Two years ago, I came to Mount Assiniboine for the first time. I’d wanted to see it for a while, mostly because of the photos. But, the lakes were still frozen, end of June, the snow was up to my waist. It rained. And then it rained some more. It was, objectively, not the sort of weather you would order up for a mountain adventure. And somehow, we still had an incredible time. That’s the thing about the mountains. They don’t always give you the conditions you hoped for, but it doesn’t make it any less fun.
This time, the trails were snow-free. The lakes were exactly as beautiful as I remembered, only now I could actually see the water. The alpine meadows were wide open, the wild flowers were WILD, and Mount Assiniboine stood dramatically above it all.
The Mountain
It’s hard to explain just how imposing Mount Assiniboine feels when you’re standing beneath it. From a distance, it has that classic pyramidal shape, sharp, dramatic and suspiciously perfect. It’s easy to understand why it has become one of the most recognizable mountains in the Canadian Rockies. Mount Assiniboine sits on the Great Divide and the Alberta-British Columbia border. At 3,618 meters, it is the 7th-highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and rises 1,525 meters above Lake Magog. It was much bigger than I expected.
The Park
Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park was established in 1922, making it British Columbia’s oldest provincial park. The park doesn’t have a road leading straight to it. The area remains wonderfully removed from everyday world. You have to hike, ski or helicopter in.
The Assiniboine Lodge
Assiniboine Lodge dates back to 1928 and still carries much of the character of an old mountain retreat. The days seem to revolve around simple things here: being outside, coming back tired and hungry, sharing a meal, sitting around and talking.
The Naiset Huts
Five Naiset Huts were built a century ago in 1925, by the ACC founder, A.O. Wheeler, The huts lie near the lodge and the park ranger cabin just below Wonder Pass. Each hut is a single-room wood cabin that varies in size and contains a wood-burning fireplace. It sleeps up to 8 people sardine style. We stayed at the Aster Hut, which was the same hut we stayed at two years prior.
The Camping
There are approximately 75 backcountry campsites in Mount Assiniboine Park. BC Parks offers reservable campsites at Magog Lake and Og Lake in the core area, and Porcupine Campground near Citadel Pass. First come, first served sites are available at Mitchell Meadows and Rock Lake near Ferro Pass.
Core-area camping include Magog Lake (40 tent pads) and Og Lake (10 tent pads). Non-core areas include Porcupine campground (10 tent pads).
The Hind Hut
The Hind Hut is an exclusive, rustic backcountry shelter reserved for experienced climbers attempting Mount Assiniboine. Because accessing the hut requires specialized mountaineering equipment and advanced glacier travel skills, it is not for hikers. Bookings and reservations must be managed directly through the Mount Assiniboine Lodge. You can also hire Kris Irwin with Higher Ground Mountain Guides to take you to the tippy top.
Day 1 – Helicopter in or Hike in
The Helicopter
You must book a stay that matches the helicopter schedule, even if you plan to hike in and/or out. The helicopter operates on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (Monday instead of Sunday on long weekends).
I ended up sitting in the front of the helicopter both times. Not because it was my birthday. Apparently, I was the lightest, so I got the front seat. The view from up there was incredible. You really get a sense of just how huge the Rockies really are.
The Routes
Assiniboine Pass via Mount Shark (The most popular)
Assiniboine Pass is the most popular route into the park simply because it is the easiest, though it is far less scenic than the other two hiking options. From the final backcountry campsite, the trail heads northwest before hitting a short, steep climb that pulls you right up and over the pass.
- Distance: 25.6 km
- Elevation: 812 m
- Time: 6-7 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
- Trailhead: Mount Shark
Sunshine Village via Citadel Pass (The longest)
The route from Sunshine Village is technically easier on the feet but covers a significantly longer distance. At the start of the trailhead, hikers have a major choice to make: pay for the scenic gondola up to Sunshine Meadows, or grind up the dusty gravel access road, which adds a brutal 6.5 kilometres and 500 metres of elevation gain to the very beginning of the trek.
- Distance: 30 km
- Elevation: 400 m
- Time: 9-10 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead: Sunshine Village
Wonder Pass via Mount Shark (The most scenic)
Wonder Pass is widely considered the most scenic route to hike to and from Mount Assiniboine. It also serves as the most direct route if you are heading straight to the Naiset Huts or Assiniboine Lodge.
- Distance: 26.8 km
- Elevation: 985 m
- Time: 7-8 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
- Trailhead: Mount Shark
Day 2 – Hike
The Trails
Niblet, Nublet, Nub Peak
The progression up The Niblet, The Nublet, and Nub Peak is perfect because it lets you choose your own adventure level. That ridgeline is one of the most iconic views in the country for a reason. Whether you stop at the first viewpoint or push all the way along the exposed ridge to the 2,746-metre summit, standing on this ridge line is a definitive, bucket-list mountain experience that completely defines the magic of the backcountry.
Depending on the season, the trail conditions along this route can dramatically transform your journey, making timing everything. In June 2024 late-season snowstorms were actively rolling through the backcountry, leaving the high alpine trails buried and keeping the majestic valley waters like Cerulean Lake and Sunburst Lake completely frozen over well past their usual thaw dates. Facing unexpected winter conditions became part of the adventure, proving that an imperfect weather window at a bucket-list destination is still better than staying home.
Wonder Peak and The Towers
Wonder Peak and the Towers are the two most popular scrambles, both offering postcard-perfect views of Marvel Lake, Mount Assiniboine, and the entire core park area. You could also skip the vertical suffering, sit by the water and admire the same scenery without the heroic uphill cardio.
Sunburst and Cerulean Lake via Magog Campground
Magog Lake gets most of the attention, and for a good reason. With Mount Assiniboine rising behind it, it’s one of those landscapes that looks edited even when you’re standing right in front of it.
There are plenty of beautiful lakes in the Rockies, but something about the combination of the turquoise water, surrounding forest and enormous mountains makes Cerulean feel almost tropical. The colour is ridiculous.
Day 3 – Hike out or Helicopter out
Mount Shark Parking Lot via Assiniboine Pass
Hiking out via the Assiniboine Pass trail back to the Mount Shark Trailhead is a smart, highly practical choice, especially if you are feeling fatigued at the end of your trip. It is far less scenic than the Wonder Pass or Sunshine Village. When we hiked out two years ago, Assiniboine Pass was the only option available due to avalanche risk. It turned into a painful marathon of a day and I don’t know if I would put myself through that again.
Because Mount Shark has separate parking lots, one for the hikers at the main day use trail and another specifically for the helipad, leaving the car at the wrong one WAS and IS a classic and very painful rite of passage. So, this time around we went ultra lazy and helicoptered out.
Mount Shark Parking Lot via Wonder Pass or Sunshine Village via Citadel Pass.
We originally planned to hike out through Wonder Pass, but plans change.
The Flowers
Look, if you know me at all, you know I am an absolute sucker for alpine wildflowers. This year was completely wild for wildflowers, especially when you got up into the high alpine blooms. Up past the tree line, where the conditions are brutal and the soil is basically just rocks, these tiny, resilient bursts of life completely took over. But lower down, the meadows straight-up exploded into these ridiculous, vibrant carpets of bright colours. I’ve never seen anything like that.
The Cost: Goodbye, Savings
So you probably wondered by now what this little alpine flex is going to cost you. Well, let’s break it down. For a group of 8 people flying in and flying out for a 2-night stay, your total cost will be roughly $578 to $691 CAD per person. That includes $60 per person for 2 night-stay plus the cost of flights:
- $245 per person, each way from Mt. Shark
- $275 per person, each way from Canmore
Because our group size was exactly 8, we were required to book an entire 8-person hut—either the Fleabane or Aster hut. You don’t have to share breathing space with strangers, but you do have to listen to your friends snore etc.
The Pass
If you thought the helicopter company was the only one sticking its hands in your pocket, don’t forget the Kananaskis Conservation tax, I mean pass. Assuming your group of 8 carpools efficiently into 2 vehicles, that’s $45 per car ($15 per day). We had 3 vehicles and each had an annual pass registered to it. With a $90 per year fee, you can register up to two licence plates.
The Food
The Naiset Huts provide a roof and a wood-burning stove (for heat), but zero food. Well, unless you are staying at the lodge that is. You have to bring everything. Because you are flying, you are bound by a strict 40 lbs per person gear limit. That means heavy coolers are out and freeze-dried space food is in. Expect to spend $20 per meal. That doesn’t include the load of snacks you will suddenly feel the existential need to consume. I mean people still cooked steaks. Ultimately, it depends on what is important to you and how you choose to allocate your precious weight allowance.
The Luxury of Having Nowhere to Be
That’s probably what I appreciated the most this time around. We weren’t trying to squeeze everything into a few hours. We had time. Time to explore, time to stop, time to sit beside a lake and do absolutely nothing. And time to appreciate the fact that for a few days, this was our world. Friends beside me. Not a bad place to spend your birthday.
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happy trails!
