High country hangs

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The author in fine style. Banff National Park, Alberta, Canadian Rockies.
High country hangs
Rough it in Canadian Rockies luxury
By Elinor Fish
Photos by Woods Wheatcroft
t was late September when a multi-day running adventure in the Canadian Rockies turned unexpectedly into a freezing slog through kneedeep powder snow. I knew we were taking a chance traveling over
high-mountain passes that time of year, but we were determined to log
as many miles as possible before the high country got shut down. And do
so in high style.
I linked together several trails with three different running partners,
spending nights in three historic backcountry lodges in two mountain parks.
Covering around 20 miles a day carrying only the bare essentials, we
were thankful to have first-class meals, beds with feather duvets, flannel
sheets and fresh towels waiting for us at each day’s end.
Most trailheads began at about 5000 feet in elevation and ascended
to mountain passes averaging 7500 feet. This sort of elevation gain
wasn’t harsh enough to induce severe muscle lactic-acid build-up or altitude problems; rather the ambling trails made for doable running
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and spectacular scenic rewards.
Jamie Carpenter and I set out from Fish
Creek Parking lot near Lake Louise for
Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park. We
climbed 2600 feet over seven miles to Boulder Pass, where a lush alpine meadow surrounded sparkling Ptarmigan Lake. At
this point, we had done most of the climbing and could follow our choice of wellworn trails, ranging from four to 21 miles,
to Skoki Lodge.
As we made our way along the narrow trail
cut deep in the soft alpine soil, we heard
the sharp call of pikas and hoary marmots
from the surrounding rocky slopes. We
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Well fed and rested and with a
backdrop — The Three Sisters —
like this, the miles just zip by.
topped out on Deception Pass’s barren,
pebbly crest at 8200 feet before flying down
switchbacks to the sub-alpine spruce and
fir forests of Skoki Valley.
Longtime lodge manager Blake O’Brian
gave us a warm welcome and invited us in
to the 1930s peeled-log cabin for tea and
fresh-baked cookies. We gladly removed
our dusty running shoes and sat on the
porch to enjoy our refreshments. Blake
explained that pack horses travel the same
trail we had just run to deliver groceries
and supplies every few days. Somehow,
knowing this made that night’s beef tenderloin dinner taste that much better.
The longest trail out of Skoki Valley ran
along Johnston Creek for the distance of a
marathon (26 miles), climbing over Molar
Pass at 7750 feet before popping out at
Moose Meadows near Banff. Taking this
route, however, meant we needed a ride
waiting to take us to the next leg starting at
Red Earth Creek, 12 miles north of Banff.
On this section, Katherine Hamilton
and I followed Red Earth Creek fire road’s
gentle uphill grade over nine miles to
Brewster’s Shadow Lake Lodge, situated at
6000 feet. If we had wanted to really test
our lung capacity, we could have tackled
the punishing 2580-foot climb over 6.7
miles along Twin Lakes Trail from Castle
Junction to panoramic Gibbon Pass. From
there it’s a steep descent to the 1928 skier’s
lodge, which served as a cozy refuge from
the torrential rains that soaked us to the
base layers during the approach.
Over breakfast we discussed the trail conditions with the other lodge guests before
opting for an awesome 16-mile circuit over
Whistling Pass (7513 feet) to a cluster of
lakes called Mummy, Egypt and Scarab,
returning via relatively flat Pharaoh Covering around 20 MILES A DAY carrying only
Creek trail.
the BARE ESSENTIALS, we were thankful to
Back at Shadow
Lake Lodge we set have first-class meals, beds with FEATHER
off on an epic DUVETS, flannel SHEETS and fresh TOWELS
31.5-mile trail that
waiting for us at each day’s end.
meanders over
three mountain passes to Mount Assiniboine Lodge in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. The trail starts with a heinous
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climb of 1527 feet to Healy Pass, beyond
which the net elevation gain over the remaining 24.2 miles from Sunshine Meadows is only
1310 feet. My running partner Ben Smailes
and I opted to spare ourselves and shorten
the route to 17.5 miles by taking the White
Mountain Adventures hiker’s
shuttle to Sunshine Meadows,
thereby avoiding Healy Pass.
Moving along the treeline,
the golden larch needles and
bright green lichens added
stunning color to the rocky
alpine landscape as we followed our route along the
Continental Divide between
Alberta and British Columbia. Near marshy Og Lake we
spotted grizzly bear tracks in
the muddy trail — a reminder
to respect the fact we were
deep into bear territory.
Barb Renner, Mount Assinboine Lodge owner since
1983 along with her husband,
Sepp, showed us to our room
as soon as we arrived. We gave
our tired muscles a welldeserved sauna before changing into fresh clothes. For only
about $1 per pound, we had
a small bag of extra clothing
and comfy cabin slippers flown
in on that morning’s heli-sight-
seeing tour. It was well worth paying the
extra fee to avoid having to carry weighty
packs during the long, wet approach. Sitting on elk-hide furniture in the Tea Room
it became clear what had motivated Marquis
Delgi Albizzi to build this lodge at the base
of the peak dubbed the “Matterhorn of the
Rockies” back in 1928. Its remoteness,
rugged beauty and popularity among adventurous mountain climbers and skiers obviously reminded him of his native Switzerland.
The next morning we arose to find our
return route via Bryant Creek
buried under two feet of snow
and closed due to bear activity. Not entirely disappointed
with the prospect of spending
another night, we enjoyed
great company and another
fabulous dinner of cilantropesto-stuffed chicken, BBQ
salmon and rhubarb pie.
Determined to conclude our
trip on foot rather than by helicopter with the other guests,
we improvised gaitors with plastic produce bags and duct tape
and set out for seven hours of
trail blazing back to Sunshine
Meadows. Another trail-running season had come to a wintery end, but we had made the
most of the halcyon autumn
days in Canada’s high country.
Elinor Fish is a media relations
professional, writer, fitness trainer
and competitive trail runner. She
lives in Canmore, Alberta.
Churning on the
Benchlands trails.
Trailhead: Banff National Park, Alberta
Getting there. The Banff National Park boundary is 65 miles west of
Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway. The historic resort town of
Banff (4537 feet) is 10 miles into the Park. The hamlet of Lake
Louise (5039 feet) is another 37 miles west of Banff. The Park’s
980 miles of backcountry trails are easily accessible from the Trans
Canada and secondary highways.
Accommodations. There are over 100 hotels, lodges and chaletstyle places to stay in Banff and Lake Louise. A full accommodation
listing is available at: www.BanffLakeLouise.com or call the Banff/Lake
Louise Tourism Bureau at 403-762-8421.
Advance reservations and minimum two-night stay are necessary for all backcountry lodges: Skoki Lodge (www.skokilodge.com,
403-522-3555); Brewster’s Shadow Lake Lodge (www.shadowlakelodge.com, 403-762-0116); Mount Assiniboine Lodge
(www.assiniboinelodge.com, 403-678-2883). The cost per person,
per night (including dinner, breakfast and a bag lunch) begins at about
$107 at Skoki Lodge and bumps up to $133 at Shadow Lake and
Mount Assiniboine Lodges.
The Alpine Club of Canada maintains a network of backcountry
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huts scattered throughout the Canadian Rockies. Visit www.alpineclubofcanada.com or call 403-678-3200.
Weather. Trail runners will find the summer months (July through September) the best time to visit, with temperatures ranging from 80
degrees F to freezing (it may snow any month of the year so be prepared!)
and long days (the sun sets at 11 p.m. at the height of summer).
Wildlife. The Parks Canada Information Centres (224 Banff Avenue
in Banff and in the Samson Mall in Lake Louise) are your best source
for trail conditions, maps and updates on wildlife activity. Call 403762-1550 for information.
Guidebooks. Gem Trek Guide-Maps are easy to follow yet detailed
topographical maps. You can find them in most stores in Banff or
online at www.Gemtrek.com/recreation_maps.html
Don’t waste your time in the Canadian Rockies is an opinionated guidebook by Kathy and Craig Copeland (Voice in the Wilderness Press);
www.wild.bc.ca
Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies, by Graeme Pole (Altitude
Publishing) is a comprehensive guide to trails and nature in the
National Parks; www.altitudepublishing.com