags.

Please fill them only with essential items that you would need during the day, such as lip balm, your camera, sunscreen, etc.  We reserve the right to limit the amount of gear in the saddlebags for weight.

Fanny packs (a small pack that ties around the waist) also work well.  Daypacks, backpacks or other bags are NOT allowed -- they are hard on your back and hard on the horse’s back, and do not tie properly to the saddle.

We have a limited supply of saddlebags for rent for $2/day; however we suggest you book them early, as last year this was a popular service.

You will be staying at the Sundance Lodge and then at the Half Way Lodge.



Completed in 1991, Sundance Lodge now sits on the original site of the horse corral for Ten-Mile cabin, built by Canadian Pacific Railway back in the 1920's. The cabin itself remains standing and was declared a historical site in 1990. It was used as a refuge for mountain guides and packers traveling to Mount Assiniboine, whose names you can still see carved into the logs.

Sundance Lodge sits alongside a gentle curve on Brewster Creek, with the Sundance mountain range as a backdrop. Built entirely with fir logs, the lodge has 10 sleeping rooms, a large country kitchen, and a cozy living room area where you can curl up by the woodstove and lose yourself in a good book. And although it is a remote backcountry lodge, we decided to add what we felt was an important comfort from home - hot showers! (Please note that, for environmental reasons, showers are restricted to one per stay.)

Surrounded by the beauty of towering peaks, Halfway Lodge has been a welcome haven for over 60 years. Rich in tradition, this cabin was used back in the late 1920's by mountain guide Erling Strom as a stopover for his guests traveling from Banff to Mount Assiniboine. Then a single storied cabin, Strom's wranglers spent the night sleeping in tents while the guests found floor space within. Halfway has remained pretty much as originally built, with the exception of a second story added in 1967 when a bear made an appearance through an unexpected entrance - the roof!

Thanks to the bear, Halfway now sleeps a maximum of fourteen guests. The lifestyle at this rustic backcountry cabin remains much the same as it was 60 years ago - simple. Propane lanterns and candles provide the lighting, and a woodstove keeps the water hot and the cabin warm and cozy.

Note: private sleeping arrangements are possible depending on trip size, but are not guaranteed.  Halfway is equipped with single beds only.

Meals:  Although we can cater to some specialty diets, we do not cater specifically to vegetarian diets.  There are always plenty of meat-free options available. However we do not offer a “vegetarian” main course.  

SHORTER RIDES:

** The 4 day trip departs on a Sunday and spends the first night at Sundance Lodge, the second night at Halfway Lodge and returns back to Sundance for the final evening.

** The 5 day trip departs on a Monday and spends the first night at Sundance Lodge, the second and third night at Halfway Lodge and returns back to Sundance Lodge for the final evening.

You don't need to assist with tacking up the horse, your guide will do everything for you. If you would like to learn, please ask! Tack is western only and the horses are neck reigned. July is generally the busiest month, with the Stampede in Calgary.

Tack:		Western
Horses:		Quarter Horses, Appaloosa's, Paints, and some draft cross
Pace:		Slow, 4-6 hrs per day | Walk | Trot |
Level:		(2 to 2 out of 5)    Good Novice+
Age:		Min 9+
Weight:		Max 250 lb
Riders:		Min 2 riders	Max 14 riders

You don't need to assist with tacking up the horse, your guide will do everything for you. If you would like to learn, please ask! Tack is western only and the horses are neck reigned. July is generally the busiest month, with the Stampede in Calgary.

Passports
Passport valid for at least one day beyond the intended departure date from Canada required by all nationals referred to in the chart except the following:
(a) 1. Canadian citizens holding a Canadian Certificate of Identity, Canadian birth certificate or a certificate of Canadian citizenship;
(b) permanent residents of Canada with proof of status, ie Permanent Resident Card, Record of Landing, Returning Resident Permit or a Refugee Travel Document issued by the government of Canada to refugees who have been resettled in Canada;
(c) 2. citizens of the USA holding proof of citizenship (eg US birth certificate or US naturalisation papers).
Note: As of 23 January 2007 all persons, including US citizens, travelling by air between the USA and Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport or other approved document when entering or re-entering the USA. Similar requirements for those travelling by land or sea will be introduced as early as 1 January 2008. For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.
(d) persons entering from St Pierre & Miquelon or the USA who are legal permanent residents of the USA and hold a US alien registration card (Green Card);
(e) 3. citizens of France who are residents of and entering from St Pierre & Miquelon.
Note: (a) Children under 18 years must have information with them on the people responsible for their welfare, if travelling alone; this includes a letter of permission to travel from guardian(s), and also a letter from the custodian in Canada. (b) Depending on circumstance and nationality, certain applicants may need to undergo a medical examination in order to receive their visas; this must be carried out by a physician on Canada's list of Designated Medical Practitioners.
Passport Note
Visitors to Canada must satisfy an examining officer at the Port of Entry that they are genuine visitors, in good health, with no criminal convictions, and have sufficient funds to maintain themselves during their stay in Canada and to return to their country of origin, as well as evidence of confirmed onward reservations out of Canada. Persons under 18 years of age who are unaccompanied by an adult should bring with them a letter from a parent or guardian giving them permission to travel to Canada.

Identity/travel documents issued to non-national residents of the country of issue, refugees or stateless persons are recognised for travel to Canada.

Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in chart above (visitor or transit) for stays of up to six months except the following:
(a) 4. holders of passports endorsed ‘British Subjects’ and ‘British Protected Persons’;
(b) 5. nationals of Bulgaria and Romania;
(c) those visiting Canada who, during that visit, also visit the USA or St Pierre & Miquelon (a French Overseas Territory) and return directly to Canada as visitors within the period authorised on their initial entry (or any extension thereto).

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the high commission to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Visa Note
The Government of Canada refuses admission to: (a) holders of passports issued by the UK Government entitled 'British Temporary Resident's Passport'.

(a) A single-entry visa is still valid if used to visit the USA. (b) Persons wishing to attend a course of six months duration or less, at any level, do not require a study permit. However, if there is the possibility that you will extend your period of study in Canada, or if you are a full time student and wish to work on campus, you may apply for a study permit.
Types of Visa and Cost
Visitor: C$75 (single-entry); C$150 (multiple-entry). Family: C$400 (for families of six or more persons). Transit: free. Transit visas are necessary for all nationals who require a visitor visa. Although transit visas are not required by British citizens, they may be required by foreign nationals with British passports; check with the embassy or high commission for details. For further information on payment methods, contact the high commission. Prices are subject to frequent change.
Validity
Up to six months depending on circumstances of individual applicant. The determination regarding length of stay in Canada can only be decided by the examining officer at the port of entry, but visas cannot exceed the validity of the passport and cannot be longer than five years. If no actual departure date is indicated within the visitor’s passport, then the visitor will be required to depart within three months from the date of entry. Visitors must effect their departure from Canada on or before the date authorised by the examining officer on arrival. If an extension of stay is desired, an application must be made in writing to the nearest Canada Immigration Centre at least three weeks before the expiry of the visitor visa. Multiple-entry visas cannot be valid longer than passport. Transit visas are only allocated if a national's flight/onward journey is continuing within 24 hours. Single-entry visas can be used multiple times by nationals of St Pierre & Miquelon and the USA.
Applications to:
Consulate (or consular section at embassy or high commission)
Working Days Required
10 days are required from receiving applications, but applications should be made at least one month prior to the intended date of departure. Certain nationals are subject to longer processing times. For urgent applications it is advised to apply in person. Same-day processing is available for applications made in person and 24-hour processing for those using the drop-in service.