Canadian Rockies: Banff and Yoho National Parks

Experienced, friendly and knowledgeable guides

Transportation during the trip

All accommodations while on tour, including two wonderful lodges

All meals included except one dinner; alcoholic beverages not included

DAY 1 Meet in Banff
Stanley Glacier, 5.5 miles, moderate (approximate 1,200-ft elevation gain)
Upon meeting in Banff, you depart for the first walk of the week. The trail winds up a series of gentle switchbacks to a hanging valley that affords views of the Stanley Glacier to the east and Mt. Whymper to the west. The Stanley Glacier Trail leads into a spectacular glacial valley and offers close-up views of three major processes that have shaped the environment—fire, avalanche, and glaciation. In the aftermath of a 1968 forest fire, with the shading canopy of trees removed, a variety of sun-loving wildflowers invaded the area. The upper valley toward the glacier is a barren world of boulders and scree, but home to mountain goat, marmot, pika, and ptarmigan. From here you are able to view Stanley Glacier. You may hear the cracking and groaning of ice as it moves forward and, if you are lucky, witness an ice avalanche (from a distance).

After a 40-minute van ride, you reach your home for the next three nights, a complex of individual cabins and lodge-style rooms nestled in a peaceful wooded setting along a rushing creek. Dinner this evening is in the lodge’s restaurant, which has an eclectic menu, featuring mountain as well as continental specialities. Baker Creek Chalets, Lake Louise

DAY 2 Moraine Lake - Eiffel Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks
7 miles, moderate (approximate 1,200-ft elevation gain), or Consolation Lake; 4 miles, easy. Today’s starting point is jewel-like Moraine Lake, a short drive. It was named so in 1893 by an early explorer, Walter Wilcox, because he thought it was dammed by a glacial moraine. The existing rockpile is now thought to be rockslide debris, possibly transported on the surface of a glacier, making it both rockslide and moraine.

The longer option commences with a steady two-mile climb on gradual switchbacks. Arriving at a beautiful grove of old larch trees, it is an easy walk to the end of the Wenkchemna Valley (Ten Peaks). You may be lucky, while eating your picnic lunch, to see snow avalanching from the cliffs across the valley. You are sure to encounter patches of snow before arriving at Eiffel Lake. The return trip offers spectacular views of the valley with iridescent Moraine Lake far below.

For a less strenuous route, you may walk from Moraine Lake to Consolation Lake. The trail leads around the base of the Moraine Lake rockpile and passes through a quartzite boulder field. The trail climbs gradually through subalpine forest then swings along Babel Creek into the Consolation Valley. The forest floor is carpeted with grouse berry. Approaching the lower lake, the trail becomes laced with a variety of wildflowers: elephant head, fleabane, bracted lousewort, redstemmed saxifrage, and colorful Indian paintbrush. Your views are graced by the glacier-draped crags of Mt. Bident (two teeth) and Quadra Mountain (four summits). Dinner this evening is at the historic Lake Louise Station, a beautifully restored turn-of-the century railway station from the heyday of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Baker Creek Chalets, Lake Louise

DAY 3 Banff National Park
Lake Louise - Mirror Lake - Plain of Six Glaciers - Lake Louise; 9 miles, moderate to challenging (approximate 1,700-ft elevation gain); or Lake Louise - Mirror Lake - Lake Agnes; 5 miles, moderate (approximate 1,300-ft elevation gain).
The day begins with breakfast at Château Lake Louise in Alberta’s Banff National Park, where you are treated to views of the glistening lake as well as its backdrop, ice-draped Mt. Victoria. Many believe that if you have time and energy for only one walk in the Canadian Rockies, it should be today’s. Lake Louise is a classic example of a Rockies glacially fed lake, where rock flour in the water reflects blue and green spectra of light giving the lake a Caribbean hue. The journey to the Plain of Six Glaciers is awe-inspiring. You begin with a gentle ascent to Mirror Lake. The shorter option takes you to Lake Agnes and its teahouse where delicious home-baked treats await. There are numerous stops on the return trip, which are ideal viewpoints of the lake below and the distant Plain of Six Glaciers.

On the longer option you arrive at the Plain of Six Glaciers teahouse in time for lunch.Originating from the Swiss hiking tradition, when mountaineers needed not only a place to refuel their bodies but also a place to sleep, the teahouse was constructed by the Canadian Pacific Railroad in the early 1900s. Today it is a place to relax, enjoy the views, and most importantly, to sample teas, hot chocolate, hearty soups, and breads. You may choose to rest at the teahouse, or continue another 40 minutes to the Glacier Viewpoint. From this point you can see the six glaciers and historic Abbott Hut at the top of a notch known as the Death Trap. Lake Louise appears as a blue dot in the distance. The complex of moraines surrounding the plain records stages of glacial advance and retreat. From here, it is mainly downhill to Lake Louise. You return to the hotel in the late afternoon to enjoy the Rocky Mountain quiet and view the sunset on the peaks looming through the trees. Tonight you feast on the regional favorites offered at the lodge’s bistro. Baker Creek Chalets, Lake Louise

DAY 4 Bow Lake
6 miles, easy to moderate; transfer to Field, British Columbia
Located a short distance from the Icefields Parkway, Bow Lake is the third largest lake in Banff National Park. It is also the headwater of the Bow River. The lake is fed by the meltwater from Bow Glacier, one of six outlet valley glaciers of the Wapta Icefield. Today’s walk follows the lakeshore eventually reaching an overlook of Bow Glacier. Pioneer outfitter and guide Jimmy Simpson spent the winters of the early 1900s hunting and trapping in the remote country north of Bow Lake.

Your home for the next two nights is a luxurious lodge originally constructed in 1902 on top of a glacial moraine on the shores of spectacular Emerald Lake, the largest lake in Yoho Park. Built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, the lodge was completely renovated in the 1980s. The townhouse accommodations feature lake or forest views, fireplaces, and beautiful hand-hewn timber beds. The main lodge boasts a massive stone fireplace, a formal dining room, an oak bar relocated from an 1890s Yukon saloon, quiet reading and sitting rooms, and a game room. A hot tub and club house await for a relaxing soak or a bit more exercise at day’s end. This evening is free and you have the option of enjoying dinner in the lodge’s main dining room or at the more casual Cilantro’s on the lake. Emerald Lake Lodge, Field

DAY 5 Whiskey Jack Falls - Iceline Trail - Yoho Pass - Emerald Lake
8.5 miles, moderate to challenging (approximate 1,400-ft elevation gain and 1,700-ft loss); or Whiskey Jack Falls - Yoho Lake - Yoho Pass; 6 miles, moderate (approximate 1,000-ft elevation gain).
Today’s walk begins at Whiskey Jack Falls and ascends a slope with excellent views of Takakkaw Falls . You pass 300- to 400-year-old spruce trees, some of the oldest in Yoho National Park. You reach the Iceline Trail, within reach of Emerald Glacier. The next destination is Yoho Lake. Discovered in 1897 by Ralph Edwards, the renowned guide was inspired by the lake’s natural beauty and timbered shoreline. He wrote, “...a marvelously beautiful little lake, not much larger than a little pond, but of an exquisite ultramarine colour.” Continuing over the Yoho Pass, you make your way back to Emerald Lake. At Yoho Pass, the trail descends to the lakeshore along the Yoho Lake Trail and through the lake’s alluvial fan. The cliffs of the Vice President range dominate the view at the beginning of the descent. As the grade eases and you get closer to the alluvial fan, the vegetation becomes lush. With luck, you may spot moose, hoary marmots, porcupines, and golden eagles. Common vegetation includes thimble berry, devil’s club, queen’s cup, foam flower, and dwarf dogwood.

The day’s shorter option brings you partly up the Iceline Trail with magnificent views of Takakkaw Falls and Waputik Icefield, looping past Yoho Lake back to the starting point. A final feast is served in the lodge’s elegant lakeside restaurant. Emerald Lake Lodge, Field

DAY 6 Guide’s choice
approximately 5 miles, easy to moderate; departure.
Early risers walking alongside Emerald Lake may have a final opportunity to hear loons calling and perhaps spot a moose among the supple willows and alders.

After a final breakfast at the lodge, you drive back toward Banff. The morning walk depends largely on the weather and is chosen from the repertoire of highlights along the route. Excellent views of nearby mountains are accompanied by the possibility of spotting elk and deer, during a relaxing picnic lunch.

You arrive in Banff by late afternoon, where you may choose to extend your adventure amidst the magnificence of Banff National Park or begin your journey home.

Itinerary Changes: Please bear in mind that this is a typical itinerary, and the actual walks and sites may vary due to season, special events, or weather. We reserve the right to alter the itinerary since tour arrangements are made up to a year in advance, and unforeseen circumstances that mandate change may arise. Itinerary changes are made to improve the tour and your experience.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/5/2010 - 9/10/2010	$3,298
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Tour Highlights

Classic backcountry walks

Brilliant native flora—thimble berry, queen's cup, dwarf dogwood

Plain of the Six Glaciers and Lake Louise

Fly fishing or horseback riding options

Wildlife—moose, bald eagles, mountain goats, elk

All tour prices are per person, in US dollars, based on double occupancy.

2009 Single Supplement $800

As arrangements are confirmed at least a year in advance, the tour price is subject to change.

Reserve early to guarantee the best available price.

Walk Ratings

Moderate terrain

4 to 9 miles per day with occassional options

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