MOUNT ASSINIBOINE PROVINCIAL PARK TRAVERSE: Backpacking in the Canadian Rockies
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- One of the most popular and stunning backpacking trip in Canada.
In September I had a short window for a backpacking trip, from a Friday to a Monday. So I looked at options in the Canadian Rockies with my friend Kane who lives in Calgary, Alberta. With my flight booked from Montreal and back, it gave us two days of backpacking and one night of camping. We're both in good shape, can keep a very good pace, and love a challenge. We were looking for a two day trip with up to 100 km total distance. The Brazeau Loop, a very popular trail between Banff and Jasper, looked like a great option since it would be an 80 km trip. We booked a tent site in the middle of the route which split the loop perfectly into two 40 km days.
Unfortunately, two weeks before our trip, we saw a social media post that mentioned that one of the bridges crossing a major river (not possible to cross without) had been washed away by the spring melt. We found ourselves with a plan that was risky because of my tight schedule. We frantically started looking at what was available on other trails. Luckily there was a cancellation at Magog Lake, which is in the middle of the Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park Traverse. Starting from Banff Sunshine ski resort, the traverse is 65km of hiking through some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in Alberta and British Columbia.
So there I was, flying from Montreal to Calgary on a Friday night in September. Kane picked me up from the airport, and after a short night's sleep we left for the Rocky Mountains early Saturday morning. A friend picked us up in Canmore, where we left our car, and dropped us off at the start of our crossing at Sunshine Village. The goal was to cross Assiniboine Park from the ski resort to Mount Shark in Kananaskis and then hitch a ride back to Canmore. This hike wasn't a loop so it added some stress to the adventure.
From Sunshine Village we took the gondola to the plateau where the trailhead is located. We could have climbed the ski slopes on foot, but let's face it, in addition to having been a waste of time, there is nothing fun and beautiful about hiking in the middle of the ski slopes.
Being early September we were in the last weekend of summer conditions with temperatures going up to 30 degrees celsius. I can tell you it wasn't just us feeling it but also the streams that were almost completely dry. On the last long stretch of our first day we travelled 5 hours without crossing a water source. Finally seeing Og Lake in the distance, I can tell you that we were like children at Christmas.
We finished our first day at Lake Magog campground, set up our tents, and had a big meal. The plan was to ascend to Nub Peak for sunrise, so we went to bed really early and got up in the middle of the night for the climb. We underestimated our abilities, arriving at the top of Nub Peas in the dark. We had to wait one hour for sunrise sitting behind a cairn.
The smoke from the forest fires in Alberta had clouded the sky all of Saturday, but lifted just enough in the morning for a blood red sunrise typical of the Tatooine desert. This part is undoubtedly the highlight of this adventure. The view of Lake Magog and Assiniboine which rises distinctly behind. Valleys and lakes on all sides. During our descent we had the chance to meet two deer that passed us by a mere few feet from us.
Back at the camp, had a second second lunch, packed our equipment and hit the trail for our last 30km. This section passes by the side of the magnificent Marvel Lake and its turquoise color.
We arrived at the Mount Shark parking lot on time at 6 pm. After half an hour of walking on the side of the road, a car finally passed and brought us back to Canmore. It was a crucial moment, one which we had no control over and was based on the generosity of a stranger. Remember, I had to catch my flight the next morning in Calgary. Everything worked out for the best, and we got back to Calgary later that evening with time to go to bed and catch my plane the next day.
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Great vid mate - I was there in 1989, i will never forget it.
Thank you 🙂. One of the most beautiful lace in the Rockies
Stunning 👍❤
Thank you
bravo alex! Beautiful hike
Thank you 😊
this is the most beautiful video on youtube by far
Wow thank you, I don't know what to answer, I'm a bit speechless ahah. Thank you so much 🙏
Très jolie endroit, tes images sont exceptionnelles, bravo!
Merci Jo, beaucoup de travail sur celui là, mais j'aime bien le résultat final
Une vidéo qui donne le goût d’y aller, comme toutes les autres vidéos. Merci!
Ça va être difficile choisir la quel tu vas faire 😅. En attendant tu peux les revivre au travers les vidéos, ça coûte moins cher 😅
Epic shots! 😍😍
Thanks man. And thank you for having me on that hike 🙂
Damn! This video got me so pumped to see this place with my own eyes this summer. Fantastic video. Thank you
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it 😁
Fantastic compilation and impressive what you've put together. I feel like you eloquently captured a backpacking experience.
Thank you :)
Just Wonderful, with great shots, beautiful filming and scenery, a nice camp, and epic views! Exactly my taste ;) Thank you Alex!
Thanks Mario! The the view was stunning on that trip 😍
Wow what a freaking breathtaking adventure! This is masterpiece my friend! One gorgeous masterpiece!!!
Thank you 😊. Truly one of my favorite in a long time 🙂
A Beautiful adventure!
Thanks my Friend
Vraiment une autre solide video! Je trip sur tes images. Tes vidéos d'environ 10 minutes donne juste le gout d'en voir d'avantage! On as un peut l'impression de voyager avec toi.
Merci encore. J'essaie vraiment de rendre ça le plus immersif possible
Majestueux
❤️
C'est superbe. Que de beaux paysages.
Un énorme merci, j'apprécie beaucoup. Et oui un sentier complète magnifique 🤩
Beautiful! Never heard of that park before tbh. Are you hiking with a guide from the park? Also, any wildlife? Looks like grizzly country :)
Thank you :) .No that's one of my friend. We hike it by ourselves. Except the deer, ko we didn't see nothing.
But yeah this is definitely grizzly country
Allo Alex, super la vidéo. J'ai deux questions: 1-Apportez-vous un moyen pour vous défendre des grizzly, genre de pistolet lance-fusée? 2- Est-ce que tu as le sentier sur Alltrails?
Salut,
Pour le grizzly, j'avais un Bear spray.
Ensuite vu que c'est un parc national,il a des coffres au campement pour mettre la nourriture.
Pour le tracé, voici mon tracé : Assiniboine Park on AllTrails www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/alberta-county-hiking-6828f61?p=-1&sh=uzn9xb
N'hésite pas si tu as d'autres questions et merci du message
Wonderful! Planning on doing the same hike next summer. How did you get back to your car at the gondola from Mt. Shark lot? Thanks!!
Thank you. Actually we park our car at Canmore, from there one friend take us to sunshine. So like that at the end when we finish, it's easier to hitchhike to Canmore :)
Wow! Les images sont sublimes! Avec quelle caméra as-tu filmer Alex? 😊
Salut Véronique, merci beaucoup 🙏🙂. J'ai une Sony A7C
@@AlexGodard donc tu as deux A7C à ce que je vois :)
Salut! Beau montage video! Merci du partage (new Sub) ...on se croise souvent sur Passionnés de Rando. a+
Merci c'est énormément apprécié 😁. Au plaisir de se croiser dans le vrai monde un jour ahah
Just curious, what type of temps did you encounter? Wondering what level of sleeping bag is needed for this time of year.
It was quite warm (first weekend of September), 25 degree Celsius during the day, but from what I knew it was warmer than normally at this time of the year. I would say go with a -7 degree Celsius sleeping bag with something like a r4.4 mat .
Are there any trail options that come directly to Canmore parking lot ?
You can go along the north shore of spray lakes from bryant creek warden outpost to canmore. I did that in the opposite direction in 2011. 40 km, mostly of road walking. Not recommended. Mt Shark parking lot is pretty busy, so is Smith-Dorian HWY. Best to somehow shuttle a car.
Kane is the best person to answer this one, I did the trip with him, and he live in the area, he know the parks better than me :)
How long is the hike?
65km