Tours of the Rocky Mountains: The Rocky Mountain Explorer
2007

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Day 1. Whistler, BC.
In the morning we follow the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. Nestled below the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains lies Whistler Village, voted one of the top ten resort destinations in North America. Whistler is the ultimate rags-to-riches West Coast success story. The Princess of the West Coast, Whistler has been transformed in just over 25 years from the tiny wilderness recreation community originally known as Alta Lake to the world famous super-resort village with a population of 10,000. From hiking to rafting to mountain biking, Whistler has it all. Free time will be given to explore Whistler Village when we arrive. We suggest taking the Gondola to the top of Whistler Mountain for a hike in the high alpine meadows or renting a mountain bike and explore the area on wheels.

Day 2. Clearwater, BC.
Today we travel through Cariboo Country, a region of rolling hills and prairies, thick forests, granite-walled canyons and impressive river valleys, where ranching, logging and mining are the mainstays of the local economy. We arrive in the late afternoon just outside of Wells Gray Provincial Park and set up camp at a local ranch in the area.

Day 3. Wells Gray Provincial Park, BC.
Wells Gray is more than 520,000 hectares in size and encompasses most of the Clearwater River watershed in the Caribou Mountains. In the morning we’ll see Helmcken Falls, Canada's fourth highest waterfall, and one of it's best-kept secrets. Plunging 141 meters in a straight drop, this waterfall is about three times higher than Niagara Falls. Splendidly photogenic, the fast flowing Murtle River shoots over a volcanic cliff at Helmcken and falls 142 meters directly into a gorge in a roaring, misty display. After the falls, we head for Clearwater Lake, one of the premier canoeing lakes in British Columbia. From here we embark on an overnight canoe trip into the heart of Wells Gray Provincial Park.

Day 4 & 5. Mt. Robson Provincial Park, BC.
Mount Robson Provincial Park, the second oldest park in British Columbia’s park system, is truly one of the world's crown jewels. The 3,954 meter high mountain for which the park is named guards the park's western entrance. One of the best known trails in the Rocky Mountains, the Berg Lake Trail has played host to hikers of all abilities who wish to experience the simple joy of backcountry hiking. Gaining just under 800 meters in 23 kilometers, the trail traverses three bio-geoclimatic zones. The interesting changes in vegetation, as the elevation changes, are most apparent on this trail. We have a full day to hike the trail and, depending on the group, we will hike as much of the trail as the group desires.

Day 6 & 7. Jasper National Park, AB.
Spanning 1,078 square kilometers of broad valleys and craggy mountains, Jasper is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountain National Parks. Within the park, we hike the alpine meadows of Mount Edith Cavell, which afford a spectacular view of the Angel Wing Hanging Glacier. Afterwards travellers will be able to take the Whistler Tram to the mountain's upper terminus where much of the Canadian Rockies can be seen as far away as 80 kilometers. On Day 7, on our way to Maligne Lake, we hike Maligne Canyon and the Bald Hills. We end our stay in Jasper with a therapeutic soak in Miette Hot Springs, the hottest hot spring in the Rocky Mountains.

Day 8 & 9. Banff National Park & Lake Louise, AB.
A full day of sightseeing along the Icefield’s Parkway will take your breath away. The Columbia Icefield is the largest of the chain of icefields along the Great Divide separating Alberta and British Columbia. This 325 square km. accumulation of ice feeds six large glaciers. You can see three of them - the Athabasca , the Dome, and Stutfield - from the Icefields Parkway. In the late morning we arrive at the Athabasca Glacier. In the company of certified mountain guides, clients will have the option to strap on crampons and join a naturalist for a two hour guided walk on the surface of the Athabasca Glacier, a massive river of ice riddled with an estimated 30,000 crevasses. Afterward, we’ll have free time to visit the Icefield’s interpretive centre. In the late afternoon we arrive in Banff National Park. Banff encompasses 6,641 square kilometers of mountains, glaciers, forests and alpine meadows. On Day 9 we hike Johnston Canyon, visit Lake Louise and Morraine Lake and then make our way into the Banff townsite. Travellers will be given free time in the afternoon to visit Bow Falls, the Banff Springs Hotel and the many museums to be found in town.

Day 10 & 11. Yoho National Park, BC.
The native expression for "awe" and "wonder" is Yoho. In Yoho National Park, we visit Takakawa Falls, the highest in the Canadian Rockies, and hike through Yoho Valley to glacier fed Emerald Lake. On Day 11 travellers have the option to go white water rafting on the Kicking Horse River, horseback riding from our campground, or visit the Grizzly Bear sanctuary at Kicking Horse Resort. The Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge operates a wilderness centre for research, education, and conservation. The 22-acre sanctuary is the largest protected enclosed grizzly bear refuge in the world, providing a home and a second chance at life for two orphaned grizzly bear cubs, Cari and Boo.

Day 12. Revelstoke, BC.
Today we will travel the meadows in the Sky Parkway to the top of Mount Revelstoke. Our drive along the summit parkway takes us through a variety of geographical zones. From dense old-growth rainforest of giant cedar and pine, we travel up through sub-alpine forest, and finally alpine meadows and tundra. Upon arrival at the top we will be rewarded with the spectacular view of the ice-clad peaks of the Monashee Mountains and to the east, the Selkirk Mountains. From here we will enjoy a hike in the alpine meadows of Revelstoke National Park.

Day 13. Vancouver, BC.
Traveling in the Fraser Canyon, the Trans Canada Highway from Spencer's Bridge to Hope follows the Fraser and Thompson rivers until their convergence into the Fraser River at Lytton. This highway through the Fraser Canyon is an engineering marvel that includes tunnels, and dramatic ascents and descents. After passing through the Fraser Valley, we arrive in Vancouver, bordered by the majestic Coastal Mountains and Pacific Ocean.

Hiking Tours of the Rockies with Midnight Sun Adventure Travel

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Gateway Accommodation We offer door-to-door service at a number of modest priced hotels in downtown Vancouver. Please call us for a recommendation and to book your gateway accommodation. If you prefer hostel type accommodation, contact: YWCA Hotel/Residence Pacific Hostel Network HI Vancouver    Transportation Getting to Vancouver   Weather Vancouver Revelstoke Jasper   Parks & Attractions Jasper National Park Banff National Park Yoho National Park Mt. Revelstoke National Park Mt. Robson Provincial Park Wells Grey Provincial Park Miette Hotsprings Jasper Tramway Athabasca Glacier / Columbia Icefield   Rocky Mountain Books Call toll free 1-800-255-5057 for info on tour availability

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