Weeee’re back!  Come and join leaders T(Ed) and Lois Hunter on an epic snowshoe along the world famous Berg Lake trail up to Kinney Lake in Mt. Robson Provincial Park.  Mount Robson is the “Crown Prince” of the Canadian Rockies and, at 3,954 m., is the highest point in the Canadian Rockies.

“The trail to Berg Lake wins the popularity award in the Canadian Rockies. It sees more backpackers (almost 4,000 per year) and day hikers than any other trail in the Rockies. But don’t be put off by this fact. There is a good reason so many people hike to Berg Lake – extraordinary scenery and an extraordinary experience.”

The terrain and scenic views in Mt. Robson Provincial Park are renown worldwide for their stunning beauty, well-maintained/well-marked trails, and Mt. Robson Provincial Park is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Based on last years fantastic experience (snowshoe to Kinney Lake) we strongly encourage participants to book two nights in Valemount (recommend you make a booking at an establishment that offers *free cancellation should weather and road conditions be an issue).  Overnighting in Valemount will permit us an early start on the (13 km. return) trail up to Kinney Lake as well as an opportunity for a group dinner at one of Valemount’s best restaurants on the second evening and then an early start on the road again on the morning of January 30th.  Last year many of us stayed at Canada’s Best Value Inn in Valemount which was a pretty good deal at a decent cost.

*Note: free cancellation falls within a designated period and only to specific rooms.  Read hotel policy carefully!

For those who are interested, we are offering the option of continuing on to nearby Jasper National Park after we check out of our Valemount accommodation on the morning of January 30th.  Four of us have already booked two nights in Jasper and have registered for an ice-walk tour of the famous Maligne Canyon.  The tour (www.maligneadventures.com) is guided and all necessary equipment (helmet, cleats, boots) is provided.  We have registered for the 1:00 PM tour on the afternoon of January 31st.  Maligne adventures offers a free pick-up and drop-off service for many of the lodgings in Jasper and they include a full list of what properties are eligible on their website.  They also offer free cancellation so long as you cancel within the designated period.  The ice-walk, although not *cheap* ($69 per adult) is nonetheless sure to be a memorable experience and you will NOT want to forget to bring your camera along with an extra, fully-charged battery and a big, fat memory card!  Read the description of this event carefully on the company website for full details on what to expect (fitness requirement, clothing/personal gear suggestions, etc.).

“Our Maligne Canyon Icewalk was designated a Signature Experience by the Canadian Tourism Commission for its outstanding beauty and unique charm.”  (Maligne Adventures)

Our proposed itinerary then is as follows:

January 28th – drive to Valemount weather and road conditions permitting.  Meet up spot in Kamloops will be announced at a later date.

January 29th – meet at the Canada’s Best Value parking lot and drive to the Kinney Lake trailhead.  Snowshoe up to Kinney Lake (13 km. round-trip, moderate trail/harder if we are breaking trail in deep snow).   Group dinner later that evening at the Caribou Grill Restaurant in Valemount.

January 30th – OPTION to either drive back home, or carry on to Jasper National Park and join us on the guided ice-walk tour.  Four of us have booked accommodation in Jasper (at establishments that offer free cancellation) for the nights of January 30th and 31st.  We will identify an area to embark on an easy-to-moderate snowshoe for the afternoon on the 30th somewhere between Valemount and Jasper.

January 31st – guided ice-walk tour with Maligne Adventures, 1:00 pm departure.

February 1st – depart for home.

All participants are responsible for booking their own accommodation in Valemount and Jasper in addition to booking their own spots on the ice-walk tour if applicable.

*Keep in mind that if you opt to car-pool you may have to make some last-minute travel plans if your driver cancels for some reason.  If you are car-pooling, check with your driver regarding your expected contribution towards gas, etc.

**Keep closely tuned for any updates regarding this event as it will be weather dependant to a large degree.  Updates may appear in the “Comments” section located at the foot of the event posting – check regularly.

**Accommodation for both Valemount and Jasper are getting quite limited, so I suggest you book your rooms ASAP!**