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Assiniboine Lodge Reservations Campgrounds Naiset Hut Reservations The Hind Hut Reservations Camper Helicopter Reservations |
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To fly in or to fly gear to Assiniboine see- CAMPER HELICOPTER RESERVATIONS NAISET HUT ACCOMMODATION COST USE OF THE NAISET HUTS IS AT YOUR OWN RISK $20.00 PER PERSON PER NIGHT (reservation fee & GST included)-if there are children under the age of 12 years the children are free, or $35.00 PER FAMILY PER NIGHT (reservation fee & GST included), a single family group of 3 or more-(parents plus young or unmarried children living in the same house) You must make a Winter reservation for the Naiset Huts. It is recommended that you make a Summer Reservation in advance for the Naiset Huts. If you do not have a reservation for the Naiset Huts in the summer, check with the Custodian to see if there is drop-in space available. Bring a tent in case the huts are full. Additional Conditions Length of Stay Check-In, Check-Out Time Reservations on Long Weekends Commercial groups Booking Conditions for making Winter and Summer Reservations at the Naiset Huts Payment is taken as Agreement to the following terms: To Make Naiset Hut Reservations Tel: (403) 678-2883 Mount Assiniboine Lodge Box 8128, Canmore, AB, Canada, T1W 2T8 Email: info@assiniboinelodge.com Information Needed When Making Reservations WINTER TRAVEL FOR CAMPERS IS AT YOUR RISK The Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 or Level 2 Avalanche Awareness Course taught by certified technicians or mountain guides, C.P.R. training (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) -each person in your group should carry avalanche transceivers, a sturdy collapsible shovel, a collapsible probe or ski poles that can be used as probes Preventative Measures Naiset Hut Description The Naiset Huts were built by the Alpine Club of Canada in 1925. These are basic, rustic one-room huts for camping that are approximately 3x4 metres in size (9x12 feet-much like old trapper cabins). New at the Naiset Huts! BC Parks constructed a cookshelter at the Naiset Huts last summer. During the summer there is cold running water in the shelter, and a greywater drain. There are two propane gas stoves with two elements each for cooking (you can not use your primus stove inside the cookshelter for cooking). There are individual metal food boxes for storing food. Bring your own dishes and pots. The cookshelter will be open during the periods when Assiniboine Lodge is operational (mid-February to mid-April, mid-June until mid-October). Please remove your boots in the shelter entrance and sweep and mop the shelter when your group leaves. The Naiset Huts are a self-sufficient accommodation option in Assiniboine Provincial Park. Come prepared with adequate equipment and knowledge of the backcountry environment to make your stay safe and enjoyable. Assiniboine Lodge is a five-minute walk from the Naiset Huts. Lodge guests have opted to pay more for full-service and privacy while you have chosen the less-expensive hostel option. Please respect the rights and privacy of Mount Assiniboine Lodge and its guests. The Naiset Hut Custodian A custodian will be stationed at the B.C. Parks Ranger Cabin during the summer months. A staff member from Assiniboine Lodge will come to the Naiset Huts to do maintenance in the winter. Sleeping Arrangements and Number of People Per Naiset Hut The Naiset huts have rustic plywood double bed bunks as well as single bed bunks with camping mattresses. Bring your own sleeping bag, cooking pots, and dishes. The huts hold 5-8 people per unit. Come prepared to share your space with other Park Visitors. Avoid weekends if you want more space. We can tell you how crowded the huts are at any given time. Camping Equipment Bring your own sleeping bag, food, dish cloth, pots, dishes, matches, garbage bag to pack garbage out, toilet paper for the Naiset Huts. Dogs-Please leave your dogs at home. There are no dogs allowed in the huts (with the exception of seeing-eye dogs). Dogs must be on a leash at all times, and owners must clean up after them. Do not allow your dog to defecate or urinate near water sources. Risk- Use of the Naiset Huts is at your own risk. Follow the hut rules to reduce fire risk. Familiarize yourself with the location of the fire extinguishers and emergency exits.The doors of the Naiset Huts are very low. Be careful not to bang you head! Smoking- There is no smoking allowed in the huts Lighting- Bring headlamps or flashlights. Candles are not allowed in the huts or the cook shelter Cooking- There are four propane gas burners for cooking at the Naiset Hut Cookshelter. If you bring your own primus stove you must cook on the porch outside the shelter. The gas stoves must be filled outside the shelter. Store fuel outside the huts. Heating- There is a small wood heater in each Naiset hut. You can purchase presto logs from Assiniboine Lodge ($6.00 per log). Budget 1 log per person/per day. Water- Water for the Naiset huts is located 50 meters from the huts near Ranger Headquarters in the winter.There is an outside water tap in the summer as well a a tap in the cookshelter. B.C. Parks suggests that all water consumed should be boiled. Wash dishes in the shelter. Greywater- Should be disposed of in the pit between the Fleabane and Forget-Me-Not huts (during the winter) Food Storage- Use the metal storage bins for your food. Make sure you clean out the storage bin when you leave- pack out your garbage. Left-Over Food- Do not leave any left-over food in the cabins or cookshelter- leftovers attract rodents and people will not use this food as they do not know how old it is. If you have usuable extra dry food that is wrapped, give it to the Custodian. He will make sure it gets stored properly and will pass it on to campers who need it. Garbage-Pack out all your garbage, including bottles and containers Toilets- Please use the outhouses. Please keep the snow white around the huts in the tinter by using the outhouses. Cleaning the Huts- Please sweep out the hut thoroughly and wipe the tables at the end of your trip. Leave the huts tidy for the next group. Make sure the door is closed tight when you leave. Services for Campers at Mount Assiniboine Lodge BRYANT CREEK-ASSINIBOINE PASS THE FASTEST (and most direct) SUMMER ACCESS IF YOU ARE HIKING IN Spray Lakes-Mount Shark Day Use Parking-Bryant Creek-Assiniboine Pass route The Assiniboine Pass route via the horse trail can be skied or hiked in one day with a light pack (6-8 hours). Many people who are carrying 35# (16 kg) or more often take two days to hike to the park. If you are skiing in, phone us the day before your trip and we will let you know if anyone has skied through and set a track. We will tell you what trail conditions are like. If the ski track is not set in Bryant Creek, you must add extra time in order to break trail. Bryant Creek/Assiniboine Pass is the most traveled and is the safest, shortest and best winter route to Assiniboine. Carry adequate clothing, food, and first-aid equipment. Mountain weather can change dramatically over short periods of time- be prepared for any kind of weather- it can also snow in the summer! The Bryant Creek Shelter is located at the halfway point on the Bryant Creek Trail. Contact Banff Park (403 762-1550, fax 403 762-2380, e-mail: banff.vrc@pc.gc.ca) for information about overnight hut fees, camping in Banff National Park and trail use fees. Overnight Wilderness Passes for Banff National Park are available at the Banff Information Centre. Overnight Wilderness Pass $8.90, Annual Wilderness Pass- $62.40, Fee for the Bryant Creek Shelter- $6.40 per person per night plus an $11.85 Reservation Fee. Banff National Park Fishing Permits- contact the Banff Information Centre. You must purchase these permits in Banff before starting your trip. GETTING TO THE MOUNT SHARK DAY USE AREA Located 41.3 km West of Canmore, Alberta. This is a 1 hour drive from Canmore, a 1.5 hour drive from Banff, a 2.5-3 hour drive from Calgary. Drive to Canmore. Drive West through town following the Spray Lakes signs and Canmore Nordic Center signs. Drive past the Canmore Nordic Centre, up the steep hill on the Smith-Dorrien Road through Kananaskis Country. This is a good gravel road. You will be on the left side of the Spray Lakes. At 34.4 km you will see the Buller Mountain sign. Down the road is Mount Shark/Mount Engadine Lodge (you will see a bridge on your right before the turn-off.) Turn right at the Engadine Lodge sign. After 5 km you will see the Mount Shark Heliport sign (on your left). This is the heliport used for access to Assiniboine on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Drive to the end of road (2 km past the heliport) and park your car in the Mount Shark Day Use Area. You can also park overnight as well as a number of days in this parking lot. DO NOT LEAVE MONEY OR CREDIT CARDS IN YOUR CAR! See Maps. The trail to Wonder Pass branches off to the left at the Bryant Creek Warden Cabin (at 14.3 km). Keep following Bryant Creek past the Bryant Creek Warden's Cabin. After passing beside swampy meadow land, you will cross a stream near the BR17 campground (17.5 km). The Assiniboine Pass Trail splits at this point into a Hiker's Trail (to the right) and a Horse Trail (to the left-the Horse Trail is the winter route). The Hiker's Trail on the North side of the pass is more gradual than the Horse Trail, but it adds 1.5 km onto your trip. The Horse Trail is steep. If you take the Hiking Trail, you will pass the Brewster Creek/Og Pass/Allenby Pass Junction at 18 km. Keep Left. The Hiking and Horse Trail join (22.4 km) below the summit of the pass on a flat section before the last hill of Assiniboine Pass Trail. GO STRAIGHT AHEAD ON THE HIKING TRAIL (West) up the final hill to Assiniboine Pass (23 km). Do not follow the old Horse Trail (which angles to the right of the flat section and follows the base of Cave Mountain and leads to Og Meadows). At Assiniboine Pass there is a B.C. Parks information booth and a bench. You have now crossed the Great Divide into British Columbia. From Assiniboine Pass it is a 3 km hike or ski to Mount Assiniboine Lodge and the Naiset Huts (this section is well-signed). The Naiset Huts for campers are a five-minute walk beyond Assiniboine Lodge (500 meters). The Naiset Huts now have a reservation system in the summer ($20.00 per person per night). There will be a custodian on duty. If you have not reservation, you can check at the Naiset Huts to see if there is any drop-in space available. The Magog Campground is a 20 minute walk West beyond Assiniboine Lodge along the rim of Lake Magog. The campgrounds cost $5.00 per person/per night. The Magog and Og Campground have a self-registration system. You must register in at Assiniboine Lodge if you have a reservation for the Hind Hut (for climbers). Wonder Pass The Most Popular Summer Route Distance: 28 km (17 miles) Many people hike in Assiniboine Pass and hike out over Wonder Pass. After leaving the lodge hike past the Naiset Huts and follow the trail to Wonder Pass. At Wonder Pass the trail continues into Banff National Park in subalpine terrain. After the first view of Marvel Lake the trail descends in a series of switchbacks to the bottom of the valley. The scenery on this route is spectacular. Glaciated peaks send cascades of water to the turquoise blue waters of Lake Gloria below to the right. Above Marvel Lake take the high trail to the left (the trail heading straight down to Marvel Lake crosses the west end of Marvel Lake and connects with the Marvel Pass Trail). The Wonder Pass Trail traverses across a number of large avalanche slopes on the southern flanks of Wonder Peak. It connects with the Bryant Creek/Assiniboine Pass Trail at the Bryant Creek Warden's Cabin. Turn right down Bryant Creek. You will pass The Bryant Creek Hiker's Shelter (13.6 km), BR13, the Owl Lake Junction (12 km), BR 9- Big Springs Campground (9.6 km) The trail continues to drop down through a jack pine forest. At Trail Centre (6.7 km-a Banff National Park Warden's Cabin), a road intersects the trail at the top of the hill (to the right). Keep following the trail down the hill, and across the Bryant Creek Bridge (6.6 km). The trail continues to meander up and down through the woods. The Palliser Pass (6 km) trail will be on your right. Head left across the Upper Spray River Bridge (5.9 km). The trail goes up a steep hill and becomes a road as you approach Watridge Lake/Karst (3.7 km). Follow this old logging road back to the Mount Shark Day Use Area. Sunshine Village-Citadel Pass-Mount Assiniboine Distance (38.5 km- 26 miles- if you walk from the gondola parking lot) Sunshine Village-Rock Isle Lake- Citadel Pass-Golden Valley-Valley of The Rocks-Og Lake-Assiniboine Getting to Sunshine Village Drive 9 km (5.5 miles) West of Banff on the Trans-Canada Highway to the Sunshine Village interchange. Drive to the Sunshine Village parking lot at the bottom of the gondola (9 km). From the Sunshine Parking Lot you can hike the 6.5 km road to Sunshine Village or buy a seat on the White Mountain Tours Sunshine Shuttle Bus (www.canadiannaturguides.com, 403 678-4099). The White Mountain Tours shuttle bus begins July 1st. Cost: $18 for adults to ride to Sunshine Village, $10 per adult to ride down from Sunshine Village. Shuttles to Sunshine Village are at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Rides down from Sunshine Village to the parking lot are at 1pm, 2 pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5 pm. Check the White Mountain Tours website for more information. Follow the trail from the Sunshine Interpretive Center up to the alpine meadows of the Great Divide (2,300 meters-1.2 km). At 1.3 km turn left to go to Citadel Pass (Rock Isle Lake is to the right). After crossing a ridge underneath Quartz Hill the trail drops down to a campsite on the shores of Howard Douglas Lake (5.8 km), with a spectacular view of Mount Assiniboine (3,610 meters, 11,844 feet). If you camp at Howard Douglas Lake you will need an Overnight Wilderness Pass from the Banff National Park Information Center ($6.00). Make sure you carry enough water to get through Valley of the Rocks- you might want to fill your bottles at Howard Douglas Lake. On the summit of Citadel Pass (2,360 meters-at 9.3 km) a side trail to Fatigue Pass branches uphill to the left. Continue straight ahead on the on the Og Lake/Assiniboine Trail. There is a steep descent down Citadel Pass towards the Simpson River. Campers spending the night at Porcupine, or Policeman's Meadows (16.5 km) continue down to the bottom of the valley. Policeman's Meadows is too far off the main trail to make the detour to camp there. If you are not camping at Porcupine, follow the traverse on the steep open sidehill of Golden Valley- this is the most direct route to Valley of the Rocks. The Valley of the Rocks is a bizarre jumble of rocks from an ancient landslide. There is no water in this 6 km section- be sure to carry water! Og Lake (22.2 km), with a spectacular view of Mount Assiniboine, is the end of Valley of the Rocks. There is camping at Og Lake with a self-registration system ($5.00 per person per night). The Og Campground is less crowded than the Magog Campground, especially during high season. You will cross Og Meadows after leaving Og Lake and reach a junction at 5.1 km near Mount Assiniboine Lodge. If you are going to the Naiset Huts turn left at this junction. You will see Assiniboine Lodge in a few minutes. The Naiset Huts for campers are a five-minute walk beyond Assiniboine Lodge (500 meters). The Naiset Huts now have a reservation system in the summer ($20.00 per person per night). There will be a custodian on duty. If you have not reservation, you can check at the Naiset Huts to see if there is any drop-in space available.
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