Alberta
Choose Your Pace: Hike the Canadian Rockies, Banff & Lake Louise
Program No. 5339RJ
Hike Banff and Yoho National Parks at your pace with experts as you learn about Lake Louise, giant glaciers, pioneer history and the impact humans have on these alpine environments.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
7 days
Program Begins
Canmore, AB
Program Concludes
Canmore, AB
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
16 (
6B, 5L, 5D
)
Activity Level
Hike the alpine trails of the Canadian Rockies at the national parks of Banff and Yoho. Expert-led hikes selected based on your desired level of difficulty will explore the clear streams, turquoise glacial lakes and mountain vistas while learning about glaciology, human history and the unique wildlife of each region. Admire the world-famous Lake Louise at your pace as you learn about the challenges the future holds for these gems of Canada’s wilderness.
Best of all, you'll...
- Explore alpine meadows, forests and mountain wildflowers on expert-led hikes as you learn about the region’s ecology, history and biodiversity.
- Learn about the remarkable Spiral Tunnels and witness the amazing engineering feats of early railway construction.
- Discover treasures such as the Victoria Glacier and the Grand Château Lake Louise on the shores of Lake Louise.
General Notes
Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Jack Burns
Jack Burns is pursuing his life’s passion, hiking, after nearly 40 years as a Canadian Army Officer, domestic and international disaster response specialist and businessman. He has extensive hiking and some climbing experience throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Jack’s involvement with the Central Alberta Mountain Club and the Great Divide Trail Association has helped him absorb the challenges of passionate non-professionals who pursue outdoor adventures.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Bryce Willigar
Born in a small farming community situated on the western edge of the Canadian prairie, Bryce found his calling in the outdoors at a young age while exploring the many wild places close to his childhood home. This led him to pursue a degree in outdoor leadership. Bryce has worked as both a snowshoeing and hiking leader, and has also taught cross-country skiing to a broad range of ages and ability levels. He is also a paddling instructor.
Brett Kolasa
Brett Kolasa is originally from Seattle, Washington but was raised in Calgary, Alberta. Brett loves to spend his days outside hiking in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter. He leads both activities and loves to teach people about the amazing flora and fauna of the Canadian Rockies. Brett is a graduate of Mount Royal University in Calgary with a degree in ecotourism and outdoor leadership degree, and loves fly fishing.
Chelsea Stone
Chelsea Stone was born in Calgary, Alberta and has always had access to the mountains. She grew up going on camping trips with her family and then branched out on her own in her 20s. She now spends most of her time sport and alpine climbing, scrambling, and mountaineering in the Rockies when the seasons are right and traveling to other fun locations when the weather doesn’t suit. Chelsea loves to further her knowledge of all types of flora and fauna that she encounters.
Lynn Martel
Lynn Martel, although she grew up a disco princess in Montreal, found her true home in the Canadian Rockies. Over four decades, she has hiked and climbed and skied deep into the backcountry on multi-day wilderness trips, even tenting on glaciers. She is an accredited Interpretive Hiking Guide and former mountain bike guide and has written about western Canada’s mountain world for three decades in magazines and books. She is a passionate nature and landscape photographer, especially of wildflowers, snow, and ice.
Sheila Sepkowski
Sheila Sepkowski has loved the mountains all her life and has dedicated many years to exploring the breathtaking landscapes of the Canadian Rockies. Her deep connection to the mountains coupled with enthusiasm and curiosity as a lifelong learner has inspired her to share her knowledge with others. On her days off, she can often be found wandering in the mountains with her camera, looking to capture the perfect composition.
Randi Klein
Randi Klein hails from the Edmonton area and loves taking photos while in the mountains. They never tire of the incredible landscapes of the Canadian Rockies and draw inspiration from their beauty. Knowledgeable on all things mountains, Randi earned a degree in ecotourism and outdoor leadership from Mount Royal University in Calgary. Randi can be found kayaking, biking, or hiking when not interpreting with Road Scholar, which they have worked with since 2019.
Cindy Kelly
Cindy Kelly has called the Canadian Rockies home for over four decades. She earned her degree in kinesiology and outdoor pursuits from the University of Calgary, and loves to know what makes the human body and nature tick. As a certified hiking interpreter, Cindy is especially interested in mountain flora, fauna, birds, local history, and geology.
Margaret McKeon
Margaret McKeon grew up in Edmonton; her first camping trip in the mountains was at six weeks old. After many years in Newfoundland, where she coordinated an outdoor and Mi’kmaw education program, she returned to her first love, the Rocky Mountains. She is a certified Professional Interpretive Hiking Guide and Forest and Nature Therapy Guide. She is also an author and poet, holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of British Columbia, and loves going on long backpacking trips with her partner.
Travis Locey
Travis Locey teaches high school English, physical education, and outdoor education for most of the year. During the summer, he enjoys leading like-minded folks through the Rockies. Travis always loves to hear guests' thoughts and see their reactions to the beautiful place he calls home. In his personal time, he enjoys hiking, canoeing, and camping with family. At the end of a big day, Travis loves to sit down by the fire and enjoy great food with loved ones.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Choose Your Pace
We want every participant to have a safe, enjoyable and rewarding program experience. The travel and activities of the Hiking Banff, Lake Louise and Yoho program require participants to be in good general health and capable of performing all program activities described by the program description and its corresponding Activity Level. Although we offer 3 levels of hiking each day, participants must be able to hike 4 miles with an elevation gain of 850 feet on uneven rocky and rooty terrain in potentially inclement mountain weather at an absolute minimum. Registered participants who are unable to do so may be asked to stay back at the hotel during the hiking activities for their own safety and the safety of other participants of the program.
Small Group
(13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List
(7 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
Enroll with Confidence
Peace of Mind
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
Assurance Plan
Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.
Want to Protect Your Investment?
Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
Sustainable Travel
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.
- Peace of Mind
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
- Assurance Plan
Road Scholar's continued commitment to our participants and their well-being is exemplified whether participating on a program in the United States or on one of our International programs, every Road Scholar participant receives coverage under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan.
- Want to Protect Your Investment?
Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
- Sustainable Travel
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.