Every year the ACC offers several guided trips involving extensive mountaineering. Although expensive, they can be the only way to experience remote parts of the Rocky Mountain National Parks. Accommodation is in ACC huts. The guides are superb as they take relative rookies safely into dangerous environments. There usually is glacier travel and rock climbing on the trips. Routine equipment includes a helmet, harness, crampons and ice axe. These are the trips that I did.
ROCKIES PANORAMA TRAVERSE 1996.
This 7-day backpacking trip explores the best of 3 national parks. The lead guide was one of the icons of Canadian mountaineering, Peter Fuhrman. The traverse was first done after Mr Fuhrman discovered the Fuhrman Ledges that circled Mount Lefoy avoiding the “Death Trap” below Mount Victoria.
Day 1. The trailhead was at Marble Canyon in Kootenay NP. We walked up Tokumm Creek and climbed to the Fay Hut (which has since burned down twice!).
Day 2. We crossed the moraines and glacier to the Neil Cogan Hut on the spine of the Ten Peaks (on the old $10 bill) above Moraine Lake. We climbed Mt Bowlin, #3.
Day 3. We climbed Mt Allen, #6 and descended the Shiesser Ledges to Moraine Lake.
We were bussed to the Lake Louise HI Hostel for a civilized night and shower.
Day 4. Returning to Moraine Lake, we hiked up to the end of the valley, crossing Wenkchemna Pass and descending back into the headwaters of Tokkum Creek and Eagle Eyrie. The trip then crossed Opabin Pass into Lake O’Hara in Yoho NP. We stayed in the iconic Elizabeth Parker Hut. Lake O’Hara must be one of the most beautiful places in the country.
Day 5. We then climbed past Lake Oesa up to Abbot Pass.
Abbot Pass Hut was demolished in 2023 as the moraine had eroded. I was lucky to have slept in it for 3 nights.
Day 6. Sitting on the Continental Divide between Mounts Victoria and Lefroy, the classic stone Abbot Pass hut is one of the first ACC huts and the highest structure in Canada at 9,598’. In 2023, the moraine under the hut collapsed and this hut had to be removed. One of the difficulties of descending to Lake Louise is the Death Trap where the rock fall off Mt Victoria ends up.
Day 7. The Death Trip is avoided by descending the glacier to access the Fuhrman Ledges which circle Mt Lefroy and gain access to the Plain of the Six Glaciers and the trail around Lake Louise.
WAPTA TRAVERSE 1997.
This 7-day backpacking trip traverses the huge Wapta Icefield on the east side of the south end of the Icefields Parkway. It is more commonly done as a ski trip in the winter. Starting at Peyto Lake, we stayed at the Peyto Hut, Bow Hut, Balfour Hut, and the Scott Duncan Hut ending at the Trans Canada Highway just inside BC. Several Mountains were climbed.
CLIMBING in LAKE O’HARE
This 5-day trip involved initially climbing Mt. Odaray (5.6), and Mt Yukness (an easy climb within the Lake O’Hara basin). We then did the day hike up to Abbott Pass to stay in the Abbott Pass Hut, always a treat. Over the next 2 days, we climbed Mt Victoria, the big mountain behind Lake Louise and Mt Lefroy, the site of the first mountaineering fatality in Canada.
CLIMBING in the BUGABOOS.
Along with Squamish Chief, this is the premier rock climbing area in Canada. In the east edge of the Purcell Mountains, this provincial park ia landscape of granite towers sitting in the middle of glaciers. The trail up to the ACC Conrad Kain hut is a classic with ladders and cement steps built into the cliffs. Over three days we climbed Pidgeon Spire, Brenta Spire and Crescent Spire.
MOUNT ASSINIBOINE. August, 2008. At 11,870 feet, this is the highest mountain in the southern Canadian Rockies and is in Mt Assiniboine Provincial Park. Shaped like the Matterhorn, it is one of the most beautiful mountains in Canada.
Our guides were Roger Laurilla and Jeff Relph. Our cook was Roger’s girlfriend, Loree Domimenko.
Day 1. After a helicopter ride from the Mt Shark Heliport, (the other 3 accesses to the park are all ~27 km backpacking trips), we had the long hike up the Gmoser Highway to the Hind Hut sitting above Lake Magog at the base of the mountain. The first day was spent climbing Mt Lunette, just south of Assiniboine.
Day 2.
On the second day, we attempted to climb Assiniboine up the southwest face, grade 4 but were unsuccessful. The first ascent route on the mountain requires good route finding and is not popular because of all the scree. It would be difficult for 8 rookies and 2 guides in the best circumstances. The usual route is on the North Ridge, rated at 5.3. Most successful parties consist of only two climbers.
Day 3. We climbed Mt Sturdee and Strom behind the hut. We then returned down the Gmoser Highway and helicoptered out of the park.