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)

Wonder Peak to Mount Cautley Traverse

Hike Name: Wonder Peak to Mount Cautley Traverse
Activity: Scrambling

Distance: ~20km (RT)

Altitude: Wonder Peak 2,852 m (Summited), Mount Cautley 2,880 m (Attempt)

Elevation Gain: ~1200m

Area: Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park

Crew: Stephen, Jaimie, Travis, Stephanie

Time to Summit: Unknown (didn't keep track)

Lisa's Mom Rating: No

Trailhead: Lake Magog Backcountry Campground

Getting There:

See the link below in "Additional Info".

Additional Info:

This hike was on Day 3 of our Mount Assiniboine backpacking trip. The weather looked gloomy at breakfast but we decided to head over to Wonder Pass to re-evaluate the clouds once we arrived. The weather looked ok so we headed up Wonder Peak, which was an awesome scramble by the way, when the sun came through the clouds. We were able to enjoy a summit-hang-out and then continued along the ridge to Mount Cautley. Apparently we were the first of the season (following 1 group ahead of us) to complete the traverse, as there is still a cornice on one section of the ridge. We scrambled around it and finally made it through the tricky sections of the ridge, when we saw a rainstorm rolling in. At about 100 vertical meters from the summit of Mount Cautley, we decided it was smart to head down so we scree-skied down into the valley - fastest summit ditch ever! The rain was pouring down on us at the bottom so we stopped at the Assiniboine Lodge for some tea. Of course the rest of the day was sunny and hot so we enjoyed our evening at the campsite.

This was definitely my favorite day of the trip - a day with the whole crew and an awesome scramble!

 Pausing on a cliff near the summit of Wonder. Clear view of Mount Assiniboine. In the valley to the left is Marvel Lake (lower lake) and Gloria Lake (upper lake)

 Jaimie on the summit of Wonder Peak, Assiniboine shrouded in clouds in the background.

 Me on the summit of Wonder Peak

 A clear Mount Assiniboine. Near the summit of Wonder Peak.

 Jaimie and Steph looking good as always! Picture taken right after the final scramble to the summit of Wonder Peak.

 Jaimie, Steve, and Steph on the summit of Wonder Peak

Storm rolling in when we were almost at Cautley. You can hardly see Assiniboine. Wonder on the left.