Walking The World

“On the way to the trailhead, we spied an elk walking on the other side of the road. It sort of looked back at us as if to say, ‘You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

September 7 -15, 2006

Land Cost: $2,595 U.S.
Single Supplement Rate: $525 U.S.
Trip Begins: Calgary, Canada
Trip Ends: Calgary, Canada

Detailed Itinerary
What we Provide

The grandeur of the Canadian Rockies attracts visitors from all over the world. It’s a wonderland of magnificent mountains, sprawling glaciers, alpine forests, emerald lakes, meadows bursting with wildflowers, and wildlife encounters too numerous to count. We begin in Jasper National Park with hikes along the Sulphur Skyline Trail and the Valley of Five Lakes. Our exceptional local guide takes time to acquaint us with the area’s geology, abundant wildlife and fur-trading history. We explore Athabasca Falls and Parker Ridge before heading to Banff National Park and unforgettable hikes at Lake Louise, Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass. See for yourself why these are two of North America’s most beautiful parks and why this is one of Walking The World’s most popular trips.

Best of the Best

Adventure Trips: Canada

Scenery
Verdant slopes with stunning rock vistas frame a unique wilderness paradise of monumental glaciers, wildflower meadows and soaring eagles.

Naturalist Guide
Walking the World boasts one of the best guides in Alberta. Naturalist Peter Duck knows this land from bear-sign to bog cranberry.

Wildlife
Abundant in every sense. With elevations between 3000 and 7000 feet, look for rock-hopping mountain goats, shy bobcats and dandelion-eating black bears.

This itinerary may be changed at the discretion of the trip leader.
( B = Breakfast included, L = Lunch included, D = Dinner included )

Day 1... Arrive Calgary, Alberta. Please plan to arrive by 1:00 p.m. at the Calgary airport so we can make it to our welcome dinner, group orientation, and our lodging in Canmore, Alberta. D

Day 2... If you’ve never been to this part of the world, today will delight you. We begin our adventure with a drive north along the spectacular Icefields Parkway. We will do a short hike towards Wilcox Pass. The trail begins in a stand of 400-year-old spruce and climbs to a broad alpine valley carpeted with wildflowers, cut by a tumbling stream, and surrounded by majestic snow-clad peaks. Bighorn sheep are regularly seen on this beautiful trail. L, D

Adventure Trips: Canada

Day 3... Bald Hills and Maligne Lake. 6.5 miles/1,500 feet elevation gain. One of Canada’s famous female explorers described this area as follows: “There burst upon us that which, all in our little company agreed, was the finest view any of us had ever beheld in the Rockies...” Our hike takes us to an imposing ridgetop covered with wildflowers and offering exceptional views of Maligne Lake, Leah and Samson Peaks, the Queen Elizabeth Range, and Mounts Unwin and Charlton. Mountain caribou often inhabit this area. B L

Day 4... Wabasso Lakes to Valley of Five Lakes. 6.5 miles/200 feet elevation gain. Our trail begins just outside the town of Jasper. Starting in a valley forested with Lodgepole pine, we’ll wind our way across a small stream and to a low ridge with excellent views of the Athabasca Valley and Mount Edith Cavell. From the ridge we’ll dip into the Valley of the Five Lakes. The five small lakes, jade green in color, provide an excellent setting for our lunch. B, L

Day 5... Sulphur Skyline Trail. 5.0 miles/2,300 feet elevation gain. Today’s hike is one of the finest in the Jasper area, with views of sawtoothed mountain ranges and several remote wilderness valleys. Our views will include the Fiddle River drainage, Utopia Mountain, and the jagged summits of the Ashlar Ridge. Although today’s hike is short, the first section is fairly steep. We’ll take our time, so everyone will arrive at the summit of Sulphur Ridge with plenty of energy to enjoy the views. Our local guide will talk with us about the area’s geology, the habitats of the Disaster Point bighorn sheep, and the fur trade routes. B L

Day 6... Today we head to Lake Louise. Along the way we will stop at Athabasca Falls. Have your cameras ready; these falls are overwhelming! Our next stop is at the Parker Ridge trailhead. Be prepared to walk on an ancient coral reef and realize the wonder of nature to find such a thing at the top of the Rockies. We will lunch and be afforded a new view that displays marvelously the immensity of the glaciers in this part of the world. B, L, D

Day 7... Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass. 6.0 miles/2,360 feet. Set above famed Moraine Lake, Larch Valley offers thick stands of alpine larch, mountain meadows, and a panoramic backdrop of the Ten Peaks. The Larch Valley meadows are dotted by many small pools originally named the Minnestimma Lakes, or ‘sleeping water,’ by S.E.S. Allen, an early explorer. B, L

Day 8... Helen Lake Trail. Prepare yourself for a lush meadow colored by western anemones, globe flowers, red paintbrush, and yellow violets. This area is important in the history of the Canadian Railway and has interesting deposits of the Burgess shale. A sumptuous farewell dinner in Banff highlights our last evening together. B, L, D

Day 9 To Calgary airport for flights home any time after 12:00 noon.

Walking The World Guide and Local Guide
8 nights lodging (double occupancy)
6 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 4 dinners
All admission fees to scheduled stops
All ground transportation while on tour
Unique and original Journal of your trip
Walking The World Shirt or Hat
Loads of good fun, humor, and companionship

Read about the Canadian Rockies

Comments From Our 2003 Canadian Rockies Guests:

"The itinerary was great! It was full of good hikes, and yet, gave us evenings to be out on our own. Thought it was excellent in providing a cross section of the Rockies. The trails were good!" Catherine P. ID.

"Your guides were superb. They had encyclopedic knowledge, were very accommodating, and exceedingly entertaining!" Kent M. KS.

"The food was excellent and plentiful, especially at our farewell dinner!" Irene F. ID.

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