Lake Louise Classics

Our plan is to have an enjoyable and challenging week of alpine mountaineering on the large peaks surrounding Lake Louise. We have chosen a week when it is reasonable to expect good conditions on all climbs.

From the Abbott Pass Hut at 2890m (9500 ft.) we can easily access:

Mt. Victoria (3464m or 11,362 ft.) by the S.E. Ridge. This is an enjoyable and exposed climb along a narrow ridge that can either be heavily snowed up with large cornices or can be a cat walk along ridge top ledges later in the season.

Mt. Lefroy (3423m or 11,227 ft.) by the West Face. This face is riven by gullies that are filled initially by snow which becomes ice as the season progresses.

From the Neil Colgan Hut we can easily access:

Mt. Fay (3234m. or 10,607 ft.) can be climbed either by the classic N. Face routes on steep ice or by the standard N.W. ridge on rock. We will access the area from Moraine Lake via the famous Perren Route and stay at the Neil Colgan Hut, the highest permanent structure in Canada. 

Other peaks in the region include: Mts. Huber, Lyttle, Quadra and Bident.

Sample Agenda

Day 1: We meet at the Yamnuska office in Canmore at 7:30am. After introductions, a review of goals and objectives we drive west to Lake Louise to catch the 10:30am shuttle to Lake O'Hara. Then we start the grind up to the Abbott Pass Hut, our base for the next two nights.

Day 2: At first light head towards Mt. Lefroy immediately east of the hut. We will climb the steep snow and ice gullies to the summit.

Day 3: Again at first light we start the climb of Mt. Victoria right behind the outhouse! We start up broken rock and snow slopes before reaching the ridge before the first summit. A long traverse over the 'sickle' and up again brings us finally to the South (highest) Summit. If conditions are good it may be an option to descend towards Mt. Huber for a climb of that peak before descending the Huber Ledges to Lake O'Hara thence returning to Lake Louise for the night at the Alpine Centre.

Day 4: Today is going to be a grunt. We climb out of Moraine Lake to reach the Neil Colgan Hut below Mt. Lyttle. Those with somel energy left may scramble up Mt. Bowlen in the evening.

Day 5: Climb Mt. Fay, either by the steep ice of the N. Face or the rock ridge on the N.W. side.

Day 6: A short climb on Mt. Lyttle behind the hut before heading down the Perren route rappels and on down to Moraine Lake where the program finishes and you will have earned a rest.

Guides & Group Size

Maximum guide ratio on this program is 1:2.  Our personnel are qualified guides and assistant guides who are licensed to operate in the area by Parks Canada. The maximum group size is 6.

Logistics

The program begins at the Yamnuska office at 07:30am on Day 1. The Yamnuska office is located at 200, 50 Lincoln Park. See this map for location.

Transportation

Transportation while on the program is not included. We rely on guest's personal vehicles to reach program locations. If flying in we recommend you rent a car from Calgary Airport. You may be able to share the cost with other participants.

Frequent shuttles connect Calgary International Airport and Canmore. Greyhound Bus Lines (1 800 661 8747) serves Canmore from points east and west along the Trans-Canada Highway. 

Accommodation

During the trip we will be staying at Alpine Club Mountain Huts and at the Lake Louise Alpine Centre for one night.

For accommodation in Canmore before and after the trip there are lots of options available including campgrounds, hostels, B'n'Bs, motels and hotels! Check accommodation options on our links page for our recommendations. For your convenience we can arrange hotel accommodations in Canmore for $160 per night.  Double or single occupancy, the cost is the same. This accommodation can be booked with the trip online or by calling us. Subject to availability.

Meals

All meals, snacks and drinks are supplied from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 6. Mountain meals are made from lightweight ingredients.  Please let us know, well in advance, if you have any dietary restrictions or prefer a vegetarian menu.

Equipment and Clothing

We supply group climbing gear such as ropes & hardware but you must bring your own personal camping & climbing gear (e.g. harness, helmet, ice axe), clothing and general equipment. We recommend that you bring 'rock shoes' in addition to mountaineering boots, we have both for rent. We can lend you personal climbing items, let us know, in advance, what you will need.

The equipment and clothing you bring with you will play a large role in the quality of your experience. Read the following suggestions and list carefully. If you have any questions or need clarification don't hesitate to call or write. There is room for substitution and changes but if you have any doubt do contact us.

CLOTHING LIST

We suggest layers of light, easily carried clothing that allows for fast and easy adjustment to best suit fast changing temperature conditions.  We discourage cotton clothing as it causes rapid heat loss when wet.  Feel free to call us if you have any questions about what to bring. This list covers items needed for all likely conditions during the mountaineering season. Your guide will go through your clothing and gear with you prior to the course.

You will need to bring:

• LONG UNDERWEAR, top and bottom, polypro, wool, capilene or fleece.
• WOOL/BLEND SOCKS (extra pairs).
• Warm LONG PANTS to climb in. These could be windproof nylon/synthetic blend mountaineering pants, fleece pants, nylon exercise pants with light long johns or wool trousers.
• Light SHIRT or T-SHIRT.
• Wool or fleece LONG SLEEVE SHIRT with collar.
• FLEECE SWEATER (medium weight).
• Heavyweight fleece or insulated JACKET.
• Cotton SHORTS.
• Water proof OUTER JACKET with hood (Gore-Tex).
• Waterproof OUTER PANTS, preferably with side zips on legs.
• Waterproof knee-length GAITERS that will fit over large boots .
• Waterproof mountaineering GLOVES or wool / fleece mitts /gloves plus waterproof overmitts.
• Wool / fleece HAT that covers your ears and fits under a helmet.
• SUNHAT with wide brim.
• NECK TUBE.
• lightweight RUNNING SHOES to wear around the hut
• ROCK SHOES

EQUIPMENT LIST

You will need to bring: (Items in blue are available to rent from Yamnuska, we can loan you the items in red). You must give us plenty of notice if wanting to rent or loan gear.

• a very light SLEEPING BAG. Ideally you will be able to get all your gear plus share of food and gear into a large daypack. Make sure you bring a stuff sac that will reduce your bag to its minimum size (i.e. one with compression straps) so you don't use up all the room in your pack.
• Large DAYPACK or small BACKPACK. Big enough to fit extra clothing, sleeping bag plus share of food and climbing gear.
• MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS: You will need mountaineering boots with rigid soles designed specifically for this use. Mountaineering boots are made from leather or plastic. The most important feature of a mountaineering boot is comfort. Different brands seem to suit different feet. If buying try a few different pairs and if they are not comfortable don't buy them. There are many good brands. They include Asolo, Kayland, Koflach, la Sportiva and Scarpa.
• ICE AXE, regular glacier axe minimum 55cm length.
• ICE CLIMBING TOOL(S), pref. with at least 1 hammer head.
• CRAMPONS, must fit your boots.
• HARNESS, comfortable with adjustable leg loops to fit over several clothing layers.
• HELMET
• SUNGLASSES with good UV protection, we suggest 'glacier glasses'.
• Extra Strength SUN CREAM.
• Lip Cream.
• HEADLAMP with fresh batteries.
• WATER BOTTLE (1L minimum).
• POCKET KNIFE.
• BLISTER KIT ('moleskin', 'Second Skin')
• FIRST-AID Items (band-aids, ibuprofen & aspirin / Tylenol is enough as guides have a kit also).
• CAMERA and spare batteries.
• TREKKING POLE (S) (optional).
• EAR PLUGS (some of us may snore).
• Basic Toiletries - the Lake Louise Alpine Center has running water and showers

OPTIONAL ITEMS

We supply the following items, but if you have your own, please feel free to bring along - ice screws, prussic slings, locking biners.

Rentals

It is essential that you let us know well in advance if needing to rent or loan equipment.

Contact Yamnuska with clothing & gear questions

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment.

3-Day program:  We require a deposit of $441 CDN including GST at the time of booking. Final balance is due 8 weeks before the program start date. 

6-Day Program: We require a deposit of $772 CDN including GST at the time of booking. Final balance is due 8 weeks before the program start date.

We ask that you familiarize yourself with our detailed booking instructions and conditions.

Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.

There are two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider: Medical and Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance. We offer our guests coverage for both and highly recommend you purchase it.

Emergency Medical Expenses Insurance:

There is no charge for rescue/evacuation in National Parks so long as you have a valid National Park Entry Pass (available at the park gate). However, it is also wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident while here.

Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance:

We recognize many of our guests are busy profesionals and their schedules can change without notice. We strongly recommend the optional 'Cancel for any reason' insurance through our adventure insurance provider. Flight delays and other unplanned events are unfortunately a reality and it may not be possible for us to delay a trip departure for a guest(s).

Yamnuska offers an "Adventure Travel Protection Plan" through Travel Guard insurance. This plan offers comprehensive coverage for all your travel needs including trip cancellation/interruption, emergency medical expenses, and personal effects loss. For more information and to purchase this coverage visit Travel Guard's website.

For the convenience and peace of mind for our guests, we chose Travel Guard as a comprehensive insurance provider. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance and ask that you familiarize yourself with their program and our cancellation policies (available under the Booking Info tab).