For folks who are looking to take a little bit of home into the
back country, Sundance and Halfway Lodges provide just the right
combination. Like the Wilderness Tenting rides, days are spent horseback
riding and exploring. Unlike the tenting rides, evenings are spent
in a cozy lodge.
Completed in 1991, Sundance Lodge now sits on the original site
of the horse corral for Ten-Mile cabin, built by Canadian Pacific
Railway back in the 1920's. The cabin itself remains standing
and was declared a historical site in 1990. It was used as a refuge
for mountain guides and packers travelling to Mount Assiniboine,
whose names you can still see carved into the logs.
Sundance Lodge sits alongside a gentle curve on Brewster Creek,
with the Sundance mountain range as a backdrop. Built entirely
with fir logs, the lodge has 10 sleeping rooms, a large country
kitchen, and a cozy living room area where you can curl up by
the woodstove and lose yourself in a good book. And although it
is a remote backcountry lodge, we decided to add what we felt
was an important comfort from home - hot showers! (Please note
that, for environmental reasons, showers are restricted to one
per stay.)
Surrounded by the beauty of towering peaks, Halfway Lodge has
been a welcome haven for over 80 years. Rich in tradition, this
cabin was used back in the late 1920's by mountain guide Erling
Strom as a stopover for his guests travelling from Banff to Mount
Assiniboine. Then a single storied cabin, Strom's wranglers spent
the night sleeping in tents while the guests found floor space
within. Halfway has remained pretty much as originally built,
with the exception of a second story added in 1967 when a bear
made an appearance through an unexpected entrance - the roof!
Thanks to the bear, Halfway now sleeps a maximum of fourteen guests.
The lifestyle at this rustic backcountry cabin remains much the
same as it was 80 years ago - simple. Propane lanterns and candles
provide the lighting, and a woodstove keeps the water hot and
the cabin warm and cozy.
Note: At Sundance Lodge, private sleeping arrangements are possible depending upon trip size, but are not guaranteed. Sundance has 10 sleeping rooms with 3 beds in each room, rooms are designated on a choose your own basis once at the lodges. Halfway is equipped with single beds only and sleeps 14 guests in 4 rooms. Click here to see where the lodges are located in relation to Banff townsite.
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON WHAT TO BRING,
HOW TO GET HERE, ETC.
6 DAY LODGE RIDE
Day 1 - Riders meet at our office at 9:30 a.m.
and are transported by van to Warner Stables. There they are met by their
guides and horses and mount up for the ten mile ride to Banff Sundance
Lodge via the glacier-fed waters of the Bow River, Healy and Brewster
Creeks. For those with a vehicle, free parking is available at Warner stables for the duration of the trip. Once you check-in, directions will be available from our office.
Day 2 - The adventure continues southward with a ride up to Halfway
Lodge. The trail winds along the historic Strom pack trail with
the rugged Sundance Range dominating the eastern horizon.
Day 3 - After a good night's rest at Halfway Lodge and a hearty
breakfast, it's down to the corral to mount up for the day's ride.
Trips may take riders to the headwaters of Brewster Creek or to
the breathtaking views enjoyed at the top of Allenby Pass, at
an elevation of 8,100 ft.
Day 4 - After a warm good-bye to the cook and Halfway, the winding trail leads back along the Brewster creek to Sundance Lodge. This will be home for the next 2 nights.
Day 5 - The day begins with a hot, ranch-style breakfast; fuel
for the ride up Fatigue Creek. At midday, both horse and rider
enjoy a restful break in the Fatigue Valley, while the lunch mule
is unpacked and coffee is brewed. The lofty heights of the Continental
Divide provide spectacular vistas of both Alberta and British
Columbia.
Day 6 - The gang gets together for one last day on the trail,
a "soft" ten-mile ride from Sundance to Warner Stables,
arriving at approximately 4:30 p.m. The adventure has come to
a close, but the magic of your holiday will linger on to be relived
and shared.
DEPARTURES & RATES
6 DAY BACKCOUNTRY LODGE RIDE - WEDNESDAY DEPARTURES
RATES
The 4 day trip departs on a Sunday and spends the first night
at Sundance Lodge, the second night at Halfway Lodge and returns
back to Sundance for the final evening.
The 5 day trip departs on a Monday and spends the first night
at Sundance Lodge, the second and third night at Halfway Lodge
and returns back to Sundance Lodge for the final evening.
Trips depart every Saturday from Warner Stables in Banff. Unscheduled trips to Sundance can be arranged for almost anytime. Please contact our office for details.
The backcountry of Banff National Park is just a few miles away.
Let us take you and your friends to Sundance Lodge for a quick
get-away. Other than the weekend ride to Sundance Lodge, unscheduled
rides can be tailor-made to fit your schedule. For additional
information or trip arrangements, drop by our office or give us a
call.
Gather your girlfriends and meet other adventure-seeking women in an exclusive women’s only ride that enhances the bonds of women’s spirit. This 5-day ride, hosted by Holly J Wood of Right Mind Media takes you out to the cozy Sundance Lodge and rustic Halfway Lodge. Enjoy day rides with cowboy lunch on the trail and hearty home cooked meals at the lodges. Relax in the high country of Banff National Park while enjoying a good book, a walk by a mountain stream or the camaraderie of your fellow women adventurers. Riders can expect days of breathtaking scenery and loyal surefooted horses while evenings are spent sharing stories of life and laughter.
The scheduled 3 day ride departs every Monday and Thursday in May, June, September and October. In July and August the 3-day departs on Thursdays only. Unscheduled departures are available almost any time, contact our office for details. This trip spends 2 nights at Sundance Lodge and enjoys a valley ride on the second day along the Brewster Creek.
