← Group Trips

Banff Body Positive Heli-Backpacking
Banff National Park

Dates: July 12-17, 2022
Destination: Banff, Alberta
Length: 6 days/5 nights
Focus: Backpacking, Mindfulness + Self-Love
Difficulty: Difficult, hiking experience recommended
Tour Leader: Kristen Ales, MA, LPC
Gender: Women+ (inclusive of all people identifying as female or non-binary)
Giveback: Native Womens Wilderness

Root founder, Breanne, joined the ATTA to explore the Best of Banff + Lake Louise in October 2019; take a look!

Banff and Lake Louise are filled with magical moments: crisp early morning walks, hiking through the dew-covered fall colors as the sun spreads over the mountain peaks, sharing a drink with friends at the end of a golden day, soaring over the snow-covered mountain peaks to explore the heights of the Rockies. Embrace the vibrancy and beauty of fall in Banff and Lake Louise.

On this 4 day/3 night backpacking adventure, we’ll enjoy unparalleled views challenged only by the beautiful relationships and bonds formed on the trail. Join us for a supportive backpacking adventure with 11 curious, open, and challenge-seeking women. This trip is for anyone interested in pushing their limits and helping others reach new goals.

Includes:
+ Group breakfast, lunch, and dinner during trek, weight split equally amongst attendees
+ Moraine Lake Forest bathing and hike
+ 2 nights hotel in Banff town center
+ 3 nights camping
+ Daily guided journaling
+ Daily meditation
+ Pre-trek training plan
+ Pre-trek bi-weekly group video chat and check-in

Meet your Tour Leader:

Kristen Ales, MA, LPC is a Therapist who specializes in disordered eating and body image. She received her Master's in Wilderness Therapy and has spent the last 10 years leading outdoor adventure trips around the world.

Kristen's mission is to help those struggling with disordered eating and negative body image celebrate their bodies for all that they can do. She believes that outdoor adventure can help us build trust, and appreciation for our bodies that also translates into confidence off of the trail. Kristen currently works as a therapist in Bend, OR where she specializes in eating disorders and educating the community in eating disorders, fatphobia, and dismantling diet culture.

SUMMARY

Day 1: Arrive in Calgary, Transfer to Banff

Day 2: Moraine Lake Forest Bathing and Hike + Lake Louise Picnic

Day 3: Helicopter to Begin Our Backpacking Journey

Day 4: Hike to Landslide Lake

Day 5: Explore the Landslide Lake Area

Day 6: Hike out and meet transfer to Calgary or Extend your trip

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1

Welcome to the Canada

Upon arrival in Calgary, meet your transfer to Banff. Upon arrival at the hotel, enjoy a moment to settle in and soak in the scenery. We will meet with our guides to review the upcoming activities and ensure everyone has the necessary equipment. After our orientation and dinner, we will get a good night’s sleep in preparation for the days to come.

DAY 2

Beauty and friendship abounds at Moraine Lake.
**Meals: B | L | D**

Moraine Lake Forest Bathing and Hike + Lake Louise Picnic

After breakfast, we meet our guide and transfer to the iconic Moraine Lake. We start our morning with Forest bathing lakeside.

Shinrin Yoku (aka Forest Bathing)⁠
In Japan, people practice a therapy called Shinrin Yoku or forest bathing, which translates to ‘taking in the atmosphere of the forest’. Japanese scientists figured out the trees give off an organic chemical compound, called phytoncides; when you go into the forest with all your senses attuned you bathe in these compounds which then provide a multitude of benefits.⁠

We then take in the famous Valley of the Ten Peaks as you hike along the pristine waters of Moraine Lake. You are granted stunning views as you hike up a switchback trail towards Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass. Once in the valley, the trees thin and the walking becomes gentler as the trail makes its way past the Minnestimma Lakes and to the base of the imposing Sentinel Pass. Views to the sides and above you are of Pinnacle Mountain and Mt. Temple, 3rd highest peak in Banff National Park. If time and group ability allow, we will continue on a steady but manageable ascent to the top of Sentinel Pass where the views are worth all the effort it took to get there!

We return to our shuttle and make our way to the pristine Lake Louise, where we enjoy a lakeside picnic and have free time to explore on your own.

Day 3

Helicopter to Begin Our Backpacking Journey

We begin the day with a drive north of Lake Louise. 75 kilometers along the stunning Icefields Parkway brings us to Saskatchewan River Crossing where we turn onto the less traveled David Thompson Highway. We’ll spend 30 minutes driving to reach Rockies Heli. Here we’ll be whisked away by helicopter (!!!) for a short flight to the beautiful Lake of the Falls, where we’ll set up camp and head out for a short hike to discover the area.

Accommodation: Campsite at Lake of the Falls

Day 4

Hike to Landslide Lake

After a hearty breakfast, we will pack up camp, organize the hikers and begin our backpacking journey over to Landslide Lake. Our trek begins at approximately 2100 metres. We follow the creek leading away from the lake, descending to 1750 metres where we reach a fork in the trail and begin our climb back up to Landslide Lake. We reach the lake, set up our camp and revel in the spectacular views.

Accommodation: Campsite at Landslide Lake

Day 5

Explore the Landslide Lake Area

We’ll spend another day exploring the Landslide Lake area. It boasts an incredible variety of trails over high alpine passes, sweeping vistas, and glacial blue waters. There are several hiking options depending on how the group feels. We’ll return to our campsite at Landslide Lake for a final evening in the Canadian Rockies backcountry amongst friends.

Accommodation: Campsite at Landslide Lake

Day 6

Backpack Out, Return to Calgary

Today we begin our journey back to civilization. We climb a well-developed trail up a scree slope to 2500 metres, our high point on the trail, traversing the alpine pass before descending to 1400 metres where your ride awaits.

PRICE: $2795 PER PERSON
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

Deposit: $500 due today
$765 — 1st payment due May 20th
$765 — 2nd payment due May 27th
$765 — Final payment due June 12th
Payment plan available, please inquire.

Upgrade to Single Room/Tent: $550 per person

NOTE: If you are a solo traveler interested in sharing a room, we will match you with another solo traveler

Rental equipment (must be reserved in advance):
Sleeping bag: $60 per person
2 person tent: $80 per person
Sleeping Pad: $35 per person

Included: