CANADIAN ROCKIES ADVENTURE and OPTIONAL CALGARY STAMPEDE

Teeming with wildlife and boasting an amazing network of trails surrounded by jagged, snow-capped peaks, wildflower-filled meadows, crystal blue lakes, and raging rivers, it’s not surprising that the Canadian Rockies enjoy a robust world-wide reputation. After all, there is abundant beauty and something fun for every outdoor enthusiast. Please consider joining us on a hiking and rafting adventure in the Banff (including Lake Louise), Jasper and Yoho National Parks. Plus, we’ll make sure to spend some time in the Banff, Canmore, and Jasper townships. The event will consist of a series of day hikes, plus a rafting trip, which will allow us to return home each night to enjoy our comfortable accommodations (more details provided below). Following the conclusion of the event, those who are interested can spend some extra time at the world-famous Calgary Stampede.

[A big shout-out to fellow AOC member Papi T. for sharing his photo on this page!]

Detailed Itinerary:

Saturday, June 30 (or earlier)

Arrive Calgary

Sunday, July 1, 2018

8:00 a.m. – Depart from Calgary, ultimately heading to Jasper. We will stop in Lake Louise for our first hike at Eiffel Lake. This is a 7.0 mile hike, with 1,247 feet in elevation gain. On this hike we will have views of the Ten Peaks (a famous series of peaks visible in Banff National Park), Wenkchemna glacier, and Lake Moraine.

After hiking, we will continue our scenic drive to Jasper National Park, where we will check into our chalets.

Monday July 2, 2018

Bald Hills Hike – Jasper National Park

This is an 8.5 mile hike, with 2,066 feet in elevation gain. While some guidebookss describe the beginning of the hike as a bit boring, the upper sections should have meadows with beautiful summer wildflowers at the time of our trip. This is also the time of year to possibly see a caribou herd.

If we get an early start, we should have some extra time to visit hot springs, tour downtown Jasper, or plan a group cookout.

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Today is water day, and we will raft the mighty Fraser River! You can check out our outfitter and review information about the trip at http://maligneadventures.com/rafting/.

After the rafting event, we should have some extra time. The group could visit local hot springs; visit and ride the Jasper Skytram (you can read all about it at http://www.jasperskytram.com/); hang out in Jasper; or enjoy our chalets. Note: only rafting is included in the event price. The Skytram and hot pools would be an extra cost.

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Happy Fourth of July, Canadian style! Today we will pack up to head back toward Banff and Canmore, where we will check in to our suites. On our way, we will stop for a hike at Helen Lake and Katherine Lake. This will be a 10.1 mile hike with 2,214 feet in elevation gain. Our guidebook promises beautiful flowers, beautiful lakes, awesome peaks, and a beautiful landscape. After the hike, we’ll continue on to Canmore and check in.

Thursday July 5, 2018

Wiwaxy Gap and Opabin Lake Hike – this is a 7.1 mile hike with 1,805 feet of elevation, but listed as “challenging” in the guidebook. While described as spectacular, the hike also requires us to climb extremely steep slopes and traverse narrow ledges. The payoff should be worth it!

Friday July 6, 2018

Plain of the Six Glaciers hike – Located in the Lake Louise area, this hike is 8.3 miles, with 1,558 feet in elevation gain. The hike is described as extremely popular, with a tea house part way up the mountain. We will need to get an early start to beat the crowds.

Saturday July 7, 2018

We won’t let checking out on the last day end our adventure! Before heading back to Calgary, we’ll get in one more easy hike. The TLs will determine the specific location at a later time.

Optional Events in Calgary (July 7 and beyond)

The Calgary Stampede is perhaps the world’s largest and most famous rodeo, attracting participants from around the world. But it’s really much more than a rodeo. Started more than 100 years ago, it’s now a festival/event with concerts and a variety of forms of entertainment. In 2018 the Stampede runs from July 6 through July 15, 2018. Your trip leaders plan to explore the possibilities of this festival and attend one or more events, and all AOC participants are invited. Neither of us has ever attended, and we’ll provide more on this later, as we continue our research. We would guess that advance ticketing and hotel reservation is wise. You can start your own exploration at http://www.calgarystampede.com/stampede?utm_source=TravelAlberta-ATIS&utm_medium=TravelAlberta&utm_campaign=ATIS+-+Alberta+Tourism+Information+Service&utm_content=Event%2f814%2fen-CA.

Lodging Information

Not surprisingly, given the short summer season and the worldwide notoriety of the Canadian Rockies, locating affordable group lodging in July presented a challenge. That said, we are pleased with our accommodations, and ask anyone interested in the event to follow the links below and take a look.

Jasper Lodging (Sunday July 1, 2018 through Wednesday July 4, 2018)

In Jasper, we will stay at Becker’s Chalets (www.Beckerschalets.com), located within Jasper National Park, on the Athabasca River. Each unit has a kitchen, for those who prefer to cook or store groceries. There is also a restaurant on the grounds. Additionally, the chalets are conveniently located five minutes from Jasper Township, for those who prefer to visit restaurants.

We have reserved one deluxe chalet with a loft and two deluxe chalets without lofts. These chalets are located in shared duplexes. Due to the popularity of the units, we cannot be guaranteed where each chalet will be located within the grounds.

Canmore / Banff Lodging (Wednesday July 4, 2018 through Saturday July 7, 2017)

Banff and Lake Louise are probably the most famous towns in the Canadian Rockies. We will stay slightly south of Banff in the town of Canmore, described as quite charming in its own right. We have two 2-bedroom suites at Silver Creek Lodge (www.silvercreekcanmore.ca). These suites typically have one king-size bed; one queen-size; and one pull-out sofa.

Important lodging notes for anyone considering this trip:

(1)   Everyone must share a bed (or elect to sleep on the floor). In Jasper, we expect to have one single bed, and potentially one person can have his or her own double bed. However, in Canmore everyone must double up.

 (2)   Unfortunately, we were unable to secure lodging with a series of identical rooms. Thus, some rooms are nicer than others. Your trip leaders are not accepting trip leader discounts for this trip, but will have first choice of rooms (and will, in fact, choose the nicest ones). We need everyone to be honest with themselves – anyone who might feel slighted by this, or being asked to sleep on a sofa bed, will likely not be happy on this trip.

 (3)   Trip leaders will make all lodging assignments. 

Important Factors Each Participant Must Consider in Determining Whether to Register for this Event. Everyone’s goal is to have an incredibly fun and safe adventure. To best ensure such a result, please carefully evaluate the following factors:

1. Fitness and hiking ability – this is a D5 event for experienced hikers. Hikes sometimes include steep sections, loose or slippery ground cover, and narrow ledges, making balance and experience important. Those with a fear of heights would likely struggle. We may encounter foul weather, including ice, snow, rain, and storms. Moreover, while not every hike is D5 level, there is a cumulative effect in attending such hikes day after day.
2. Swimming ability – this adventure includes a rafting event with Class III+ rapids. If you do not know what this means, educate yourself at the following link: https://www.raftingamerica.com/whitewater-classifications/. Also review the rafting section of this write-up. While we will wear appropriate flotation devices, you should have a sufficient swimming ability to self-rescue in the event of falling into swift waters.
3. Social comfort in a group setting - Some people enjoy communal living arrangements, while others find it quite challenging. If you fall into the latter category, this trip may not be ideal for you. The sleeping arrangements have been previously discussed. Thus, we will all be living in close quarters and need to be mindful that we cannot expect the same level of privacy, comfort, solitude, quiet, etc. to which we are accustomed at home.
4. Notes on wildlife:  Many people visit these National Parks with the hopes of viewing wildlife. These sightings greatly enhance the experience for many of us who love the outdoors. However, as we all know, wildlife also adds an element of danger. These parks have populations of grizzly bears and other dangerous animals. We will be hiking in a group, which usually deters wildlife from approaching, but is not a guarantee. We will also have 3 containers of bear spray. You should educate yourself fully on these issues and make a determination as to whether you are comfortable with the risk posed by wildlife. Additionally, participants may buy additional bear spray in Canada.
5. Exploratory nature of Events: For your TLs, this event promises to be an awesome week of exploration in an exciting environment we have never visited. However, understand that your TLs have never hiked these trails or rafted the Fraser River. While we have studied trail guides, you should be in sufficient shape to hike additional mileage if we miss a turn or hike the wrong route.

Registration Procedure

Pursuant to AOC policy, each TL will register a guest. This leaves 8 spaces to be filled. We wish there were room for more, but lodging limitations make it impossible to expand the group.

All registrants shall initially be placed on the wait list so that the TLs can evaluate the registrant’s fitness/experience level and social history in the club. Any registrant who does not have a recent resume of hikes in the AOC will be contacted by the TLs to ensure that the registrant has an appropriate fitness and experience level gained outside the Club.

The TLs will also take into account other logistical considerations, such as gender (for appropriate roommate/sleeping arrangements)* and whether a participant will only attend if another person makes the list. The registrants shall be reviewed in the order of registration, and if appropriate, the trip leaders will then move the registrant onto the active roster. Once placed on the active list, the registrant will have 7 days, or until December 29, 2017, whichever comes later, to pay in full. Failure to pay will result in the registrant being returned to the waiting list. Payment must be made to the TLs, not the AOC. Additional payment instructions will be provided once a registrant makes the list. The TLs may shorten the payment time for any later registrations occurring closer to the time of the event.

* We will do our best to create sleeping arrangements with which everyone is comfortable. Certainly, couples may share accommodations. However, if gender is an issue, someone on the waiting list may be skipped to get to the next person of the gender needed to complete a bed assignment. TLs will contact people, if necessary, to obtain additional information.

Important note on agents for registration: Because everyone will initially be placed on the waiting list, the computer system will not permit a person to act as an agent for another member. Therefore, everyone must register for themselves.

Transportation:  Each person will be responsible for his or her own airfare and for obtaining transportation from the airport to the meetup location in Calgary (which will be provided at a later date), and from Calgary to the airport at the conclusion of the event.  

We will have three rental cars for transportation to our daily events. Anyone who elects not to participate on any particular day will be responsible for his or her own transportation while not with the group. We will share gas expenses equally as they are incurred during the week.

Park Entrance Fee: We will have to pay a park entrance fee each day. These have not been purchased in advance, and are not included in the price of the event. Longer-term passes are also available for those who plan to spend extra time in Canada.

Weather: In the Canadian Rockies, July is considered to be a great month for summer activities. However, even in July there can be wide weather swings. During hikes, we will reach altitudes which occasionally have snow or ice in summer. Summer rainstorms can also occur. You are advised to independently review weather reports as the time for departure approaches and pack accordingly.

Changes:  Details of this event, such as the specific trail hiked, are subject to change based upon an assessment of a multitude of variables, such as weather, conditions, crowds and new information.

Additional Costs: The TLs have attempted to accurately reflect all costs for the trip. However, because this trip is being planned so far in advance, and because it is exploratory, unanticipated costs could arise, such as parking fees, tolls, taxes, insurance, increases to lodging costs, maps, etc. Should such additional costs be incurred, each participant shall be assessed a pro rata portion of these expenses.

Additional Payment Information: 

The Trip Leader(s) for this event has (have) elected either to personally collect the funds that event participants are required to pay, or to require participants to pay funds directly to a third party. No funds will be paid to the Atlanta Outdoor Club for this event. Therefore, by registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree to the following: (1) the monies paid by registrants will not be monitored, managed, or otherwise accounted for by the Atlanta Outdoor Club; (2) that the Atlanta Outdoor Club bears no financial responsibility for this event; and (3) you waive any and all claims against the Atlanta Outdoor Club, and hold the Atlanta Outdoor Club harmless for the loss of any monies you paid for this event.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any paying registrant may request directly from the Trip Leader, prior to the event, a breakdown of funds collected, estimated expenses, and deposits made in anticipation of the event. Following the event, the Trip Leader must complete his or her financial accounting for the event, with supporting documentation, within 30 days of the completion of the event, and a paid registrant may request a breakdown of funds collected, money spent and supporting documentation after that time. If you are unable to obtain requested documentation, please contact the Director of Paid Events.

Payment may be made via PayPal or Check to the TL (not the AOC). It is your responsibility to get the payment to the trip leader by the due date. Allow two days processing for PayPal and one week to mail a check.

Note on cost of Event: In costing out this trip, we have added $20.00 per person, which will be paid to the AOC (not the TLs) for the administrative functioning of the club. We have also added $20.00 per person to cover currency changes. If the currency changes favor the U.S. dollar, we will use the extra money toward the gas expenses in Canada. If the currency changes favor the Canadian dollar, if this extra fee is insufficient to fully reimburse the TLs, a surcharge will result to each participant. 

• Lodging in Jasper and Canmore.
• Rental Cars.
• Rafting Trip.
• 3 Containers of Bear Spray.

Cost Does Not Include:

• Airfare
• Transfers to or from airport (the event will begin and end in the city of Calgary)
• Lodging before or after event
• National Park entrance fees (incurred daily)
• Food, Beverage, Alcohol
• Optional Events, such as Sky Tram or hot springs
• Tips (including rafting adventure)
• Gasoline for automobiles

If 12 people do not sign up within a reasonable time, the trip will be cancelled and a refund provided, less the $20.00 AOC fee. If the trip is not cancelled, there is no guaranteed refund period. Therefore, please be sure before paying. However, a person can drop the event and receive a refund if an acceptable replacement is found to attend the event in a paid participant’s place. 

There will be no partial payments for partial participation. If a Member chooses to only participate in a portion of an event, his or her cost is the same as the posted Member Cost.