Opal Hills and Mary Schaffer Loop - Pace 3-4km/hour - Sat, Sep 26 2009

Opal Hills and Mary Schaffer Loop - Pace 3-4km/hour (9/26/2009)

PRE-REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. After you sign up at the bottom, you will be presented with information about how to pay. Late payments are NOT accepted for this event, in any circumstance.

You are STRONGLY encouraged to read this page in its entirety before signing up. If you'd like to attend, we ask that you abide by our rules and procedures as a time/cost saving process (with an end result of keeping membership free and lower cost events).

The Basics:

Event Type:

Hike

Event Location:

Maligne Lake - depart Belmead Shopping Center

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Sep 26 2009 6:00 AM

Registration Cut Off:

Mon, Sep 7 2009 5:00:00 AM

Event Duration:

7 hours hiking + 8 hours travel

Difficulty Rating:

D3: Moderate

Event Coordinator(s):

Brent S (Polé Polé)
Rhonda S
You must be logged in to get the Event Coordinator contact information.

Member Cost:

$60.00/Person (See Detailed Cost Info Below)

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 18 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

9 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Itinerary:

Shuttle out to Maligne Lake with Ben from Mountain Madness Tours for a day of hiking. Ben will pick us up at Belmead Shopping Centre at 5:45 (depart at 6:00, so be on time), drop us off at Maligne Lake for our hikes, and then pick us up there again at 5:00PM to return to Edmonton.

Opal Hills: Trip 57 in the "Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies", this is rated a "two hiking boots" (worthwhile dayhike) in their book.
Distance: 8.2km
Elevation Gain: 460m
DWYTITCR Rating: Moderate
If these hills are alive with music, you'll hear it all, from the swooning melodrama of an orchestral movie score, to the intimate honesty of a solo aboriginal shaman playing an eagle-bone whistle. Because hiking up the Opal Hills, you'll see it all from vast, turquoise, mountain-squeezed Maligne Lake, to diminutive wildflowers clinging to life in the rock and tundra. To get there, however, you must lay siege to these steep hills. The ascent lacks switch-backs, so it's slippery when wet. But it's short enough that mnost hikers won't complain. Just don't go on a rainy day, when the trail is laundry-chute slick, and you'll be deprived of the rapturous view over Maligne Lake.

Mary Shaffer Loop: After we've finished with Opal Hills, we can do Mary Shaffer Loop (or something else near the Maligne Lake Chalet if we choose). Mary Shaffer Loop is described on the Jasper and Maligne Lake Gemtrek Map as follows:
Distance: 3.2km
Elevation Gain: 25m
Gemtrek Rating: Easy
If you only have a couple of hours to spare for a hike at Maligne Lake, this loop is an excellent choice. It follows the shore of one of the most scenic lakes in the Canadian Rockies, framed by a series of dazzling, glacier-capped peaks. Then the path dips into the forest where you have a good chance of spotting squirrels, deer, moose and a variety of birds.

A NOTE ABOUT PACE: The average pace of our hikes is 3-4km/hour. As Rhonda's bio indicates, she is a "hike nazi" about keeping her groups together when hiking in bear country. You must be able to keep up an average pace of 3-4km/hour, and you must be confident in your ability to hike the posted distance at that pace (keeping in mind that it is mountain terrain and therefore rougher and steeper than an in-town walk). Splitting off from the group or turning back alone (or with a friend) if you discover that the hike is too challenging for you is NOT AN OPTION. If one person has to turn back or slow down, we ALL have to turn back or slow down. Please be sure of your abilities before attending this hike (or any other hike in the back country). If you are a faster hiker, you MUST be willing to slow yourself down and stay with the group. Zooming ahead because you're frustrated with the pace is also NOT AN OPTION. The pace of this hike is clearly posted to ensure people are aware of the pace and are willing to stay together. If you don't want to hike at this pace, you are probably better off selecting a different event.

Required Items to Bring:
- Proper hiking boots
- Proper hiking clothing, bring layers in case of weather changes. NO COTTON - it is the death fabric in the outdoors, especially in the winter and shoulder seasons. If you show up in cotton (incl denim), you will be turned away with no refund.
- Food
- Water (approx 2L)
- Either a park pass or $ for entry into the park

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
- Hiking poles
- Gaiters
- Toque
- Gloves

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

Get to Belmead Shopping Center (18228 89 Avenue NW - at the corner of 182 St and 89 Ave) at 5:45 for a 6:00AM departure in Ben's van.

Notes:

- Registration is NOT COMPLETE until you've signed up and paid by the registration cut off date. The money must be in the EOC's possession by that date. No exceptions.
- When a minimum group size appears, this is to let you know that the event will be cancelled with refunds to those who have already paid, if the minimum number of registered participants is not met. For any events where EOC needs a minimum number of participants, there will be absolutely no refunds of money if you cancel.
- We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines at all times while participating in EOC events.
- Please scroll through and read the entire online waiver when you sign up.
- Details of this event are subject to undergo a change at any point in time, with or without warning.

Cost & Payment:

Member Cost:

$60.00/Person

Non-Member Cost:

$60.00/Person

Cost Includes:

Shuttle service to/from the trailhead. This is only slightly more than carpooling with three people in the vehicle. Please NOTE that this is a special introductory price for EOC as Ben is just getting his business started. Expect prices to go up in future.
- EOC Txn processing fees (and/or small donation to club)

Payment Cut Off:

Payment must be received by the EOC on Mon, Sep 7 2009.

Make a Payment:

Click here for the details. PLEASE PAY AFTER YOU HAVE SIGNED UP BELOW.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:
Please review our Cancellation Policy carefully!
*Note: We will receive a 100% refund ONLY IF the event is cancelled due to weather. Otherwise, no refunds after cut-off unless your spot is filled by another person.