On our day to leave Talus Lodge, the sky was brilliant blue, picture-taking opportunities were plentiful but Mt Assiniboine was still in cloud. There’s really not much to say here other than we had a wonderful time. All of us kids were really happy to spoil Mum and Dad and Kor Kor rotten and they were only too happy to lie in the lap of luxury for these six days!
On a personal note, I’d never ever heli-hiked before. I had never felt the need as it wasn’t a big effort for me to hike to the alpine. However, I can now see how rejuvenating and how exciting it was for my parents to get back in the alpine. Ever since they moved to Canada, they have loved hiking and getting to the mountains. Having lived in Calgary and Vancouver and having hiked in the Coast Mountains, the Rockies and throughout North America they’ve always enjoyed getting out into the backcountry. Now with advancing age, they move slower and more cautiously but their desire to get out there and their joy in being in the outdoors is undiminished.
Although my aunt is not as ardent an outdoorsperson or hiker as my parents, she too lives in Calgary and can see the mountains from her place. I know she had a great time and she too had a blast toddling around in the alpine meadows.
Morning views of Talus Lodge and the Canadian Rockies. This looks north to Mt Assiniboine which is, of course, still in the clouds
Talus Lodge views
Sue soaking in morning sun
Mum and Dad
Tsuan and Mum
Parents and Tsuan
Mum and Tsuan practising for their Everest attempt – haha
Here’s the helicopter flying out half the party.
Aerial view of Ptarmigan Plateau, Whiteman and Vavasour from the helicopter. Leman Lake is in the valley below
Shot of the Assiniboine Group (Assinboine is the tallest mountain in the southern Canadian Rockies and is unfortunately in the clouds). This looks north west over the White Man Creek drainage
View north along Spray Lakes from the helicopter
Coming in to land at Canmore heliport
Safe landing at the Canmore heliport