Soft landings in rocky Canada
Hikers experience Western Canada's remote areas by day and
sleep in a comfortable lodge at night, thanks to helicopter
transportation.
By KARI J. BODNARCHUK
Published
July 10, 2005
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[Photo: Kari J.
Bodnarchuk |
| Hikers pause to take in a stunning view of North Canoe
Glacier in British Columbia’s remote Cariboo
Range. |
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| A 14-seat Bell swoops in to pick up heli-hikers on a
ridge near Crystal Peak, and take them back to their remote
lodge in British Columbia’s Cariboo Mountains. |
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It was good to know that Mike McClelland was an unflappable pilot
because he was about to land his 14-seat Bell helicopter on a
precarious ledge in the Canadian Rockies with a 1,000-foot drop
behind him, a dramatic slope in front and a rock wall to his left,
just 2 feet beyond the chopper's blades.
McClelland wore a look of deep concentration, rather than his
usual ear-to-ear grin.
"I wasn't worried," he later told us. "Just wanted to get it
right."
Eight of us were counting on him to get us safely into the
chopper and off the ridgeline at 8,000 feet, in the middle of
British Columbia's remote Cariboo Range. It was almost dinnertime,
after all, and we had a French chef in the kitchen.
Paul Langevin, our hiking guide, stood on a spot he had cleared
of big rocks and held a pink flag over his head, to give McClelland
a visual on wind direction. Kristen Fawcett sat in the back seat of
the chopper, looking down at us with a look of disbelief. "I was
thinking, "We're not really going to land there!' " she later
recalled.
McClelland positioned the helicopter, swooped in and landed, sort
of. The back third of the chopper's landing gear dangled out over
the ledge, but he held the machine steady. Langevin pulled open the
door and quickly waved us into the helicopter.
Quickly, yet delicately, we all climbed into the helicopter,
which hovered several inches above ground, and then swapped
celebratory high-fives and hugs as the chopper lifted off and banked
hard right away from the rock wall. McClelland was the hero, but we
all had a lot to celebrate: We had just hiked across a glacier and
2,000 feet up a steep ridgeline toward the Crazy Horse summit, and
then leapt into a hovering aircraft.
Two days earlier, we had all been strangers, exchanging polite
introductions as we literally geared up for our adventure at
Canadian Mountain Holiday's wilderness lodge in July.
CMH is probably best known, at least among winter crowds, for its
fabulous, lodge-based heli-skiing trips around the British Columbia
wilderness. Hans Gmoser, the company's founder, invented heli-skiing
40 years ago and now CMH fills its backcountry lodges each winter
with adventurous skiers and snowboarders in search of the perfect
powder run in a place where there is plenty of elbow room and the
only lines are those that skiers leave behind them on the
mountainsides.
Come summer, CMH runs heli-hiking trips from its five wilderness
lodges in the Cariboo, Bugaboo, Selkirk, Purcell areas of the
Rockies into some of Western Canada's most far-flung and
breathtaking settings.
It would take days to access these mountains on foot, and you'd
have to shoulder a good week's worth of supplies (including all
camping equipment) just to reach the spots where we were beginning
our heli-hikes. With CMH, it was simply a 10- to 15-minute flight
aboard our aerial limo to access glaciers, mountaintops and remote
alpine meadows. Here, we hiked for miles, while simply toting
daypacks that held extra clothes and a few snacks and energy
bars.
At the end of each day, we returned to our cozy mountain lodge,
which had such amenities as down comforters on the beds, a sauna, a
pool table, a climbing wall, musical instruments and a full bar, not
to mention first-rate food (Claude Harvie, our French chef, received
a round of applause each night at dinner). For those unable to
unplug, there was high-speed Internet, available at a computer
tucked away in a nook on the first floor.
Hikers arrive by helicopter and are immediately provided with
gear, a warm, waterproof Helly Hansen jacket and rain pants, plus a
daypack, durable water bottle, hiking pole (typically an old ski
pole), and a pair of heavyweight, all-leather boots (Salomons,
Garmonts and Tecnicas). I recommend bringing your own hiking boots
because those at the lodge have definitely covered many miles. It's
always best to have boots offering comfort and support that are
broken in - and fit your feet.
The lodge can accommodate 44 guests, but only had 22 people the
week I was there, ranging in age from 17 to 75. CMH divided us into
three groups based on our abilities and interests. Some of us wanted
to hike hard and fast and test our mettle on exposed ridges and
summits (we called ourselves the "high and wild" group), while
others preferred to wander through meadows of alpine flowers and
stick to lower elevations (the "meadows" group).
Our days fell into a natural rhythm in no time. A wakeup bell
rang at 7 a.m. (there are no clocks or alarms in the rooms), stretch
class began at 7:30, breakfast was served at 8 and the first group
of hikers boarded the chopper at 9.
Over the next three days, we hiked thousands of vertical feet,
crossed glaciers, scrambled up rocky mountains, traversed narrow,
dusty ridges, and hiked through snow and across meadows with white
heather, purple asters and marmots. It was nothing our eclectic
group of travelers couldn't handle.
We typically spent our mornings in one region and were airlifted
to another region after lunch for a total change of scenery. During
the afternoon hike on Day 2, Caroline Miller, a 75-year-old New
Jersey woman who was originally from Austria, decided to stick with
the "high and wild" group and scramble up 8,400-foot Crystal Peak, a
climb of about 1,200 feet.
"She never gives up," said Miller's 50-year-old daughter, Beth
Weaver, who was heading off to Zilmer Canyon for a gentler hike.
"It may be my last chance," said Miller as she set off, right
behind 17-year-old Matthew Hoyle, an avid hiker from England and by
far the strongest walker in our group.
The climb took us up a steep snow bowl and across a boulder slope
with sheer drops off the back side.
Sitting on the rocky summit of Crystal Peak, Miller said, "This
reminds me of Austria. It is more amazing than I ever thought it
would be."
McClelland picked us up from the narrow peak, again showcasing
his amazing flying skills. He has logged 16,000 flight hours in the
past 43 years. The 64-year-old pilot, who had moved to Canada from
New Zealand 31 years ago, used to drop firefighters at the scene of
forest fires, so he has the precision of a surgeon.
The morning of our third day, McClelland dropped us off next to
turquoise-colored Penny Lake, so we could make our way up to the top
of a hump overlooking the immense North Canoe Glacier. We walked
alongside cliffs with plunging waterfalls, saw an ice cave that had
been carved out by the glacial meltwater, and scrambled up rocks
that had grippy, stucco-like surfaces. Along the way, Langevin, a
former Parks Canada naturalist, explained the geology of the area
and gave us helpful, often humorous pointers on how to maneuver the
terrain.
"You can crab' up the rock," he said, sidestepping up a steep
slab of granite, "but don't cross over your feet because you might
fall and that's considered bad form."
He explained how a glacier carves out the landscape, creating
striations in some rocks and smoothing out others, and how it
transports rocks and boulders and deposits them in unusual
places.
Once we reached our outlook, he radioed McClelland and we flew
down to the North Canoe Glacier, where we hiked by deep crevasses in
the ice, saw moulins (holes in the ice formed when glacial meltwater
flows into crevasses), and then climbed a dramatic ridge almost to
the summit of Crazy Horse, where McClelland performed that
spectacular, nerves-of-steel pickup.
- Kari J. Bodnarchuk is a freelance writer and photographer
living in Boston.
IF YOU
GO
GETTING THERE: Air Canada, United and Continental fly from
Tampa/St. Petersburg to Calgary daily with one stop. Rocky Mountain
Sky Shuttle toll-free 1-888-762-8754; http://www.rockymountainskyshuttle.com/
runs every one to two hours daily from Calgary International Airport
to Banff and Lake Louise. Brewster (toll-free 1-877-791-5500; http://www.brewster.ca/ runs
daily shuttles from Banff to Jasper along the stunning Icefields
Parkway, one of the world's most scenic drives.
HELI-HIKING TRIPS: CMH runs three- to seven-night heli-hiking
trips from its lodges in British Columbia from early July through
mid September. Prices range from approximately $1,672 to $3,730
U.S., and include transportation from Banff, Lake Louise or Jasper
to the lodges and the return trip to Calgary International Airport.
The Bobbie Burns Lodge hosts a special Family Adventure trip this
week from Tuesday through Friday (the Bugaboo Lodge Family Adventure
from July 30-Aug. 2 is sold out but you can put your name on the
waiting list), and the Bugaboo Lodge hosts a Photography Workshop,
Sept. 10-14. For information, call toll-free 1-800-661-0252 or http://www.canadianmountainholidays.com/
STAYING
THERE:
Tonquin Inn 100 Juniper St., Jasper; toll-free 1-800-661-1315, http://www.tonquininn.albertanetwork.com/
offers everything from rooms with kitchenettes to large family
suites with fireplaces and saunas and access to outdoor hot tubs.
Prices are $70 to $300.
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, in the Jasper National Park;
toll-free 1-800-441-1414 or (780 852-3301; www.fairmont.com/jasper
overlooks an emerald-colored lake, blends in with the countryside
and offers clear views of the Rockies. The main lodge has native
decor and a warm feel; luxury log cabins and cedar chalets (with
stone fireplaces) make you feel like you're in a cozy mountain home.
Prices from $335.
Spruce Grove Inn 555 Banff Ave., Banff; toll-free 1-800-879-1991;
http://www.banffvoyagerinn.com/
has cozy, affordable ($60 to $135) accommodations in a new lodge
located within a 10-minute walk from downtown Banff. Includes access
to an outdoor heated pool (open year-round).
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (405 Spray Ave., Banff; toll-free
1-800-441-1414). This 19th century Scottish baronial-style castle is
well worth every penny. It is a spot of luxury and charm, with a
down-home feel. Plan a day to explore the hotel's spa, shops, hot
springs, gallery and grounds. Prices from $195 to $520.
EATING THERE:
Andy's Bistro (606 Patricia St., Jasper; (780) 852-4559), is a
European-style bistro that serves fish, lamb, veal, steak, bison,
ostrich, pasta, fondue and vegetarian dishes. Lunch prices from $4
to $18, dinners are $13 to $22.
L&W Restaurant (71 Patricia St., Jasper; (780) 852-4114) is
known for its Gus Burger, but also makes great homemade pasta,
Italian and Greek dishes, seafood and steaks. Prices are $7 to
$18.50.
Cilantro Mountain Cafe, (Buffalo Mountain Lodge, Tunnel Mountain
Road, Banff; (403) 760-4488), a local favorite, featuring homemade
pasta, Southwestern dishes and creative pizzas. (Ask if the bison
pizza is on the menu.). Prices are $11 to $22.
Saltlik (221 Bear St., Banff; (403) 762-2467), a meat-lover's
favorite, though vegetarians with a light appetite will survive
here. Amazing steaks - try the beef tenderloin with bernaise sauce
and family-style side dishes, including crab legs, scalloped
potatoes, skillet-fired mushrooms and seasonal vegetables. Entres
are about $14.50 to $23; side dishes $3 to $10.
[Last modified July 8, 2005, 16:06:17]
Travel
Natural
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losses: 'The Rock' endures
Newfoundland:
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Soft
landings in rocky Canada
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homes are just Wright
Pinning
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