Today we head up to Assiniboine Lodge. We’ll be occupying the lodge. Here’s a description:
Six rooms sleeping two people per room are located in the main lodge. Lodge guests share a shower, two sinks and a flush toilet in the main building. Three outhouses are located nearby as well as a sauna/shower house facility with a separate shower for men and women. The lodge rooms are located above the living room which has propane heat and lights. The bedrooms are lit by twelve-volt electrical lights.
Hikers:
- Meet at the Sunshine Parking Lot at 7:15am to catch the Shuttle Bus at 7:30. (We already have reservations.) The bus will take us to the trailhead. I know its early, but we don’t want to have to rush to complete the hike.
- Directions to Sunshine Village from Banff: Drive 9 km (5.5 miles) West of Banff on the Trans-Canada Highway to the Sunshine Village interchange. Drive to the Sunshine Village parking lot at the bottom of the gondola (9 km).
- Route: Sunshine Village-Citadel Pass-Mount Assiniboine (scroll down)
The route is 17.1 miles. (Disregard the mileage on the website; we have a book that says it’s 17.1 miles, and the book should be more accurate.) We’ll be walking and not carrying weight, so it should be a pleasant and beautiful walk; we’ll leave early to allow for breaks, etc.
- You can fly in gear at $2/lb. Bring a small duffle, backpack. NO SUITCASES.
- It looks like we can schedule/cancel flights up to 2 weeks before the trip. If you feel you can’t do the hike, let us know ASAP so that we can get you a place on the helicopter.
Helicopterers:
- Meet at Mount Shark Day Helioport (scroll down for directions); helicopter departs at 1pm.
- CAMPER WEIGHT LIMIT: 40 Pounds PER PERSON (18 kg) Your gear will be weighed. Overweight charges are $2.00 per pound. Bring a small duffel, soft backpack (12″x 20″x12″). NO SUITCASES.
Who’s doing what:
- Helicopter IN: Emily, Mom, Dad
- Hiking IN: Brooks, Cole, Matt, Kimberly, Kate, Sam, Will, Jessica, Rick (?)
Description of hike:
Maximum Elevation: 7,850ft
Minimum Elevation: 6,500 ft
(NOTE: The numbers below are in km, not miles.)
0.0-Sunshine Village
1.3-Junction. Rock Isle Lake ahead .5km. Citadel Pass Left
5.2-Quartz Ridge (2395m)
5.8-Howard Douglas Lake and Campground
9.3- Citadel Pass (2360 m). Banff-Assiniboine boundary.
-Steady descent into Golden Valley.
12.5-Junction. Porcupine Campground downhill to right. Stay left on high route above valley.
-Trail enters rocky, forest terrain at head of Golden valley
16.5-Junction. Simpson River trail intersects from right. Continue ahead.
-Trail winds and rolls through the Valley of Rocks
22.2-Og Lake and Campground
-Gradual ascent through Og meadows
26.3-Junction. Og Pass and old Assiniboine Pass horse trail left. Continue ahead.
26.5-Junction. Horse trail to Sunburst Lake right. Continue ahead.
27.0-Junction. Intersection with Assiniboine Pass trail at km 24.8. Assiniboine Pass left. Assiniboine Lodge and Lake Magog right.
27.3-Junction. Magog Campground ahead 1.6km. Assiniboine Lodge left.
27.5-Mount Assiniboine Lodge.
“The trail from Sunshine Village via Citadel Pass and Valley of the Rocks is undoubtedly the most scenic approach to Mount Assiniboine. While the more popular Bryant Creek-Assiniboine Pass trail is shorter, the Citadel approach is only 3km longer and there is actually a slight net loss of elevation over the course of the journey. The only disadvantage is the lack of water, so be sure you carry an adequate supply.
The first 9.3 km from Sunshine Village follows the very scenic Citadel Pass trail. After this wonderful,rolling meadow walk, with occasional views of Mount Assiniboine in the distance, you cross into Assiniboine Park at Citadel Pass and descend steeply into the Golden Valley at the headwaters of the Simpson River.
Through hikers should follow the trail branching left on the steep, open slope well above the valley floor and contour southwest into the Valley of the Rocks.
The Valley of the Rocks is a long, dry forest, enclosed vale that features a wild array of giant boulders-the remains of a giant rockslide. Og Lake marks the end of the valley , and where the trail enters a series of open meadows. Views ahead to Mount Assiniboine are continuous over the final 5 km to Assiniboine Ldge and Lake Magog.”
From: The Canadian Rockes Trail Guide. 7th ed. Brian Patton and Bart Robinson.
