Der Mount Assiniboine, der als „Matterhorn der Rocky Mountains“ in einer Höhe von fast 12.000 Fuß bekannt ist, ist einer der höchsten Gipfel der Region. Als der kanadische Wissenschaftler George M. Dawson 1885 den Berg zum ersten Mal auf der Great Continental Divide zwischen British Columbia und dem Banff-Nationalpark in Alberta entdeckte, nannte er den Gipfel Assiniboine, weil ihn seine dramatisch spitze Spitze an die Tipis der Assiniboine erinnerte.
Der Assiniboine liegt in der Nähe des kristallklaren Wassers des Magog-Sees und bietet ein echtes Backcountry-Erlebnis. Der Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park in Britisch-Kolumbien hat keinerlei Straßen. Ein Ausflug in den Park erfordert mindestens eine sechsstündige Wanderung über Bryant Creek in der Nähe von Canmore. Alternativ können Sie einen Hubschrauber nehmen, um diese UNESCO-Weltkulturerbewildnis mit Almwiesen, Gletschern und Wasserfällen zu besuchen.
Visitors prize Mt. Assiniboine’s remoteness and just getting to the base of the mountain involves plenty of adventure. Assiniboine lies in an area of the Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park that has no roads, making hiking or flying the only routes in. Once there, serious rock climbers can head for the summit and hikers and photographers can explore the trails around the peak.
There are two main ways to hike into the park, via the Mount Shark trailhead south of Canmore or from Sunshine Village. Both are 16-19 miles (26-30 kilometers) each way. Lodging options include camping, dorm-style huts, and lodge-style accomodations at the Mount Assiniboine Lodge.
Mt. Assiniboine is located on the border of Canada’s British Columbia and Alberta provinces within Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park and Banff National Park. There are no roads near the peak, which can only be reached by hiking or helicopter.
Summer season on Mt. Assiniboine typically runs from the end of June through the last weekend in September and winter season runs from early February through March. Opening seasons are dependent on snowpack and weather conditions. Advanced reservations are needed for campsites in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park and the Mount Assiniboine Lodge.
Built in 1928 at the base of Mt. Assiniboine, this rustic mountain lodge was North America’s first backcountry ski lodge and to this day is only accessible by hiking, skiing, or helicopter charter. The lodge features private cabins and cozy lodge rooms with communal-style meals and an afternoon tea included. The lodge offers guided hiking trips in the summer and ski tours during the winter months.