Canadian Rockeies - Banff Area Ideas and Guide Recommendations

[Enapai]

So it looks like I am going to be able to make at least a 2 week trip to the Banff area next summer.

I have started to do some research on the trip. This is a trip with my larger family so I will not be off on my own hiking the entire time, but am looking for a couple of dayhikes (challenging) I could head out and try on my own. Recommendations/ideas are very welcome. It looks like I will get at least one (perhaps 2) overnights during the trip as well for excursions.

One of the mountains (for personal reasons) I want to complete is Mt. Little. Looking at the various routes, I think a guide might be wise. Any recommendations/personal experiences with guides in the area would be helpful as well.

Thanks.

Dave

 

[peakbagger]

When VFTT was going to have a Banff gathering (unfortunately derailed), many folks recomend a guide called "dont waste you time in the canadian rockies"

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp...ddff799126ea9c&bpcl=38093640&biw=1680&bih=935

I didnt have a chance to use it in the field but I did buy one and it looked like a real nice guide.

 

[Stan]

If by "guide" you mean guide service, can't help you on that. If you mean books, here's what I found by looking through guidebooks here (the usual outdoor stores, DeLorme and Mobil Book Fair in Newton) and in the Canadian Rockies:

Classic Hikes in the Candian Rockies by Graeme Pole (advertised as "the 63 best hikes in the Rockies")
Popular Day Hikes 2 Canadian Rockies by Tony Daffern (I especially like the photographs in this guide)
Canadian Rockies Trail Guide by Brian Patton & Bart Robinson (8th edition which says something in itself)

My favored trail maps are "hiking maps and guides" by Gem Trek Publishing and used three of them: Banff/Egypt Lake, Jasper and Malign Lake, and Lake Louise & Yoho.

I've seen the guide that peakbagger mentioned and have heard others comment on it favorably but it wasn't the kind of book that I generally find useful ... don't ask me why ... it just didn't strike me as helpful as the others in my trip planning. Any reference is better than none but the three I list were most appealing to the way I plan a trip.

I found the Lonely Planet guidebook on Banff, Jasper & Glacier very helpful. It does note popular hikes and I found it useful for identifying other atttractions. accommodations, restaurants etc. Be prepared that the Canadian Rockies, having such an international market appeal, is very expensive ... more so than comparable facilities elsewhere. We enjoyed a couple hostels during our stay and the cost helped balance out other more expensive accommodations.

Make your reservations early as the best places book up fast. Lake O'Hare in Yoho comes to mind.

We approached our trip as a familiarization of the different parks in the area, excluding Kootenay as that would have spread us too thin in the 1 1/2 weeks we had available. Our research focused us on Jasper and Yoho over Banff and while we spent time in all three, were reinforced on the ground by that priority. Pressed, I think I would select Yoho as our primary destination next time. We also visited Waterton and Glacier (US) but they are too far out of the way if you are flying out.

A few places that we enjoyed which you might consider:

Takakaw Falls (Yoho) - nearby Whiskey Jack Hostel in view and earshot of 800' + falls, Iceline Trail, Yoho Pass Trail to Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake (Yoho) - trail around lake has both Rocky Mountain and NW rainforest environments and Emerald Basin Trail
Lake Louise (Banff) - Lake Agnes Trail including Little Beehive, Big Beehive and Mt. St. Piran
Maligne Lake (Jasper) - Maligne Canyon Hostel, Bald Hills Trails, Opal Hills Trail, Skyline Trail, good family acclimitization hike on Old Fort Point Trail loop
Cavell Meadows/Mount Edith Cavell (Jasper) - Meadows Trail to lake noted mainly as a source of glacial ice (and prehistoric dust) for my bourbon
Bow River and Vermillion Lakes (Banff) - kayak rentals and flatwater paddling at the edge of Banff town
Columbia Icefields/Athabasca Glacier (Jasper)
Johnston Canyon (Banff)

P.S. As for Mt. Little, I know nothing about it and none of my guidebooks mention it.

 

[Neil]

Looking for a challenging dayhike? And one that is rewarding in the extreme?

Mount Temple - the tourist route. The ultimate scramble, well written up in Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies.

 

[Peakbagr]

Canadian Rockies = one of the most spectacular hiking areas in North America.
If it isn't too late, try and get a reservation for a site and the bus reservation at Lake O'Hara. Try and spend as much time there as you can spare. Perhaps the most spectacular hiking and scenery in Canada. Hike, high meadows, alpinist routes, Abbot Pass, Mt Victoria, Mt LeFroy. Opabin Lakes, Lake Oesa, Oderay Highline, Odaray Grandview to Mt Oderay.

Other spectaculars:
Moraine Lake and Valley of the Ten Peaks( Molson beer label photo), Wenkchemna Pass(sp?)
Plain of the Six Glaciers
Fairview and Saddle Mtns
Consolation Lakes
Yoho Highline/ Skyline trail
Lake Helen and Cirque Peak
Columbia Icefield
Citadel Pass and Quartz Hill
Emerald Lake, Burgess and Yoho Pass

There are Canadian Alpine Club huts in the C.R. An alternative to camping is to join the Canadian Alpine Club and see if you can stay in some of their backcountry huts. I think the Elizabeth Parker hut is right near Lake O'Hara.
The Canadian Rockies will spoil you for hiking almost anywhere else.

 

[Neil]

If you can get away for an overnight go to Abbott's Hut.

You will need to pay for:
the bus ride to Lake O'Hara (need to reserve well in advance)
an overnight wilderness pass
a hut reservation

Worth every penny.

It's recommended to wear a helmet heading up into Abbott's Pass due to a risk of rockfall off of Mt. Victoria.
On day two you can descend to Lake Oesa and do the Skyline Hike either around Opabin Plateau, All Souls and Shaeffer Lake or go the other way to Wiwaxy Gap across Huber Ledges.

I second Peakbagr's suggestions re: Wenkchemna Pass and Mount Fairview, especially. Add on Dolomite Pass with an easy scramble up Cirque Peak.

 

[Mac]

Moraine Lake is spectacular, I did it in February, and am sure it would be equally good in summer. Johnston Canyon is good as well, much shorter and maybe suitable for a family hike.

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

Love the Canadian Rockies - you will have an awesome trip! You've already gotten a lot of good advice. Our favorite park was actually Assiniboine (adjacent to Banff), although this area requires multiple nights. A close second was Lake O'Hara. Even if you don't get a spot on the bus, check in to showing up in the morning for a cancellation spot. If it doesn't pan out, do another hike in Yoho (the Iceline was great and is the most popular, but we liked Burgess Pass better).

I like Peakbagr's lists - includes a lot of hikes we loved. Just be aware for hikes from Moraine Lake (Sentinel Pass/Wenkchemna Pass), there will likely be a minimum group rule in effect. Both times we were there we were able to hook up with other hikers, although it seemed very few people were going to Wenkchemna Pass. Fairview was nice, but super busy. Early start for this one recommended to beat the crowds (same goes for the other hikes around Lake Louise).

We have pictures/trip notes posted on our pbase site if you want to take a peek (three different trips): http://www.pbase.com/pudgy_groundhog

Enjoy your trip!!