Tryst Chutes

More info to come.

Emerald Peak (Winter)

Helen Shoulder

More info to come.

Iceline Trail (Overnight)

Name: Iceline Trail

Activity: Backcountry Camping/Backpacking

Total Distance: ~20 km

# Nights: 1

Date: July 20 - July 21, 2019

Area: Yoho National Park

Crew: Ben, Steph, Jeevan
Trailhead: Takkakaw Falls

Route: 
Day 1 - Trailhead to Little Yoho Backcountry Campground
Night 1 - Sleep at Little Yoho Backcountry Campground
Day 2 - Back to Trailhead through the Iceline Trail

More Info to Come.

Narao Glades iv

We just keep coming back. It's not too far of a drive, pretty low risk, fun, chill... Today was a sunny day and we came with Mark F.

Bryant Creek Shelter iii (Overnight)

More info to come!

Trip #2

Initial trip

Chickadee Valley

After skiing here last week, we had to come back! More info to come.

Chickadee Slide Paths

More info to come.
We came back the next week!

Narao Glades iii

We're back! More info to come.

Trip 2
Trip 1

Wawa Ridge

More information to come.

Bow Hut

More info to come.

Egypt Lake Shelter (Overnight)

Name: Egypt Lake Shelter

Activity: Backcountry Camping/Backpacking

Total Distance: ~30 km

# Nights: 2

Date: September 29 - October 1, 2018

Area: Banff National Park

Crew: Ben
Trailhead: Sunshine Parking Area/Gondola Base

Route: 
Day 1 - Sunshine to Egypt Lake Shelter (12 km, ~700m)
Day 2 - Pharaoh Peak (~6 km, ~800m)
Day 3 - Egypt Lake Shelter to Sunshine (12 km, ~400m)


Ben and I really wanted to get out to the mountains for an over-nighter since we didn't get as many in this year as we like to. As the weekend drew nearer, the weather forecast became worse, and as we watched the vacancy rise in Egypt Lake Shelter, we decided to book it. We decided to maybe do a day-hike on day 2 but if the weather was too poor, we were happy with hanging out at the shelter and reading. Luckily, the weather held out long enough for us to summit Pharaoh Peak, and it started to snow just as we returned! The hike out was snowy and low-vis but we had an awesome time... ski season is just around the corner!

I came here with Julia and Jeevan in 2015.

 At Healy Pass (day 1)

Looking over towards Egypt/Scarab Lake. Pharaoh Peak on the right.

Northover Ridge (Overnight)

Name: Northover Ridge

Activity: Backcountry Camping/Backpacking

Total Distance: 41 km

# Nights: 2

Date: July 21 - July 23, 2018

Area: Kananaskis Lakes

Crew: Ben, Mark, Laura
Trailhead: Interlakes

Route: 
Day 1 - Interlakes to Aster Lake (14km, ~600m) +3km because we missed a turn (so deep in conversation that we went 1.5km without noticing!)
Day 2 - Aster Lake to Three Isle Lake via Northover Ridge (13km, ~950 total)
Day 3 - Three Isle Lake to Interlakes (11km, all downhill, baby)


Northover Ridge has been on the top of our list for a looooong time. We have been talking about it for a few years, and booked it for September 2017 but had to cancel due to a snowstorm and hiked into Assiniboine instead. We finally got it booked for the summer of 2018 and we crossed our fingers for nice weather.

I'll start talking about booking - book 90 days in advance from the first day of your trip - they are strict. We emailed them at 9am on the 90-day-prior-mark and didn't get one of the 5 tent pads at Aster for the Friday night, so we shifted our trip by 1 day (Saturday to Monday instead) and booked right at midnight to get in. This was actually for the best, since on our hike in, everyone we talked to who had done the ridge said it was insanely windy - including on Saturday (the day we originally planned to do the ridge). Luckily, our ridge day - Sunday - had little to no wind and no rain/snow! We were beyond stoked. Of course.

The first day was pretty funny, as we were all head-down, chatting, following each other and kept missing turns. At one point we walked 1.5km in the wrong direction (at least it was flat!) and had to double back so we tacked 3km onto our day.... nice warmup, right??... right. The trail to hidden lake was a little tough to find (with our heads down & hearts in the middle of the now, as Bennett would say) but once we found it, it was quite obvious and a well-beaten track. I'll point out that the trail in the trees around Hidden Lake is solid too - as older trip reports say it is a bushwhack - it is not anymore.

Aster Lake Campground is a beautiful little spot. We met a guided group who had just summited Joffre that day and also ran into some friends at Aster Lake - which is hilarious, considering it is probably the smallest campground in Kananaskis (with 5 tent pads)! We ate some delicious backcountry tacos for dinner - not even dehydrated - thanks for carrying 2 lbs of raw meat in, Laura! We had also read about a porcupine infestation on previous trip reports and they were the butt of the jokes for the weekend - so we were diligent about hanging our packs and hiding our boots in our vestibules - and were looking forward to laughing at the porcupine shrieks in the middle of the night - but that didn't happen... so update: seems that there are no more porcupine at Aster Lake! Haha.

The next day we hiked Northover Ridge to Three Isle Lake. And what a day it was! The photos will speak for themselves (below), but it was a stellar day with pretty ideal weather. We all agreed that this is the best backcountry trip we have ever done in Alberta/BC. The boys went for a dip in Three Isle lake, we played Shithead (which Mark remained undefeated in?????), then called it a night (at 9:30... bunch'a night owls).

Get ready for a photo overload...!

 Making our way to Aster Lake (Day 1)

 Laura (Day 1)

 U wot m8? (Day 1)

 One of the few scramble sections on the way to Aster (Day 1)

 The entire Aster Lake Campground in 1 pic. Seriously beautiful spot. (Day 1)

 The most scenic outhouse. (Day 1)

 Walking towards Aster Lake. Mount Warrior in the middle background (Day 2)

 Tight on the left path around Aster Lake (Day 2)

 HI MOM (Day 2)

 Joffre, Bennett, Warrior. (Day 2)

 Laura walking towards the pass we have to ascend soon (just right of Center, Day 2)

 ..and the Tarns, which you can random-camp at (they are in BC, Day 2)

 Bennett, Joffre. (Day 2)

 3 studs. (Day 2)

 A group close behind us (Day 2)

 A group not too far ahead of us (Day 2)

 Group pic before dropping down towards Three Isle (Day 2)

 Mark and the huge landscape (Day 2)

 Dropping in towards Three Isle, which can be seen at the end of the valley (Day 2)

 Crew still cruisin' (Day 2)

 Dinner with a view (Day 2)

Heading back to reality! (Day 3)

Hero's Knob

Name: Hero's Knob
Activity: Alpine Touring/Backcountry Skiing

Distance: ? km

Altitude: ~2,300 m

Elevation Gain: ~900 m

Area: Kananaskis (Spray Reservoir)

Crew: Bennett, Jordan, Shannon, Mitch, Lora, Garrett

Time to Summit: ?

Trailhead: Pullover on the side of the road just South of the Sawmill parking lot.

Getting There:

From the Trans-Canada (Hwy 1), head south on Kananaskis Trail (Hwy 40). At the gate closure, turn right. Take the right turn for the Smith Dorrien (Hwy 742). Eventually the Sawmill parking lot will be on your right; turn around and park a few hundred meters south.

Additional Info:

Had an unreal day skiing a few laps on Hero's Knob. Steph V, Aaron et. al. actually did the same tour as us this day and we met up at the parking lot/summit but toured separately. The snow was amazing and the weather was gorgeous- and to top it all off we stopped at the Canmore Brewing Co. for a few beers apres.

Crew debating the route

Cruisin'

 Skinnin'

 Skiin'. Dorkiest skiier on the mountain! (Photo: Shannon)

Way up.

Crowfoot Glades

Name: Crowfoot Glades
Activity: Alpine Touring/Backcountry Skiing

Distance: ? km

Altitude: ~2,300 m

Elevation Gain: ~700 m

Area: Banff National Park

Crew: Bennett, Jon, Emma, Jake

Time to Summit: ?

Trailhead: Pullover on the side of the road to intersect the south end of Bow Lake.

Getting There:

From the Trans-Canada (Hwy 1), head north on the Icefield Parkway (Hwy 93). Continue about 30 km.

Additional Info:

So, we were supposed to ski Crowfoot Glades on Saturday after skiing Narao Glades with Jon on Friday. We all woke up a little bit hung over and decided to skip it. Craving the outdoors all day and failing to forgive ourselves for skipping a mountain day, we decided at 11pm Saturday night that it would be a great idea to do Crowfoot Glades the next day, even though Bennett and I had to be back for 5PM Easter dinner... and it was a great idea! We had an unreal day, skiing 3 or 4 laps, with only 1 other group in the area. The snow was the best I've ever skiied in, straight chaaampagne powder!! What a great ski day. Then we went back to my parents place for a lovely steak dinner. Yum.

 Crossing the lake towards the glades (seen on the left of the photo)

 4 abreast.

 Spot 2 ski tourers?

 Adventurin'

 The only sun we had all day

 Keep risin'.

Searchin' for dat good good!

Narao Glades ii

Name: Narao Glades
Activity: Alpine Touring/Backcountry Skiing

Distance: ~10 km

Altitude: ~2,500 m

Elevation Gain: ~800 m

Area: Yoho National Park

Crew: Bennett, Jon

Time to Summit: ?

Trailhead: Lake O'hara Fire Road

Getting There:

From the Trans-Canada (Hwy 1), head west past Lake Louise. As you enter Yoho and begin descending, take the left turn towards Lake O'hara and park in the parking lot.

Additional Info:

Link to Original Narao Glades Post

On the long weekend that Jon was in town, we wanted to get out touring but the avalanche forecast wasn't amazing. We all had to be back in the city by 5 so we settled on a spot that Bennett and I had been to a few weeks ago, where we could do as many laps as time permitted and wouldn't have to worry too much about route-finding. As we had such a great time at Narao Glades last time, we decided to come back!
And we came back again the next season!

 Three Blind Mice

 The boys

 Narao Peak from the bottom of our first run. The shoulder below and infront.

 On the Lake O'Hara fire road

Sharing food.. egg cups and chicken!

Tent Ridge (Winter)

Name: Tent Ridge
Activity: Alpine Touring/Backcountry Skiing

Distance: ~7 km

Altitude: ~2,500 m

Elevation Gain: ~800 m

Area: Kananaskis (Spray Valley)

Crew: Bennett

Time to Summit: ?

Trailhead: Parking lot on the right side of the road halfway to Mt. Shark Trailhead

Getting There:
Head south on Kananaskis Trail (Hwy 40) from the Trans Canada (Hwy 1). Take the turnoff toward the Kananaskis Lakes/Smith-Dorrien. Take the Smith Dorrien and then turn at the Mt. Engadine Lodge turnoff. Continue past the lodge, and up the road. You will come across a parking area on the right.

Additional Info:

Summer Hike/Scramble

We were on our way back from Canmore for the weekend and were trying to decide what to do. We cross country skiied at Pipestone Loop the previous day and wanted to go for a tour. We were debating between Burstall Pass and Tent Ridge and decided to do Tent Ridge, as the avi forecast was quite low this day and there wasn't much risk of solar warming as it was cloudy. We were planning on staying in the trees if the visibility remained poor but with good conditions, we made our way a little ways up the shoulder on the left and did two laps. We got a few very brief bouts of sun, the day mostly consisted of clouds moving in/out to obscure visibility. There was another group on the mountain this day, skiing the same left-hand side of the bowl, as well as 2 groups skiing the right-hand side.

 Staring to clear up

 Our turnaround point

 Cool shots in the clouds

 "Bennett take photos of me tooooo"

 Can you spot Bennett among the trees? (Probably not because he blends right in with his black outfit...)

 Best snack ever.

 Snowwwww

Heading up through the trees.