Backpacking weekend, Egypt Lakes or Mt Assiniboine?

[mykalberta]

I am looking to do 3 night backpacking trip.

Ideally I would like to hike in, have 2 days to complete day hikes then hike out.

I was thinking Egypt Lakes but have also heard good things about Mt Assiniboine/Lake Magog/Og. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts, tips?

Thanks

[troutman]

When? There would still be a lot of snow up there until early July.

[mykalberta]

I was thinking either July or August long weekend.

Last year I hiked to the top of Mt Bourgeau in mid July and it was fine.

[bosox_fan05]

I would recommend both areas. For a 3 night backpack trip I would probably do Mt Assiniboine as there is more to do for day hikes around there.

Are you thinking of tenting or staying in cabins because there are cabins at Mt Assiniboine and a shelter at Egypt Lake. Just depends if you want to haul a tent out there or not. If you camp you can stay at some different camp grounds around the area. If you start from the Mt Shark parking lot, you can stay at Bryant Creek campsite or shelter before going up to Mt Assiniboine or stay at Og Lake campground the next night.

Really can't go too wrong though.

[mykalberta]

Tenting, I only ever shelter if I man-up and go in the winter (which rarely happens)

[GGG]

For both areas July long weekend is hit or miss and likely trekking through some snow. August long weekend is your best bet for weather.

I don't think egypt lakes has that many worthwhile dayhikes and is better done as a continuous hike camping in egypt lake and then in shadow or ball pass and out over gibbon pass / twin lakes. That is only really a two night trip with reasonable 12-15km days. It also requires a car shuttle.

If you just want to camp at egypt lake it is an ugly campground so don't plan on spending much time there. It will also be mosquito filled in July and a little better by August. I would say there is one good day hike from the area hitting Scarab and Mummy lakes, go up and over Whistling pass and come down around past the Pharoah Lakes. I suppose you could break this into two days and at Talc lake as well to fill out your weekend. It is a nice trip but in my opinion not as nice as hiking through both Whistling and Gibbon pass.

If you want the nicest hike in the Canadian Rockies Mount Assinaboine is hard to beat but it is a long hike in and a long hike out and requires a car shuttle to see everything in 4 days.

Day 1: take the shuttle bus up to the top of the sunshine Ski Area ($20) and hike in to at least OG lake (20km) or all the way to Magog lake (27 km).
Day 2: Finish hiking to Magog then Climb Nub Peak (7km for Nub peak)
Day 3: Hike out to Windy Ridge (20km)
Day 4 Hike out over Wonder Pass to the Mt Shark trail head (27km)

The above Itenerary is fantastic, I am doing it for a Second time this summer. If you can't arrange for a car shuttle than you have to repeat half of the hike so it isn't as good as you spend a lot of time walking in and out. But make sure to start at the sunshine ski area as the citadel pass and Valley of the Rocks is far nicer than walking through the forest from the mount shark trail head.

The only real draw back to this trip is if you are uncomfortable with long days of hiking. The first and last days are 10 plus hours for many hikers with heavy packs. The Egypt lake itenerary is easy and offers up great scenery but the Mt. Assiboine area blows it away.

[bosox_fan05]

Ya, the above itenerary might be a bit intense depending on your pace and mentality. It is probably easier (distance-wise) just go from Mt Shark. I am probably slightly biased against Citadel Pass because I was running low on food and had minor sun stroke when I was climbing it.

If you want to start/end at Mt Shark, you can also create a minor loop by doing Assiniboine Pass one way and Wonder Pass the other way. You can also make the above itinerary's hike in/out a bit less taxing if you stay at Howard Douglas campground (after Sunshine, before Citadel) and Bryant Creek campground (after Assiniboine, before Mt Shark), but you obviously couldn't do all the day hikes (Windy Ridge). Depends on how much you are willing to trek each day with a heavy pack.