Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park (Overnight)

Name: Lake Magog Backcountry Campground
Activity: Backcountry Camping/Backpacking

Total Distance: 112 km

# Nights: 4

Date: July 7-11, 2016

Area: Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park

Crew: Stephanie, Jaimie, Travis, Stephen
Trailhead: Mount Shark Trailhead

Route: 
Day 1 - Mount Shark Trailhead to Lake Magog Campground (ele. 2200m) via Assiniboine Pass (29km)
Day 2 - Summit the Nub Peak (2755m) and Sunburst Peak (2830m)
Day 3 - Summit Wonder Peak (2852m) and traverse to Mount Cautley (2880m) attempt, foiled by a rain storm!
Day 4 - Summit Windy Ridge (?m) and Cave Mountain (2651m) then swim in Lake Magog
Day 5 - Hike out to Mount Shark Trailhead via Wonder Pass (27km)


We stayed at the Lake Magog Campground for the 4 nights of our stay at Assiniboine (it was our ABC - Assiniboine Base Camp!). It is a lovely campground, and feels luxurious for the backcountry. There is a covered cooking shelter with 4 picnic tables, and a water tap which we still filtered, but a lot of people didn't. They have bear lockers and bear hangers. Many outhouses that are surprisingly well maintained (toilet paper too!). It is a busy campground with 29 tent pads and an overflow area. The campground is nestled into the far end of Lake Magog, close to Mount Assiniboine herself, and right below the Sunburst Peaks.
The hike in felt surprisingly easy - perhaps I built it up in my mind to be huge and difficult, but the time passed quickly as we chatted and made our way to Assiniboine pass. It took us 7 hours (including breaks) to reach the Assiniboine Lodge, and from there it was another 2km to the campground. (May I note that Jaimie is a beast and she did the hike-in in 5 hours total)
The hike out through Wonder Pass felt more challenging, mainly because of 1. It was raining the entire time, 2. The excitement we had on the hike-in was far greater than our need to take off our boots and go eat ribs and pizza on the hike-out, 3. After four days of long treks and double peak days, we were understandably tuckered out. In the end, we travelled for 8 hours to reach the cars at the Mount Shark Trailhead (including a nice long lunch break in the Bryant Creek Cabin to dry off a bit and change our socks!).
Overall this trip was absolutely unreal, from the views, the scrambles, the squad (!), the campground, the park, the card games before bed (we were all presidents and assholes, Stephen was naturally the most merciful president), etc.
This is an adventure I will never forget, a park that I will most definitely return to, and a crew of people that hold an even more special place in my heart now - after we shared this wonderful experience together!!

 Jaimie and I warming up in the sun after going for a dip in the Lake. You can see Steph, Travis and Stephen by the shore on the bottom right. (Day 4)

 

 Me, Mount Magog, and Mount Assiniboine (top), Jaimie and I in Lake Magog (bottom) (Day 4)

Cooking in the cooking shelter (Day 3)

Hanging out on the Niblet. Left to Right - Jaimie, Steph, Me, Travis, Stephen (Day 2)