Backpacking into Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park
The kids are growing up quick!.. And I’m finding it so interesting how every summer has such a different feel to it than the ones before. It’s easier in some ways, and harder in others. Currently, Indy is 3 and Eden is 1.5 years old, which means we have two toddlers! With that comes a mix of helpfulness and helplessness, independence and reliance, increasingly logical understanding and “irrational” meltdowns - It’s a beautifully chaotic stage to be in! I will say: My tolerance for it all is multiplied when I’m outside.
So this summer, I decided to dream up an adventure that would keep us outside for a number of days. Four to be exact! We would slowly make our way into Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park to see Mount Assiniboine (the Canadian Matterhorn) in all her glory. I’ve done a few trips in and out of Mount Assiniboine before, each time taking different routes and forms of transportation… So I knew the layout and felt confident putting a plan together that would suit our family.
At a Glance:
Trailhead: Bryant Creek trailhead (Mount Shark parking lot)
Accessibility: Hiking and biking
Distance: 13.4 km (day 1) + 3.1 km (day 2) + 9.1 km (day 3) = 25.6 km total
Camspites: McBride’s Camp - Br 14 (night 1), Allenby Junction - Br 17 (night 2) and Magog Lake (night 3)
Reservations at: Parks Canada (McBride’s Camp + Allenby Junction), BC Parks (Magog Lake) and Assiniboine Lodge for the helicopter service.
Waking up and enjoying breakfast at Allenby Junction campsite, before hiking up Assiniboine Pass.
For this trip, we realized that our 60- and 55-litre backpacking packs wouldn’t do the trick, so we borrowed our friends’ 105- and 70-litre ones. We packed generously, knowing that the forecast called for rain and cold mornings, but hot afternoons that would most likely involve lots of water play in the creeks. We kept mealtimes simple with dehydrated meals that would only require boiling water, but made sure to pack loads and loads of snacks like trail mix, dehydrated fruit, dehydrated meat, crackers, pouches and granola bars. We finished packing our backpacks, checked them twice and loaded them into the car the night before.
Day 1
At around 8:45 a.m., we hit the road towards the Mount Shark parking lot; Then again, we hit the trail at around 10:00 a.m. The first 6.7 kilometres of the trail can be biked, and I highly recommend you do so if you have the opportunity since that particular section is extremely boring if you don’t. Knowing this would be a thru-hike for us, we asked my sister and brother-in-law to pick up our bikes and they kindly agreed to make a date out of trail-running in and biking them back out. In retrospect, I should’ve asked them to use our spare keys to drive our vehicle from the Mount Shark parking lot to the Mount Shark helipad parking lot… but it was a only a short run back for Chris at the end, so no biggie!
At around 10:30 a.m., we crossed the last bridge right before the point where bikes are no longer permitted. It was a good place for the kids to throw sticks and rocks into the rushing Bryant Creek below, as well as eat some snacks before locking up the bikes and setting out the rest of the 6.7 kilometres on foot.
The kids were energetic and eager to move after being strapped into their car seats and bike seats, so the first couple of kilometres were breezy. By the time we arrived at Big Springs - Br9 campsite just before 1:00 p.m., they had slowed down significantly and were showing signs of being tired. It was a great place to stop, play in the creek, and refuel with some peanut butter tortillas for lunch before loading them up in the Trail Magik carriers for naps while we carried on.
Chris had Eden (who fell asleep instantly) and I had Indy (who refused to nap then and for the next two days on the trail, but was thankfully distracted by all the stories we were sharing)… So we were able to put on some kilometres and arrive at McBride’s Camp at around 3:00 p.m., just before the rain. Chris set up the tent and the tarp, while I got the kids dressed into their rain suits and quick-drying shoes. Once our belongings were inside the tent and our scented items were secured in the food storage lockers, we headed down to the Bryant Creek Warden’s Cabin where the landscape opens up into a beautiful meadow to play in. We were relieved to have arrived and happy that the thundershowers they had called for were actually just light rain, so we freely ran, danced and did parkour (ha!) along the banks of the Bryant Creek. T’was a good time!
At around 6:00 p.m., we noticed that some dark clouds were coming our way, so we made our way out of the meadow and back the McBride’s Camp to start making dinner. We found a little bit of shelter from the rain under a big tree that hung over a picnic table in the cooking area, and ate our dinner while we filtered the water we had collected from Bryant Creek. After that, we made our way back to our tent to start unwinding from the day.
The camping version of our bedtime routine looks as follows: We change the kids into their merino wool base layers, fleece base layers and thick socks, and then zip them up in their Morrison Outdoors sleeping bags. Since the summer evenings are still quite warm, I unzip the bottom zipper to let air flow in and keep them cool (but will zip it up once temperatures dip throughout the night without disturbing them!). Then, we lay down and read some books as a family (lightweight indestructible books are key for backpacking!). Once that’s wrapped up, we’ll turn on the portable white noise machine and I'll nurse Eden to sleep while my husband cuddles Indy to sleep. It’s usually still very bright out, but all the activity from the day tends to tire them out and they seem to zonk out within 10 minutes.
Day 2
We woke up at 8:00 a.m. and had a very slow, peaceful start to the day since our next campsite was just over 3 kilometres away. By the time we ate breakfast, packed up and hit the trail, it was around 11:00 a.m. It was a bluebird day and the temperatures were rising quickly!
Both kids hiked quite energetically and we spotted lots of frogs along the trail, until Eden crashed for a nap in the Trail Magik at around noon. It was a short nap!… As we arrived at a creek crossing and decided it would be an excellent place to stop for lunch and some play. We brought out the camping mugs, and both kids had fun collecting and pouring water around, while I made another batch of peanut butter tortillas for the gang. There were lots of butterflies fluttering around, which made for some lovely entertainment.
After 1.5 hours of play, we decided to wrap it up and keep hiking. Our campsite was only 600 meters away, but the kids were walking pretty slowly and stopping often at this point. We finally arrived at Allenby Junction at 2:30 p.m. This campsite only has 5 tent pads, and seems to be overlooked as it’s such a short distance from other (more scenic!) campsites. We were the only ones there! If we were kid-free, we would’ve totally hiked past it… But it felt great for us all to have an easy-going day in between two longer days. So I’m glad we booked it!
That said, the cooking area of the Allenby Junction campground is slightly open and beautiful. It offers views of Mount Allenby and Mount Mercer on the east and Mount Cautley and Elly’s Dome on the west. The nearby forest has a handful of fallen trees, big stumps and complex root systems conducive to some imaginary play and climbing opportunities for the kids. We hung out there for hours, before getting hungry and eating dinner at around 5:30 p.m.
Indy hadn’t napped that day, and Eden had only had a short one… So we reigned it in at 7:00 p.m. for the night.
Day 3
We woke up at 7:30 a.m., and casually hustled to get dressed, fed, packed and back on the trail. We had just over 9 kilometres of distance to cover, with considerably more elevation gain compared to the previous days… So we wanted to start early! By 10:30 a.m., we were en route.
The kids walked the first little bit, but the trail eventually got more narrow with tall shrubs caving in and roots poking out. We decided that it would be in the children’s best interest to carry them through that section. I placed Eden in the Trail Magik carrier and she fell asleep instantly. Indy, on the other hand, did not. In fact, he protested quite a bit. Chris mustered some kind of superpower, and lifted Indy up onto his shoulders (just above his 105-litre backpack!) and they hiked like that all the way up the pass. I was dumbfounded!
We felt huge relief arriving at Assiniboine Pass. It had been such a mental and physical challenge to push up that section, but mostly: Mount Assiniboine really felt within our grasp! It was nearing 1:00 p.m., so we enjoyed lunch and hydrated on the benches before proceeding into Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park.
From this point on, it’s mostly flat. The kids were eager to hike (with gummies as bribery, of course!) and we were quite satisfied with the reduced weight on our shoulders. It was a win-win! We arrived at Assiniboine Lodge at around 3:00 p.m., and were beyond thrilled!
The view of Mount Assiniboine rising behind Magog Lake is one my all-time faves, and the vibe surrounding Assiniboine Lodge is contagious. You realize that people flock from all around the world to experience this mecca - which so happens to be in our backyard! It’s fascinating hearing about their experiences, as well as sharing your own, all while relaxing in paradise.
Since the Magog Lake campsite is a little over a kilometre away from Assiniboine Lodge, Chris hiked there by himself to set up our tent while I took the kids down to the creek to play. At 4:00 p.m., we all reconvened back at the lodge for their “afternoon tea”. From 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the staff offers cake, tea, beer and/or wine to campers for cash only. And let me tell you, “cheers”-ing and sipping that cold beer with Chris felt de-lightful!
After last call, we made our way to Magog Lake campsite. This campsite is huge, boasting 40 tent pads, two cooking areas (one with a cook shelter), several food storage lockers, grey water pits, water taps and outhouses. But don’t be fooled! They all get booked up on the day (dare I say: on the minute?) that reservations open. Luckily, we were able to snag our spot at Magog Lake using Schnerp. This website continuously scans for cancellations of your desired campgrounds during your desired dates, and notifies you when something opens up. What a genius idea, eh? Once you get a notification, you got to pounce. We’ve had great success!
Once we wrapped up dinner, headed back to our tent and got the kids ready for bed, it was around 8:30 p.m. Chris didn’t even get through reading all our bedtime stories, as the kids had already passed out. We were all exhausted… And so content!
Day 4
We rose at 7:00 a.m. to a beautiful, albeit chilly morning in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. We got dressed in our down layers, all packed up and headed to the shores of Magog Lake for breakfast. The day was warming up quickly! As soon as we got there, we were able to shed some layers while we enjoyed our morning coffees/hot chocolates, ate our breakfast and played in the water. Chris even went for a cheeky dip!
By 9:15 a.m., we wrapped up and started hiking up towards the helipad (which is just 200 metres past Assiniboine Lodge) as we were instructed to check in by 10:00 a.m., and we knew it would take us a while to get there at toddler pace.
The helicopter operates in and out of Assiniboine Lodge on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with the option to fly in/out via Mount Shark helipad or Canmore (at Alpine Helicopters). You must book it through Assiniboine Lodge, and prove that you have a reservation at Magog Lake or Og Lake in order to do so. Just like on an airplane, children under 2 travel for free by sitting on your lap.
Once we arrived at the helipad, we discovered we were the eighth flight travelling to Mount Shark that morning, which gave us a chance to observe the process over and over again. So fun! We made sure nothing was dangling out of our backpacks, labelled the one carrying the bear spray/propane, and placed them in the corresponding pile. Then, we watched in awe!
At noon, we made it onto the helicopter. The kids were both handed earmuffs as it was quite loud, and we took off. We circled Assiniboine Lodge and headed southeast towards Mount Shark. The views were stunning! It was cool to be able to see things up close (like the rock walls), as well as from a distance (like the entire Marvel Lake). Before we knew it, we had landed. It’s incredible how 25 kilometres of trails were replaced with a 10-minute helicopter ride… Just like that! Chris ran the 1.3-kilometre trail back to the Mount Shark trailhead to retrieve our vehicle, then we jumped in and drove back home.
Almost daily, Indy asks if we can go back to Mount Assiniboine. Sorry dude, not anytime soon!… But what a trip that was.
Of course, the kids had their meltdowns, big feelings and non-cooperative moments, but that happens regardless. Looking back, I’m so amazed by how incredibly adaptable they were with everything we were doing! I can’t imagine being a toddler who wakes up in an unfamiliar place and walks (with no context for distance) to the next unfamiliar place to do it all over again. Their willingness to do so shows how much they trust and feel at home with us… And what a gift that is!