Rocky Mountain Magic – Assiniboine Pass & Wonder Pass
If the Canadian Rockies are on your hiking bucket list, I can confirm, they absolutely live up to the hype!
Earlier this month, I completed a 4-day loop from Assiniboine Pass through Wonder Pass, hiking from Kananaskis into Banff National Park and Assiniboine Provincial Park (BC) and back.
The weather? Perfectly imperfect. Sunshine, beauty, a 2am rain storm and crazy temp ranges! On our last day we were eating breakfast with our toques and gloves at 1 degree celsius, only to find ourselves stripping away clothing as we walked towards the parking lot. Three hours later we finished at 34 degrees!
The views? Unreal. Breathtaking. Soul Shaking.
The experience? An absolute must-do! I share my itinerary below if you'd like to plan your own adventure.
Assiniboine 4-Day Itinerary
🎥 A full recap is coming soon to my YouTube channel! But for now, here was my itinerary if it helps you out.
Parked at Mount Shark Parking lot in Kananaskis (must have a Kananaskis park pass, and yes, they were constantly checking plate numbers).
Day 1: Hiked 14.36 kms into Banff National Park to McBride campsite (BR14)
Day 2: Hiked 12.64 kms through Assiniboine Pass into BC and camped at Magog Lake at the base of Mount Assiniboine (near Assiniboine Lodge).
Day 3: Hiked 19.30 kms through Wonder Pass and back into Banff National Park. Hiked along Marvel Lake, past our night one location, then stayed at Big Springs campsite (BR9).
Finished the hike with a short and relatively easy 9.58 kms back to Mount Shark Parking.
Important to note: there are restrictions on these trails during the later part of the summer and into the fall when berries (and therefore bears) are plentiful. Reservations must be made at all campsites and wild camping is not permitted. Tent pads, food storage and a cooking area were available at each of our three camping areas.
Save this for your next Rocky Mountain adventure and be sure to let me know if you're adding it to your bucket list! I promise you won't be disappointed.