Appalachian Mountain Club. Day Hiking in the Magnificent Canadian Rockies July 28 August 7, 2018

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1 Appalachian Mountain Club Day Hiking in the Magnificent Canadian Rockies July 28 August 7, 2018 We are glad that you are interested in this exciting trip! Please read the information carefully, and then contact us if you have specific questions about this trip: L Carl Rosenthal ; crosenthal789@msn.com or CL Samir Patel SUMMARY The National Geographic rates the Canadian Rockies one of the ten must see wilderness destinations in the world. Towering snow capped peaks, huge glaciers, serene glacial lakes, dramatic waterfalls, flowering alpine meadows provide breathtaking views and memorable experiences each day. I feel so fortunate to be leading my fifth trip to this stunningly beautiful part of the world. To get some idea of how beautiful it is, hold the Ctrl key and click on: to see photos taken by Susan Faidley, a participant on my 2014 trip to the Canadian Rockies. We will fly into Calgary, Alberta, Canada to rent cars and begin our journey. We will spend our first night at a motel in Calgary and our first day hiking to Lake Annette. After the hike we will drive to the Hi-Lake Louise Alpine Center where we will spend the next eight nights. Each day we will do hikes with panoramic vistas that have startling impact. They are hikes that you would be eager to do again. I know I am! Most hikes will be in Banff National Park, two will be in Yoho Nat'l Park and one in Jasper Nat'l Park. We will spend our last night in Calgary at a motel near the Airport. TYPICAL PARTICIPANTS You should enjoy traveling and be comfortable traveling in areas which are unfamiliar to you. You should recognize that you may find yourself in closer quarters or be less comfortable than you are used to at home. You should make it a priority to help others on the trip and contribute to their having a great time. If you do that, we guarantee that you will have a great time. This trip is designed for experienced hikers. You must be able to hike 5 to 11 miles a day at a moderate pace easily, with moderate elevation gains between 1500 and 2500 feet, while carrying enough equipment to keep you safe in the event of bad weather or injury. Itinerary (mi. = round trip mileage, ft. = feet of elevation gain) Day 1, SAT 7/28: Fly to Calgary, Alberta where we will rent cars, shop for breakfast and lunch supplies, have dinner and spend the night. Day 2, SUN 7/29: We ll begin our hiking by going to Lake Annette (8.7 mi., 820 ft.). While the lake is beautiful, it 1

2 is the views of Mt. Temple s sheer 4,000 foot north face which are most impressive and the main attraction. Day 3, MON 7/30: Hiking to Helen Lake, we will spend little time in the trees before emerging into a sub-alpine zone where we can see meadowland beauty and distant scenery. After a break at the lake, we can continue to a high ridge with improved views. In 2014, this area was populated by many friendly marmots and in 2016, we encountered a grizzly. (8.3 mi. 2,300 ft.). Day 4, TUE 7/31: We will drive north on the beautiful Icefields Parkway, stopping at some scenic outlooks along the way. Then we will do two short hikes, one to the saddle on Parker Ridge (2.5 mi. 892 ft) and the other to Wilcox Pass (5 mi. 1,100 ft.). Few hikes anywhere are as instantly and extravagantly gratifying as these are. The views of the Columbia Icefield are amazing. Day 5, WED 8/1: We'll want to get an early start to avoid the crowds for this rightly very popular hike which starts at beautiful Moraine Lake and goes through the Valley of the Ten Peaks to the eye-popping views from Sentinel Pass (9.2 mi. 2,381 ft.). On our return, we will take a side trail for about a mile for close up views of the spectacular, and rightly famous, Valley of the Ten Peaks. Day 6, THU 8/2: Today we will climb spectacular 9,000 ft. Fairview Mt. (6.6 mi. 3,328 ft.) on the highest trail in the Canadian Rockies. Along the way we will go through Saddleback, a meadow-like pass rich with wildflowers and a destination in its own right. Day 7, FRI 8/3: We will do a 3.4 mile walk through world famous Johnston Canyon in the morning. Then we drive into beautiful Banff for some sightseeing, food and/or souvenir shopping and dinner. Day 8, SAT 8/4: In Yoho Nat'l Park, our hike starts at awesome Takakkaw Falls, possibly the highest waterfall in Canada. After admiring the Falls, we head to the Iceline Highpoint (10.5 mi. 2,265 ft.) This is a steep hike over rugged glacial moraine, but the postcard-worthy scenery makes the trip more than worthwhile. Views of Emerald Glacier and the west face of the Vice President are dazzling highlights. Day 9, SUN 8/5: In Yoho Nat'l Park, we will hike past Sherbrooke Lake through a gorgeous meadow to the Niles Amphitheater. After a nice break there, we may have time to ascend to the fantastic panorama provided at the Niles Meadow (12.2 mi. 2,352 ft.). Day 10, MON 8/6: Today's hike from Chateau Lake Louise through the Plain of the Six Glaciers (8.6 mi. 1,522 ft.) is probably the most famous and popular hike in the Canadian Rockies. We'll get up early for this, so we can enjoy the dazzling beauty of this colossal amphitheater and get to the teahouse before things get too crowded. Then, we drive to Calgary for our Farewell Dinner and to spend the night. Day 11, TUE 8/7: Fly Home. 2

3 Group size A minimum of 14 and a maximum of 16, including leaders. A waiting list will be established if more than 14 people apply for the excursion. Expectations/Experience Level for Participants In order to participate in this excursion, you must consider and agree to the following: Ability: You must be able to hike an average of 8 miles per day at a moderate pace easily, with moderate elevation gains, while carrying enough equipment to keep you safe in the event of bad weather or injury. Group Dynamics: You must participate as part of a group and abide by the leaders decisions. You must work towards the group having a good time, be prepared to help your fellow hikers and spend time with other participants on the trip. In doing so, you will enjoy the trip to the maximum. Group Safety: Group safety will be our Number 1 priority. Driving: Some participants will be asked to share in the driving. Please inform the leaders if you would like to do this. National Park Rules: We will obey the rules and regulations of the National Parks that we will be hiking in. ACCOMMODATIONS Two nights at a motel in Calgary, Alberta Eight nights at Hi-Lake Louise Alpine Center, a modern hostel with in-room sinks and toilets, showers just outside the room entrance, 4 people per roomy five-bed rooms, a pleasant dining room, a spacious, sunny deck, a large, peaceful library and a complete kitchen. MEALS All dinners are included. Either before or at the dinners we will talk over plans for the next day and go over the events of the previous day. Lunch and breakfast are the participant s responsibility. We will stop at various supermarkets so participants can buy trail lunches and/or breakfasts. The motels include a continental breakfast. The Hi-Lake Louise Alpine Center has kitchen facilities to have breakfast and prepare lunches. There is a food market in Lake Louise and supermarkets in Banff. EXPERIENCE AND RISKS This trip is designed for experienced hikers. On the day hikes, you must be able to hike an average of 9 miles per day at a moderate pace easily, with moderate elevation gains, while 3

4 carrying enough equipment to keep you safe in the event of bad weather or injury. People wishing to participate in this trip must have previous hiking experience at the intermediate level or higher. Although the hiking will be at a moderate pace, this is not a trip for beginners or people who have not hiked during the past year. This trip is not the right time for getting into shape. You should already be in good physical condition by the time you arrive in Calgary. Hiking with a pack, up mountains above 8,000 feet is physically demanding, especially for people who generally reside at or near sea level. Although the elevations for the most part are not high enough for contracting altitude sickness, the combination of physical exertion and lower oxygen levels will require that we pace ourselves and pay close attention to proper nutrition and hydration. When you participate in this activity you should be both physically and mentally prepared and equipped with the appropriate gear. You should always be aware of the risks involved and conduct yourself accordingly. We are not responsible for your safety: you are. Leader s Qualifications Trip Leader Carl Rosenthal Carl has been a member of the AMC since 1984 and has led numerous day and weekend hiking trips. He began leading Major Excursions in He has led or co-led Major Excursions to the Sierras in California (3), Glacier National Park, the American Southwest (3), Washington state (2), Alaska (2), Big Bend and Guadalupe Peaks (2), New Mexico (4), Ecuador, Peru (3), Colorado (5), Death Valley (2), Yellowstone, Oregon, Patagonia, the Dolomites of Italy, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Taiwan, the Canadian Rockies (3), the central Pyrenees(2), the eastern Pyrenees, Greece, the Tetons and Norway. He is a Past Chair of the Connecticut Chapter and is presently a hike leader for the New Hampshire Chapter. He has completed the SOLO basic First Aid Course and the Heart Saver CPR Course. He has been a hike leader at August Camp and an instructor at the AMC-ADK Winter School. He was a participant in Major Excursions to Austria and parts of the former Soviet Union. Carl has hiked the 115 Northeast 4,000 footers in winter and has stood on the highest points in the contiguous 48 states. Address 58 Overlook Drive, Center Conway, NH Phone address crosenthal789@msn.com 4

5 Trip Co-Leader Samir Patel Samir Patel has been a member of the AMC since He is a co-leader with the Boston Chapter of Hiking/Backpacking Committee. He has traveled to many parts of the world with the Adventure Travel trips, including New Zealand, the Dolomites in Italy, Patagonia, Japan, Mexico, and many national parks in the U.S. and abroad. Address: 14 Fellsmere Ave, Wakefield, MA Cellphone: address: sam5670@yahoo.com TRIP COST The cost for the trip is $1,700. This will cover the following items: All lodging as specified above All dinners excluding alcoholic beverages Any continental breakfast included in the cost of a motel Car rentals and gas Park entrance fees AMC Excursion Fee Not included: Airfare from Boston or New York to Calgary, Alberta approx. $700 All lunches and most breakfasts The approximate cost for the excursion is based on quotes at the time the trip was submitted to the Major Excursions Committee (April, 2017). The final cost of the trip will be adjusted in accordance with the best arrangements we can make with the airlines and any savings we might enjoy or increases we might have to endure. Please be aware that, in accordance with AMC policy, you are subsidizing some of the leaders costs, but not all of them. Any unspent funds will be refunded to all participants. The trip fee also includes an AMC overhead charge to cover the administrative expenses of offering Major Excursions. 5

6 How to Proceed If you would like to go on this trip, complete the Application Form and enclose a check for the $700 registration fee made out to the Appalachian Mountain Club and mail to: Carl Rosenthal, 58 Overlook Drive, Center Conway, NH If you are accepted onto the trip you will also be asked to fill out and mail back an Acknowledgment and Assumption of Risks & Release & Indemnity Agreement, and a Confidential Medical Form both of which will be ed to you. The balance of $1,000 is due by April 28, When registration is complete, the trip leader will send all participants the names, addresses and telephone numbers of those going on the trip. Trip leaders prefer to use as a primary source of communication. CANCELLATIONS The AMC cancellation policy is based on the simple precept that your cancellation shall not raise the cost of the trip to any of the participants or the leaders. Therefore, if you cancel, your refund will be all that you have paid, less expenses already incurred and future expenses which can not be avoided. You may forfeit the amount budgeted for your lodging, car rental and trip overhead, which is most of the trip fee. If you cancel and the trip still fully books, then your fees will be refunded in full with the exception that, after airline tickets have been purchased, you own the tickets and that part of the fee cannot be refunded. 6

7 REQUIRED GEAR Here is a list of suggestions for what to bring to have a good time on the trip. Most of the items are things you would bring for a day hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Day pack Personal first aid Rain gear (jacket, pants, rain cover) 2 one liter water bottles Wool or pile hat or balaclava Wool or pile gloves or mitts Extra pile or wool layer for warmth Comfortable hiking boots and socks Long pants - wool or synthetic Hiking shorts (zip off pants highly recommended) Cotton or synthetic T-shirts Long sleeve synthetic shirt Sunglasses Sun hat Sun protection lotion Lip protection balm Leisure clothes for travel and restaurants (moderate amount) Personal toiletries Toilet paper Head lamp with extra batteries Bar of soap Optional recommendations: Crocs or other light weight shoes might be helpful for a stream crossing Bathing Suit Camera Ear plugs Short gaiters to keep mud/dust, volcanic cinders and ash out of boots Small knife (be sure to pack in check in luggage, not carry on) Compass Extra shoelaces Zip lock bags Reading material for breaks in the action We strongly recommend hiking with a pole or poles, but if you don t like them, that s fine. Trip Application can be found below. 7

8 Application for Major Excursion to Day hiking in the Magnificent Canadian Rockies Please print everything legibly Name: AMC Member? Address: City, State, Zip: Phones: Daytime: Evening: Cell: Date of Birth (mm/dd/yy): Gender: Smoker? Address: Health or disabilities: (Please note any medical or physical restrictions) Name, address, and phone number of person to contact in case of emergency: Have you done mountain hiking previously? When and how often? Please print a brief summary of your recent hiking /backpacking experience on the back of this application. How would you describe your physical condition and stamina? Please print a description of how you maintain your physical condition on the back of this application. For example, I run 5 miles four times a week. Have you gone on other AMC Major Excursions? If so, who were the leaders? If this trip is filled, do you wish to be placed on a waiting list? Are you willing to be a car driver on the trip? If so, the AMC will check your driver s record at your state s Motor Vehicle Bureau. 8