Nahanni Youth Adventures - is a Christian outdoor adventure program created for the youth of the Bow Valley by Nahanni Wilderness Adventures and Youth with a Mission - Calgary. Through exploring the rugged beauty of Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park and the whitewater of the Kootenay River we encourage youth to look beyond the values of the popular media and think about themselves and the world they live in with an open mind. We travel in small coed groups with a 5:1 ratio between the youth and our wilderness guides. Each day starts with a reading from the scriptures and a group discussion concerning a topic relevant to teenagers. Grace is said before each meal.

Trip Overview

Start/Finish: Sunshine Meadows, Banff National Park to the White River, B.C.
Length: 8 Days
Distance: 55km by trail/100km by river
Skill Level: No experience is necessary. Youth should be able to hike 10-15 mountain kilometers per day carrying an overnight pack.

 Mount Assiniboine is looked upon as the jewel of the Southern Rocky Mountains. It has been named in honor of Indian hunters from the prairie Assiniboine tribe who ventured west to the rich hunting grounds they found within the meadows and forests about this dominant peak. At 3618 meters Mount Assiniboine bears a striking resemblance to the Matterhorn in Switzerland. Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park was first established in 1922. In 1973 the boundary was expanded to 38,600 hectares filling a triangular space between Banff National Park to the east and Kootenay National Park to the west.

The Wilderness scenery in the park is as beautiful as any found in the Canadian Rockies. The area is known for its jagged peaks, shimmering lakes, glistening glaciers and sun dappled alpine meadows. Adjoining trails are the only surface access into and out of the park.

Boreal forest of spruce intermixed with stands of alpine fir and lodgepole pine cover the lower elevations. The areas big games animals can be seen throughout the summer. These include moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep. Birds of prey and song birds are everywhere.

The Kootenay River is superbly scenic. From its source high in the Rocky Mountains, the river flows southward to join its main tributary the Vermillion River. As one they flow through a forested valley, where they have carved beautiful gorges through shale and limestone bed rock and glacial deposits left behind by retreating glaciers 8 -10,000 years ago. Rafters numerous grade 2-3 sections of whitewater, Pedley falls, spire like hoodoos near White River, and many exceptional camp sites. Historically the Kootenay or Kutenai Indians traveled through the river valley but archaeological evidence shows that the broad open Columbia River valley was a more common place of occupation for these natives. Sir George Simpson, governor of the Hudson Bay Company traveled up the river valley in 1841 enroute to Sinclair Pass and the Columbia River.

Itinerary:

Pre-trip meeting in Canmore to check equipment and answer questions about the up coming trip.

Day 1: 8:00AM depart Canmore from the Old School Ice-cream Bus and drive to Village. We’ll ride the gondola to the village and set off on the trail below the familiar Standish lift for Citadel Pass. Our lunch stop will be at Douglas Lake, just 6k away. We will be hiking through open meadows of wildflowers with groves of alpine fur and larch. Another 3.5k puts us at Citadel Pass and a descent into Golden Valley and our lodgings for the night at Porcupine Campsite.

Day 2: Our second day finds us hiking south through the Valley of the Rocks with Mount Assiniboine coming closer with every step. The land opens up as we pass Og Lake and continue on to Magog Lake Campground with Mount Assiniboine and its glaciers towering above us.

Day 3: We will enjoy a well deserved rest day and explore around Lake Magog

Day 4: To day we are on the move again passing by Sunburst Lake and Ferro Pass to Surprise Creek Campsite

Day 5: Our last day of hiking begins at Simpson Creek Trail and takes us to the Vermillion River and our awaiting rafts and paddling equipment. At the river we will exchanging our hiking boots for paddles, load our dry packs and rafts and let the Vermillion River do the work as we float towards the Kootenay River. Our first whitewater thrills will be had at Hector George with McLeod Meadows as our campsite destination.

Day 6: Back on the water we leave Kootenay National Park and head to the Cross River Campsite and out of Kootenay National Park. A short hike from the camp takes us to a natural bridge and past two impressive waterfalls on the Cross River.

Day 7: On the Kootenay River we have saved the best for last. This day offers what seems like non-stop whitewater. A short distance from camp we run Bridge Rapids. This is followed by Ledge, Boulder and Horseshoe Rapids. The Kootenay whitewater will for many be the highlight of the trip and will not soon be forgotten.

Day 8: Our last day on the trip continues to offer an exciting whitewater ride through Pailser Rapids. At Pedley Falls we’ll climb from the raft and take a natural shower dressed in wetsuits and life jackets. A short while after we’ll come to the White River Bridge and the takeout. Our van will be waiting with clean dry clothes. The ride back to Canmore will be filled with the re-telling of the stories from the past week of adventure. Back in town we’ll celebrate with your favorite cone from your guide’s very own Old School Ice-cream Bus.

Dates/Rates:
NYA 01: Sunday July 15, 2007 – Sunday July 22, 2007
NYA 02: Sunday August 12, 2007 - Sunday August 19, 2007

Cost:   $695 plus GST

Nahanni Youth Adventures Includes:

• All trip meals, starting with lunch on day 1 and finishing with lunch on day 8.
• Group camp kitchen for hiking and rafting.
• Tents and tarps.
• Expedition rafts.
• Rafting equipment, helmets, wetsuits, paddles, lifejackets, throw bags.
• Dry Packs (115 liter) for personal clothing.
• First Aid and other safety equipment.
• Transportation to the trailhead and back to Canmore from the river.
• Old School Ice-cream Cone
• Fall reunion in Canmore

Nahanni Youth Adventures Does not Include: 

• Transportation to and from the meeting point in Canmore.
• Personal hiking pack.
• Personal hiking and camping clothes. (list provided)
• Any hotel accommodations or restaurant meals.
• Coverage for additional expenses incurred as a result of emergency evacuations or delays.

Substance policy: No smoking, illegal drugs or alcohol No radio’s Ipods etc.

Accommodation: Separate tents are provided and required for male and female trip participants.