When Heaven Finds a Home on Earth

 

Views from the Niblet

Every once in awhile something very special comes along and a trip to Mount Assiniboine definitely falls into that category.  A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to join a local hiking group.  I'm relatively new to hiking and am definitely not someone who would be considered athletic but, you know, from the very first hike to Crypt Lake, I was hooked. Since then, my goal has been to lose that weight I gained during Covid and to continue to train so that I could run with the big dogs, so to speak.  I can't say I've accomplished much when it comes to weight but I have definitely been putting some time and effort into strength and endurance training.  And, while I will likely never keep up with the hares, I've found a solid home amongst the turtles.

Who goes Up Must Come Down

One of the best things about joining a club is having so many amazing mentors. They come in all ages, shapes and sizes, are primarily women, and collectively have hiked pretty much everything I might aspire to.  One day, conversation turned to the adventures that many have had either hiking or flying into lodges. By all who have done so, I was told it was a 'once in a lifetime' experience, even though several have been more than once. 

At our annual coordinator's meeting, I was full of ideas.  Let's do a multi-day hike in Jasper, I said, to support the community after the big fires.  Great idea, they said; you plan it.  It wasn't everything I dreamed it would be but a plan was developed, executed and deemed a success.

Oh Canada, How Amazing You Are!

Let's put our name into Lake Assiniboine, I said.  Go for it, they replied! So I did, along with two other women, both returnees.  Rumour had it that 50% of guests would be new customers and the rest would be returnees.  I got the 'Dear John' letter, as did one of the other applicants but the third applicant played it very smart.  She applied as a returnee, as did her husband and, guess what! they both were chosen! The first was for a group of 10 in August, and the second was a cabin for 4 in September. They kept the cabin for 4 and turned over the lodge for 10 to the Club coordinators. As it turned out, only 6 jumped on board and, you guessed it, I was one of them.

The first decision to be made is whether we are going to hike in and/or out or helicopter.  There are actually two routes, the first being a 30km hike from Sunshine Village, in Banff National Park; and the second being a 27km hike from the Mount Shark trailhead, in Spray Lakes Provincial Park.  I knew my answer.  As 'the weak link' I was definitely flying in. I thought I might be up for the hike out but wasn't convinced I'd be up for an additional 3.5 hour drive home.  Ultimately, we all chose to fly in and out; the helicopter was an experience in itself for each one of us.

Assiniboine Lodge

The second question was about accommodation.  There are camp sites at Lake Magog as well as Og Lake.  This is definitely not for me.  About 200metres from the Lodge are the Naiset Huts, providing dorm style accommodation for 5-8 people.  You bring everything you need except the tent. I'd do it in a pinch but I had my eye on the Lodge itself, a luxurious backcountry accommodation providing comfortable beds, hot showers, and a flush indoor 'pee only' toilet! And did I mention the culinary experience? Or the wine? Or the beer? Or the guided hikes? Honestly, they had me at 'toilet'.

As time closed in, there was lots going on in BC and Alberta, namely, massive out-of-control fires throughout interior BC. I'm not going to lie, I didn't think it was going to go all that well. While there were no fires in the vicinity, the smoke was a different matter altogether and hiking in heavy smoke is neither pleasant or safe.  And then there was the forecast.  It went from a balmy 20 something and sun to single digits and rain.  I'm no sissy; I have hiked in the rain many times but, dammit, a major part of the attraction of Mount Assiniboine are the spectacular views--some would consider them the best alpine views in the World!

Off we went to the Mount Shark helipad, where we received instruction on how to label our packs, how to board the helicopter, safety, etc.  It was raining. The weather was socking in and there was no helicopter to be seen.  Our luggage was getting wet; our packs were getting wet; we were getting wet. But our spirits remained undampened!

It might only be a 9 minute ride but, let me say this; it was a pretty darn thrilling 9 minute ride, particularly for the individual who was chosen to sit in the front with the pilot.  The look of sheer exhilaration on their shining faces was enough to spill over onto the rest of us and keep our excitement high. 

And suddenly, we're 'there'; we're at the lodge and, guess what!  No rain!  In fact, it has been one of the driest summers for the lodge which, while lovely for guests, can become an issue for the lodge's potable water coming from a stream-fed lake. We have a short orientation, are shown to our rooms, and given a bit of time to unpack before we are off on our first hike. 

It's Hard to Beat This View from the Lodge

Andre gathered about 30 of us together and began to lead us on our first hike.  With about 250m of elevation, the Niblet comes first, offering the first and lowest major viewpoint of Sunburst and Cerulean Lakes and false summit.  Then there's the Nublet, a steeper climb but with a more expansive view of the surrounding peaks and lakes.  Overall, this was about a 7km looped hike offering around 370m of elevation. Finally, there's a ridge walk from the Nublet to the adjacent Nub. While it's only a 9.3km hike with 645m elevation gain, the ridge is technical and the drop is 1000m straight down. Sometimes it pays to be a mediocre hiker; no one suggested we carry on to the Nub. Besides, we were all eager to experience afternoon tea. 

Some Things are Done the 'Old Fashioned' Way

One thing everyone has mentioned about staying in the lodge, you won't go hungry and, no matter how many calories you might burn hiking, you're likely going to consume all of that and more.  Tea might also include coffee, juice, beer or wine. Our first tea offered up an amazing blueberry cake.  I know it was amazing because I had two pieces just to make sure I knew what I was talking about. Our second afternoon tea was more along the lines of charcuterie.  Our first meal was salmon. . . not a fan and the 'stand in' was tofu.  That I didn't expect but, you know, it was really good!  So good, in fact, that I'm going to try to figure out how to make it.  I found one on line that sure looks similar. You can find a link in the resources.

Photo Credit:  Colleen Thome

Between tea and dinner everyone does there own thing.  Many ran for one of the 3 showers available; others sat in the sauna and still others continued on with a drink in their hand and visited, curled up with a copy of 'Mount Assiniboine, the Story' available for purchase, and an incredible collection of 130 years of history.

After a very filling two-course breakfast on the second day, two different hikes were offered.  The first was a moderate 13km hike offering hike about 450metres of elevation, dubbed 'lakes and meadows' while the second was the more strenuous 12km hike with about 800meters of elevation gain. The first option would lead us through Wonder Pass while the second option includes a steep, rocky scramble with the promise of incredible views.  I knew where I was going and, much to my surprise, so did all but one of my group.  In fact, we were the only 5 who chose the moderate hike.  

Lakes & Meadows

Cairn at the Alberta/BC border

I kind of feel like we hit pay dirt. First, I always find hiking with a smaller group more intimate and enjoyable.  Second, we had Alex, the son of one of the owners who literally grew up at Mount Assiniboine. Alex is personable, passionate about what he does and full of stories. And did I mention, he also knows where some of the best sights are? He lead us through meadows teeming with wildflowers; we walked around gorges and crossed small streams.  The plan was to have a late lunch at an amazing view point but, wouldn't you know it, the clouds rolled in and the rain came down.  Alex promised we would have some protection in a small copse of trees.  Imagine my surprise when that small copse turned out to be 3 scraggly little spruce. He knew what he was doing; his pack came open and he pulled out a small tarp just large enough for the 6 of us to hunker down under.  By the time lunch was over, the clouds began to clear and he pointed out no less than 18 mountain goats. We were able to catch sight of Marvel Lake, a small jewel known as Gloria Lake, and other glacial ponds. We all agreed, it was an amazing day.

Photo Credit:  Colleen Thome

Photo Credit:  Colleen Thome

We had one final morning and one final breakfast at the lodge.  I admit, it was a little bittersweet to be packing up so soon after our arrival.  We took a stroll down to the shores of Lake Magog, and took advantage of the scenery for a few more photo ops.  Then is was back to the lodge to pack our brown bag lunch, grab our gear and head to the helipad.  It's hard to say whether we flew back into Mount Shark on the same track; it was raining so hard when we were going in that it was impossible to see much.  But, this time, the weather was much more accommodating.  I was fortunate enough to be sitting with a couple who has been making Mount Assiniboine an annual habit for over 20 years!  They generously shared some of their favourite stories from their adventures and kindly pointed out some of the landmarks we were seeing from the air.  All I could think was, my, what a wonderful World we live in!

Photo Credit:  Colleen Thome

We landed, found our packed ourselves into the SUV and headed for home, much elated by our experience and a wee bit deflated that it was over.  We all agreed that it was an amazing experience and worth every penny that we spent.  We all agreed that it would be wonderful to have similar experiences at some of the other lodges we have tucked into the Rocky Mountains.  At least two of us are already on the hunt for a similar opportunity or even a redo!  Stay tuned!

Resources:

https://hpdsinc.blogspot.com/2019/12/my-trail-to-die-on-crypt-lake-hike.htmlhttps://hipfoodiemom.com/2022/04/11/pan-fried-tofu-with-ginger-soy-dressing/
https://assiniboinelodge.com/buy-our-book-mount-assiniboine-story