(above photo courtesy of Hello B.C.).   

Ok folks, I’m posting this event early as BC Parks have just announced that reservations for the Berg Lake trail are commencing a full three months earlier than past years.  Instead of opening reservations in January, they will now be accepting reservations on October 1st of this year for the entire 2017 season.

An experience that should be on  everyone’s bucket-list,  you will not want to miss out on this epic adventure into one of Canada’s most revered parks and along trails of spectacular beauty.

Think: pristine emerald lakes, rushing rivers, abundant waterfalls, glorious alpine, stunning mountain peaks, idyllic campsites, and expansive glaciers!  Added Bonus – Full Moon on September 6th:-))

**PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT REQUIRES LEADER REGISTRATION and all accepted registrants who meet the requirements to participate will be responsible to reserve their own campsite permits through B.C. Parks.  Effective until noon on September 27th, priority will be given to those people who have not as yet had the opportunity to experience the Berg Lake hike in recent years. After that deadline, registration will be open to ALL interested parties, including those who have done Berg/Robson before and have a burning desire to do it again:-)). You must contact the leader (Lois Hunter) at:  gpsygrlster@gmail.com to be considered for this event. A maximum of 10 persons will be accepted for this event.

**As an added note:  It is not my intention to offend anyone, but – If I’m not personally familiar with your hiking/backpacking history then I will conduct due diligence for supporting evidence that you meet the requirements.  This is for the comfort,safety and enjoyment of all, not the least of which is myself:-))

• Reservations for the Berg Lake trail commence at 7:00 am. on October 1st 2016 through the BC parks website (google  “Berg Lake Trail Reservations”).  Backcountry camping fees are $10 a night, and the reservation fee is $6 plus tax.  IF for some reason you are unable to take care of your own reservation for the event, then contact me and I’ll do my best to reserve a spot for you so long as you assure me that you are firmly committed to this event.  Please confirm with me as to the status of your success in booking your reservation for all three applicable sites.  *See summary at the foot of this post regarding a breakdown of your reservation details.

A breakdown of the event is as follows:

• Sept. 3rd, Day 1: – meet at trailhead by noon on September 3rd.  Commence hiking to the Whitehorn Campground where we will spend the first night.  Distance=11km of which the first 9 km’s are reasonably moderate with the last 2 km’s more challenging on the uphill.
• Sept. 4th, Day 2: – hike to our base camp at the Berg Lake Campground.  Stunning campground with spectacular views of Mt. Robson, the Glacier, and the added bonus of having an attractive shelter available to us to prepare our meals and gather in should the weather be less than ideal.  Distance= 10 km’s and is classified as “harder” given that over a 4 km. stretch we will experience an elevation gain of approx. 500 metres.
• Sept. 5th and 6th Days 3 and 4 : we are proposing the following hikes:  1.Snowbird Pass (22 km. return) classified as “harder”,  2.  Mumm Basin/Tobaggan Falls, and  3. Hargreaves Glacier
• Sept. 7th, Day 5:  pack up and hike out to Kinney Lake.  Make a reservation for one night here, but keep in mind that we have the option to hike all the way out if the weather is inclement or imminently due to turn for the worse.
• Sept. 8th (my birthday:-) Day 6:  hike out and return to our cozy homes and hot showers!
• Please note: pace will be “steady” on all these hikes
• Hiking poles and sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support and traction are highly recommended.  Three season equipment strongly recommended as weather conditions/temperatures are unpredictable in the mountains anytime of the year and what might be late summer conditions in the valley’s will likely be full-blown fall conditions in September with a possibly of snow flurries.
• In summary and for the purpose of making your reservations: – one night at Whitehorn on Sept. 3rd,  three nights at Berg Lake for the nights of Sept. 4th, 5th, and 6th, and one night at Kinney on Sept. 7th.

Looking forward to sharing this experience with you!