Sunshine Village to Mt. Assiniboine, hiking Canada - FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)

Where can I buy / rent gear?

The best outdoor gear store in the world, in our opinion, is Mountain Equipment Co-op, a Canadian company. MEC has an outlet in Calgary. They rent anything you might need.

If you are not stopping in Calgary, a number of shops in Banff and Canmore sell fuel and basic gear. The best of those stores is Monod’s in Banff.

**Do I need a Wilderness Pass to hike?**

Of course. The Canadian Parks are highly regulated, perhaps over-regulated.

A Wilderness Pass is required for overnight campers in Banff National Park:

Wilderness Pass is C$9 / person / night, or ...
Annual C$63 / person / year
you must pay for shelter (campsites) & reservation fees in addition to the Wilderness Pass
Children 16 years and under are free

confirm fees on the Parks Canada website

Normally we buy an Annual Wilderness Pass — unlimited nights in the backcountry of Banff, Yoho, Kootenay, Jasper, Waterton Lakes, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks.

Most hikers buy their Wilderness Pass at the Parks Canada office on the main street in Banff, Alberta on the way in to the hike. It is no hassle. There is no limit on how many Wilderness Passes Parks Canada will sell.

Reservations for “shelter“ (campsites)

Backcountry campsite reservations in National Parks are essential during July & August. Reserve as early as possible — up to 90 days in advance of your trip. (Mark it on your calendar.)

Reservations with Parks Canada can not yet be done by e-mail or on-line, only by:

phone 762-5543 to book Howard Douglas through the Banff National Park Information Centre.
fax, or ...
in person at any Park Information Centre, or the Western Canada Service Centre in Calgary.

They can mail to you — but we normally pick up everything at the Parks office in Banff when we arrive. Wardens will fill you in on current trail conditions, closures, animal alerts, etc.

In 2005 backcountry users paid:

Shelter Fee (campsite) C$7 / person / night - in addition to the Wilderness Pass
Reservation Fee (non-refundable) C$12 / person for any booking made more than 24 hours in advance
C$12 / modification for any reservation change (non-refundable)
confirm fees on the Parks Canada website

Happily, the huge Assiniboine Provincial Park Magog campground is first come, first served. You do not need to reserve it! In fact the overflow area some feel is superior to the actual campground.

We recommend Porcupine campsite; first-come, first-served as well.

Where else can I get information?

Aside from Parks Canada in Banff, the best information source is Assiniboine Lodge. Check their website first, then telephone if you have any specific questions.

Any of our recommended hiking guidebooks is sufficient to plan your trip, however. This is not a complicated hike.

Who should attempt this hike?

Anyone who can walk 15km (10mi) with a pack can hike Sunshine to Assiniboine. It is a good option for kids & for groups of mixed experience.

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Who should NOT hike Alpamayo?

NOT those with chronic knee, ankle or back injuries.

Footing is good for the most part. But Assiniboine is remote. To exit in a hurry you would need to get to the heli-pad at Assiniboine Lodge.

What's the most difficult section?

There are no particularly difficult sections.

We have gotten ourselves in trouble by hiking too far in one day. For example,

Magog to Mt. Shark trailhead 24km (15mi)
Magog to Howard Douglas 23.2km (14.4mi)

There are many challenging sidetrips available for experienced hikers, the best and most difficult of which is the scary scramble from Magog up to Hind Hut, the bivouac for mountaineers climbing Assiniboine.

Hind Hut