Guest Itinerary
DAY 1 - Arrive Calgary & transfer
to Banff at your leisure.
Overnight Banff & Welcome Dinner Included
Day 2 - Banff to Monashee Lodge.
Our journey to the Monashee Lodge this
morning winds through great beauty and robust history.
Follow the route of Western Canada’s first explorers from
the outside world along the right of way of Canada’s National
Dream, the transcontinental railway. Skirt the shores of the
Bow River, pass the majestic spires of Castle Mountain, and
head west to Golden, BC over Kicking Horse Pass (site of the
famous Spiral Tunnels, which minimized the steep grade for the
rail lines in the late 1800s).
We continue westward through Roger’s Pass
and the site of Glacier House. In 1897 the Canadian Pacific
Railroad brought Western Canada’s first Swiss guides to
Glacier House, beginning the mountain guiding tradition CMH
proudly follows to this day.
We drive north from Revelstoke along the Columbia
River, past the impressive Revelstoke Hydro Dam, one of North
America's largest and most modern hydroelectric developments.
The Columbia, one of the world’s most momentous rivers,
provides electricity for a vast area of the western continent,
right down to California.
We arrive at the Monashee Lodge located
on the shore of Lake Revelstoke. After settling in
to our rooms, we’ll be outfitted with all the necessary
hiking gear, get acquainted with helicopter safety procedures,
then fly up for an afternoon of hiking in some of the world’s
most stunning mountains. We fly back to the lodge in the afternoon
for snacks, beverages, and relaxation before dinner.
Later this evening dinner is served family style,
with guests and staff eating together, topped off with dessert
prepared by the lodge’s resident pastry chef. Before retiring
we can enjoy the company of fellow guests by the fire, or relax
in the rooftop whirlpool and sauna. (CB, L, D)
DAYS 3 & 4 - Heli-hiking
Each group of hikers, accompanied by a guide,
will spend the day exploring the immense variety of landscapes
in the Monashee mountains from which the lodge takes its name.
This virtually unexplored area abounds with personality-rich
glaciers, turquoise lakes, and airy mountain ridges. We’ll
enjoy a picnic lunch amidst stunning, utterly unspoiled scenery
where few people have ever set foot.
Now, we hope this web page makes it clear not
only that the landscapes in which we spend our days are knock-down,
world-class gorgeous and varied, but that there is probably
no other place on earth where you can experience such wildness
and solitude without lugging a 40-pound backpack.
So, message delivered! Great hiking, picnicking,
a little learning about glacial landscapes and their hardy life-forms,
and lots of fun accomplished, we fly back at day's end to the
lodge for (depending on our mood) maybe a massage, a browse
in the lodge shop, a game of chess, a go at the lodge climbing
wall, a cocktail on the deck as alpen-glow bathes the peaks
we've been communing with dinner, storytelling in the living
room, and another great night's sleep. (B, L, D)
Day 5 - Hike and Helicopter To Adamant Lodge
Each group of hikers, accompanied by a
guide, will spend the day exploring the remote Northern Selkirk
Mountains en route to the Adamant lodge. Experience
wilderness in the raw: mountain lakes with glaciers touching
waters edge, meadows covered with wild flowers that nudge the
glaciated peaks into a crisp sky. Enjoy unending views of the
dramatic ranges and valleys in this rarely visited area. Several
helicopter drops will be needed to complete the traverse from
the Monashees to the Adamants.
Arrive at the Adamant lodge at days end. We follow
a similar schedule here; snacks and beverages await after a
memorable day of hiking. Dinner is served family style with
the lodge staff from the Monashees continuing to looking after
you. Relax after dinner. (B, L, D)
Days 6 & 7 - Heli-hiking
Each group of hikers, accompanied by a
guide, will spend the day exploring the immense variety of landscapes
in the mountains from which the lodge takes its name. We’ll
enjoy a picnic lunch (or, on special days, a grand high mountain
barbecue) amidst stunning, utterly unspoiled scenery. After
a memorable day, we fly back to the lodge, where snacks, beverages,
conversation, a good book, or the sauna and restful outdoor
whirlpool await.
Savor the chef’s creation of the
evening. After dessert and coffee, we share stories
and experiences of the day with friends and staff, set up an
appointment with the masseuse (not included, but well worth
the extra charge), or enjoy peace and quiet on the deck as the
alpenglow settles on the mountain peaks above. (B, L, D)
Day 8 - Adamant Helipad to (Banff or Calgary
Airport)
Join the morning stretch session before your breakfast.
A morning of Heli-Hiking, some final photos, and a fond goodbye
to the mountains. Lunch at the lodge before the helicopter ride
out.
We depart the Adamant Helipad by motorcoach and
retrace our journey through the mountains to Lake Louise, Banff,
and on to Calgary International Airport. A boxed lunch is provided
for the return trip. (B, L, Snack)
# # #
Pre-Tour Banff & Lake Louise Optional
Extension
August 2 & 3, 2008
From $798.00 per person, dbl. occ.
August 2 - Arrive in Banff at
your convenience and check in tou our centrally located Banff
Hotel
August 3 - Meet after breakfast
for our transfer to Lake Louise for a moderate hike to the Lake
Agnes Tea House. (Or enjoy an optional walk along Lake Louise
on your own.) We'll arrive at the Chateau Lake Louise in time
for a bountiful lunch buffet. Following Lunch we will transfer
to Morraine Lake where we will meander along a trail along this
forested vivid blue lake.
August 4 - Enjoy the day on your
own before meeting arriving guests for a beautiful walk followed
by a welcome dinner.
# # #
Please note that the details of this itinerary
are subject to change. Many of the planned activities are organized
according to appropriate weather conditions and the discretions
of the hosts, lodge managers or mountain guides. We make every
effort to provide the experience described in the above itinerary
with the understanding that some things may change.
