Summer Alpinism in the Canadian Rockies Sample Itinerary
Day 0: Meet in Calgary, Alberta. Spend the afternoon/evening traveling to Banff or Lake Louise campground areas.
Spend the night one of these beautiful locations.
Day 1: Acclimatization ascent of Mt. Temple. We start our ascent at the world famous Moraine Lake. The southwest
ridge route is non-technical and is a great way to get used to the Canadian mountain air.
Day 2: Journey up the Icefields Parkway to our campground site which we will use as a base camp. After another
acclimatization hike in the afternoon, we make preparations to climb Mt. Athabasca the next day.
Day 3: Arising very early we set out to climb the Silverhorn Ridge on the 11,543' Mt. Athabasca. Our ascent is
popular with many climbers wanting their first taste of a big route. From the summit we have great views of the Rockies range. We descend
to the campground in the afternoon.
Day 4: We spend the day resting and perhaps doing a little sport climbing. The area is gorgeous and we'll have
plenty to take in as we prepare for our next ascent. In the evening we prepare for an ascent of the Skyladder Route on Mt. Andromeda.
Day 5: We awaken before dawn and begin our ascent of Mt. Andromeda. After crossing a large, low-angled glacier
we reach the steeper slopes of the Skyladder Route. We climb several thousand feet of moderate alpine ice to the Mt. Andromeda's
summit ridge. We follow the ridge to the summit. After our summit photos we begin the technical descent. Our descent includes both
rappelling and glacier navigation and we arrive back in the campground in the late afternoon.
Day 6: Rest and take in the sights of the Parkway. In the afternoon we return to the Lake Louise area and prepare
for an ascent of an alpine rock spire called The Grand Sentinel the next day.
Day 7: We leave the campground in the early morning hours and make a moderate approach hike to the Grand Sentinal.
After reaching the spire's base we rope up and climb four sustained pitches to the tiny summit. The rock is excellent quartzite and takes good
protection. After our rappel descent we return to Lake Louise.
Day 8: We return to Calgary and catch flights back home.
Summer Alpinism in the Canadian Rockies Trip Fees
Cost per person:
$1950(1:1 client to guide ratio)
$1450 (2:1 client to guide ratio)
Program Cost Inclusions
-UIAGM / AMGA certified guide Art Mooney
-Group climbing gear
-Seven guided climbing and instructional days
Program Cost Exclusions
-Airfare to and from Calgary
-Camping or lodging expenses
-Rental car
-Food in restaurants and while camping
-Personal equipment
Why go with us?
- Art has climbed often in the Canadian Rockies.
- IFMGA / AMGA certified guide. Art has completed courses and exams in rock guiding, alpine guiding, and ski mountaineering guiding. Art will utilize the safest and most current guiding techniques.
- A low client to guide ratios increase your chance of a successful trip.
- You will know who your guide will when you sign up for the trip.
For almost 450 miles the Canadian Rockies stretch northwest from the US border to the icy north. This range, an abrupt sawblade of peaks,
is famous for its beautiful scenery and challenging climbing. Banff and Jasper National Parks are home to a variety of superb alpine objectives
such as Mt. Edith Cavell, Mt. Athabasca, Mt. Andromeda, and Mt. Temple. During the summer the region offers a tremendous variety of climbing,
from cutting edge modern desperates to casual scrambles. Canada is famous for its rugged peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes, wild flowers, and animals,
with summer being the best time to experience them. The resort towns of Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper offer excellent rest day activities and
attractive lodging options.