So despite having lots on my to-do list, I can't seem to come up with a backpacking trip that meets my specs, and I'm hoping someone might have a brilliant idea to help me out!

I'm looking for a 3-day backpacking trip that I can do around Canada Day in decent condition.
I would like to backpack 3 days, in which we move camp all three days. Point-to-point or loop are both fine. (I have nothing against an out-and-back, but it doesn't really work in 3 days of carrying camp).
I need something fairly easy. In the general area of 10-12km, up to 500m gain or so per day.
(We may have some flexibility, so if you have a idea that's a little out on specs but good around Canada day, I'd still be interested in hearing.)
The biggest thing that's interfering with my ideas is that it has to be in good condition for around Canada Day. It can't be a trip that is doable, but not great. I know that it could snow at any time, but I'm not looking for a trip where you're going to be hiking through snow in the passes. Needs to be expectedly free of snow and accessible for the beginning of July.
I am willing to go as far as Canadian or American Glacier National Park, and would be up for something a little different, but I don't know enough about the Purcells or Selkirks to know what is in season early enough.

If you have a suggestion, I would very much love to hear some ideas!

Loop Cline River - Lake of the Falls - Landslide Lake and back via Wildhorse Pass is in condition by Canada Day on average year. The David Thompson doesn't get as much snow in the winter as areas further west. Wildhorse Pass may hold some snow but nothing too bad.

Drawbacks: the Lakes might be partially icebound and helicopter traffic on a long-weekend can be annoying.

I've never done it (it's on my list for this year), but the route down Junction creek and out via the Picklejar lakes trail should be snow-free by July. Day one camp is near the falls on the creek and day 2 could either be in the alpine above the lakes or by the lakes themselves. The potential tough spot is the descent to Picklejar (many people do it, however), but if it was tricky it's just a longer, mostly easy day out the way you came. You'd need 2 cars though.

Another possibility could be Egypt Lake (day 1) and Shadow Lake (day 2). There are two routes from Egypt to Shadow and the nicest - over Whistling Pass - might be snowy, but if it was you could just take the treed route. I have been over Healy Pass (en route to Egypt) twice on the Canada Day long weekend and both times there was only a small snow patch on the high point of the pass (easily avoidable or hard enough to walk on). The glacier lilies on Healy Pass are amazing that time of year. Again, it requires two cars.

Edit: Suggested Juan De Fuca but then realized this was the Alberta forum..

Interesting suggestions by the other guys. I'll just add some comments off the top of my head and some filler from my blog.

1. I briefly describe the route up Wildhorse Pass HERE. With a shuttle you can hike out via the Cline for some varied scenery, or you can do the reverse trip. HERE is a trip report on these lakes via the Cline (Pinto Lake) trailhead. Very pretty lakes, random camping, and likely just a bit of ice on the lakes. Some avoidable snow patches will likely exist on the descent from Wildhorse Pass to Landslide Lake.

2. I did the Highwood Circuit last summer in three comfortable days, hiking Mist Ridge, down the Sheep River, and back via Junction Creek and Picklejar Lakes. HERE is a little trip report. The distances are longer than you describe in your original post, but it's pretty easy hiking for the most part. It is also a random camping area, the scenery is quite varied, and most importantly it would be snow free. You might even catch some wildflowers on Mist Ridge if summer comes early. The hike to Rickert's Pass is epic; I'm sure you've done it. The old road along the Sheep is boring; I'd recommend a really long first day, 'cause you can walk the road in your sleep, and it's better than starting day 2 with a trudge. The Sheep ford at Blue Rock PP at that time of year is relatively high. My "thigh deep" might be a little deep for some . Junction Creek is not exceptionally interesting (and may be muddy from horses), but Waterfalls Valley and our camp there were gorgeous. Had we not had pea soup conditions, the ascent to the col would have been marvellous I'm sure. I could only imagine what Picklejar Lakes would have looked like from up there under blue skies. The scree descent is pretty steep (ie. I couldn't imagine hiking UP it) but the rock is at least consistent (no larger talus to contend with).

Rachel, I don't know if you've done much along the Cascade Fire road, but there are lots of opportunities for 3 day trips by the looks of it.
You can hike to Stoney creek c/g the first day and from there you could do a longer day hike to Dormer Pass.(photos on Google Earth look very nice) Or from Stoney creek, move on to Elk Lake Summit c/g and back out to the trail head on day three.
This would be mostly a valley bottom trip but not much for elevation gain as you suggested. This area should be totally snow free by the July long weekend as well.
Hope this helps you.

Wow, thanks! Those are some really awesome ideas. I'll have to look into some of them more.

The David Thomson's a neat idea. I've never done anything up there and have wanted to. I'm not sure about the pass for elevation gain and snow, but I will read your TRs and look into it more, as that would be cool to explore.

Junction/Picklejar, possibly with Mist is another good one I should look at. I had thought about the Highwood, but had it in my head that that was snowy early. Which is rather foolish, as I've done Mist Ridge in late June with piles of wildflowers, and been up Junction Creek for the Canada Day weekend years ago.

I am a little uncertain about wading the Sheep River that early - when I did Junction Creek before, we deemed it too deep and started from Indian Oils. And if it's thigh-deep, and your thighs are high, I could be in trouble (short)... But worth a good look. I massively enjoyed Junction Creek despite the horse mud, and thought the creek was gorgeous.
I think the scree/talus would be okay.

Egypt Lake area I had also discounted as too snowy, but that's a good endorsement. I've never been up there for the Glacier Lilies. I think we should be fine to work the two cars.

Hmmm. Time for some reading. Thanks for the leads!!!

I haven't been up the Cascade Fire Road (not the most inspiring name), but I'll have a look. I've heard good things about Dormer Pass, but unfortunately need a moving-camp-each-day trip for this one. But if the others end up being more elevation than will work, it could be good, even if more of a valley trek.
Thanks!


The Juan de Fuca would be nice, but as you realized, the commute's a little long.

I really wish Parks would allow mtn. bikes on the Cascade Fire road, as that would be a sweet trip and you could cover a lot of the distances way quicker.
Funny that they allow horse travellers yet not bikes?

Apparently the Sheep River can be avoided by crossing at a bridge about 4 km from the actual crossing. While annoying, 4 extra level kilometers isn't much on the first day of that trip.

Here is a link from our trip to Egypt Lake in late June, 2009: http://mattclay.zenfolio.com/egypt_lake. Of all the things I have seen while hiking, very few compete with the glacier lilies at Healy Pass. The snowier of the two passes is Whistling Pass, which could be entirely avoided if need be by taking the other route to Shadow Lake.

Littlehorn Meadows would also be an option in the Nordegg area.

There is some backtracking on the normal loop - but I think you can take a different exit and finish at Crescent falls. This is from memory 5 years ago so don't take my word for it! haha

Bikes wouldn't work for my group for this trip, but I totally agree with you. I would much rather share a hiking trail with bikes than horses, and I think they tend to do a lot less damage.
I think horses get the trails because they were there first, and i bet bikes don't get to go on horse trails because horses don't like bikes.


Yes, you can cross at Indian Oils, which is what I did last time. It's not a lot more if you're just going in, but would be an annoying trek out of the way midway through a loop.
If it's too deep to cross at Junction, there's also a couple wider shallower points between Junction Creek and Indian Oils trailhead that stand a good chance of not forcing you to go all the way to the bridge. So it's not impossible, just something I'll have to consider.

Thanks for the photos and the endorsement. I've always hit Healy Pass for the bulk of the wildflowers in late July / early August, so the Glacier Lilies would be a neat different side.


I'll have a look at that one too. I have a David Thompson book, but haven't done anything in the area so don't know what comes into season and when, whatnot, so the specific suggestions are very helpful. I don't mind backtracking, just don't want a hike in, dayhike, hike out, since I'm looking to move camp each day.
Thanks!

Looping the Littlehorn Meadows would fit your criteria quite nicely. It's fairly mellow but it's beautiful and you move camp each day.

Here's the hike to the pass:



From the pass, you loop the mountain in this picture:

Not much!! Rachelo, the Selkirks or Purcells open up considerably later than the Rockies, basically it's the further west you go the later it opens. So, for any Canada Day backpacking, you'd either be forced to stay low down in the trees or slog through a LOT of snow. In the Parks, many of the removable bridges are not re-installed until mid July or later.

Bottom line, stick with something to the east!