HI Canmore - Canmore Alpine Hostel

07/24/2024

Beat the . Paddle on the Reservoir.🥵

07/23/2024

Stay safe to everyone in Jasper.

Jasper is currently under an evacuation order due to wildfires within the national park. We are thankful to everyone actively working to protect our community. Find the latest updates regarding this evolving situation at:
- Parks Canada Wildfire Website (https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/visit/feu-alert-fire/feudeforet-wildfire)
- Jasper National Park page
- Municipality of Jasper page
- Alberta 511 (https://511.alberta.ca/ #:Alerts)

07/17/2024

07/16/2024

We're hiring!

Position Title: Hostel Attendant Classification: Full-Time, Permanent. Weekends and evenings are required. 37.5 hours per week. Wage: $18.50/hour Application Closing Date: Open until filled Staff Accommodation: Not available Start Date: As soon as possible Location: Canmore HI Hostel, 201

07/12/2024

Do you have a passion for backcountry hut travel? Share your knowledge and help make it a better space for everyone!

Spend time this summer as a custodian at some of our most popular backcountry huts. ❤

🔗 thealpineclubofcanada.bamboohr.com/careers/67

07/12/2024

Friday's Excerpts from ACC hut registry:
Who can think of Christmas in this hot weather.
Dec, 25 EP
Skied in for Christmas. First time here and it was better than what we expected. Super warm, fully stocked kitchen and super kind and chill people. Can’t wait to come back. Chelsea and Nate.

07/11/2024

Please be advised that a fire ban has been issued, effective July 10 at 4 p.m.

A fire ban prohibits wood campfires on public land, campgrounds and private land including backyard fire pits within the municipal boundaries of Canmore. Fire permits are suspended or cancelled, and no new permits will be issued. Failure to comply with a fire ban may result in a penalty of $5,000. For a complete list of activities and restriction levels impacted by the fire ban, please visit https://bit.ly/3S1rXbJ

07/10/2024

10 WAYS TO STAY COOL
1- Take a dip at Quarry Lake.
2-Put a bowl of ice cubes in front of a fan.
3-Close the curtains in your home.
4-Don't cook with your stove/oven, make a salad, chilled fresh fruit (Watermelon YUM!), chilled soup (Gazpacho),BBQ, eat leftovers, get some take out..
5-Drink LOTS of water, reduce your caffeine intake.
6-Be active in the early morning and later in the evening.
7- Wear light clothes, t's and shorts.
8-Damp towel around your neck.
9-Undies in the freezer o:
10-Have a beer on the deck up at the Canmore Alpine Hostel!!
CHILL OUT.

07/08/2024

07/07/2024

July 7th is International Chocolate Day. But, think outside the box and celebrate Chocolate Day everyday!

07/05/2024

Friday's Excerpts from ACC hut registry:

Elizabeth Parker Hut-Aug. 24 2023- Despite rain, daily fire smoke, this place still has the power of awe & majesty. So glad this magical place of heaven remains protected to forever preserve its beauty. Thank ACC, for the care you take of the huts to make it all possible. Hope to come back again. If not, I am filled with marvellous memories. Lynn

07/03/2024

Thanks to our friends at CanmoreAlberta.com

Operated by the Alpine Club of Canada, Canmore Alpine Hostel & private cabins blend comfort & community for adventurers, weddings, & school groups alike.

06/28/2024

Excerpt from ACC Hut Registry:

Wheeler Hut Canada Day Long Weekend 2023
Day 1 - Up Hermit was bluebird with epic view. Calculation the flux capacitor with our retro encabulator. Side fumbling was effectively reduced. The evening at the hut was cozy and cool, chatting and befriending the other group. Slowly, we dozed into a slumber, eagerly dreaming of Mt. Abbott the next day. The smell of breakfast and the morning sun woke us from our slumber, we packed our gear and headed out. Abbott was a grind, but the views were well worth it. We tried for Afton, but the scramble was a bit too spooky. We made our way down, sore legs and full hearts. While we still had service, we call Rex who was coming that night, to bring us 2 large pizzas and a 6 pack of beer from Revelstoke. We met him at the hut and the feast was the best meal we ever had. Little did we know, we had the hut to ourselves (5), the entire night!
Tristine, Courtney, Logan, Rex, Edward.

06/26/2024

Plan your Canada Day in :

Located on Treaty 7 Territory, Canmore is nestled in the heart of the Bow River Valley and flanked by peaks on all sides. Once a small coal mining town, Canmore is now a bustling home to adventurers, creators, innovators, community-builders, athletes, and

06/21/2024

Excerpts from ACC Hut Registry:

06/19/2024

Last day of Spring. HUZZAH!!

06/17/2024

This year marks the 100th anniversary of J.E.H. MacDonald’s first trip to Lake O’Hara, 1924. The Banff Whyte Museum has a spectacular exhibit of paintings in the area. The little cabins are Elizabeth Parker hut.

06/14/2024

Excerpts from ACC Hut Registry:

Elizabeth Parker Hut, Sept. 12th 2022
A group of 18 tackled Opabin.
Wiwaxy Pass, the Alpine Circuit, All Souls, Lake MacArthur, Odesa Grandview, Linda Lake, Monica Lake
and Cathedral Basin.
Lots of wine and lots of snoring.
Lots of laughs, never boring.
Mountain goats were a highlight and ptarmigans too.
We ate so much cheese we might never again muster a poo!
The Jays were brutal just a touch of grey.
They swooped down, and stole the pate´.
We appreciated the bus as we packed quite a load.
Lots of eating and drinking as we head back down the road.
O’Hara, we bid you farewell and adieu.
Elizabeth Parker we owe this all to you!!
Again, we will hope to grace your fine trails.
Explore more paths, whatever it entails.
Anonymous

06/13/2024

Don’t forget, this Sunday, June 16th is Father’s Day.
Here are some great ideas for the special Dad in your life:
-ACC Men’s Throwback T-shirt, smart wool for the smart guy https://alpineclubofcanada.ca/shop/
-Really cool device Helmet Rescue Reflector. https://recco.com/technology/
-Rab hut booties, keep the tootsies toasty https://rab.equipment/ca/
-Yeti Mug, not just for coffee😉 https://www.yeti.ca/
-Petzel Headlamp, 🎶 this little light of mine 🎶 https://www.petzl.com/CA/en
-North Face backpack, get ready for hiking season https://www.thenorthface.com/en-ca
-Black Diamond Trekking Poles, to go with the hiking backpack https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_CA/
-Ultra light weight shell from Arc'teryx, see a pattern here https://arcteryx.com/ca/en
Now get outside with him and he can use all his fantastic new gear. Maybe book an Alpine Club hut: https://alpineclubofcanada.ca/huts/

06/12/2024

I can not wait. So exciting!!

Step into the world of Lake O’Hara through Palettes of the Peaks: Artists Inspired by Lake O’Hara, another showcase paired with our summer J.E.H. MacDonald exhibition. Enjoy stunning artworks by famous artists like Carl Rungius, Peter Whyte, Catharine Robb Whyte, Aldro Hibbard, Belmore Brown, Richard Jack, and more, displayed on the walls of the Rummel Room. These artists were equally captivated by the beauty of Lake O’Hara, each expressing their love for this divine place through their art. Experience the awe-inspiring landscapes of O'Hara through the unique perspectives of these artists.
The excitement is bubbling! Only three days!

Aldro T. Hibbard (1886 – 1972, American). Mount Biddle at Lake O'Hara. 1925. oil on canvas. HbA.02.01. Whyte Museum Collection.

06/11/2024

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT!

For the event planner in your family. We have availability in our Bell Cabin Thanksgiving weekend, Friday, October 11th to Monday the 14th. See our newly renovated kitchen, bathrooms and living room. The Bell Cabin sleeps up to 12 people in two dorm style rooms.
You can book online and enjoy the Fall colours.
https://canmorealpinehostel.ca/

06/10/2024

06/07/2024

Everyone is welcome.

06/05/2024

A brief history of the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) Banff Sulphur Mountain Clubhouse.

On July 1st, 1909, the ACC Clubhouse opened at the base of Sulphur Mountain in the town of Banff. To put it in prospective, the early 1900s, many homes didn’t have electricity, phones, or indoor plumbing and Canada was 42 years young.

The Clubhouse was an impressive Victorian house and the headquarters for the newly formed Alpine Club of Canada. The main floor had a large living room with a grand stone fireplace, dark wood interior and was furnished with sturdy crafted couches and chairs. The kitchen and administration office were also on the first floor, upstairs there were two smaller rooms and a large smoking-room with an impressive view of Spray Valley. The dining hall was outside, and the guests slept in large canvas tents, on wood slated beds with thin mattresses.

The cost to build the Clubhouse was $8000 and funds were raised through membership fees, donations, and loans. Parks Canada granted a land lease from 1909 to 1951. Much like the rustic huts currently operated by the Alpine Club, the original Clubhouse had no electricity, plumbing, or heating other than the wood burning fireplace.

Miscellaneous items were donated to furnish the Clubhouse, including a stunning crystal quartz given by the Edmonton Section and a Grand Father clock was donated in memory of Hector Wheeler, both of which can been seen in the Canmore Clubhouse lobby.

Banff was originally a summer destination, and the Clubhouse was only open June to September. Many of the guests were participants in the annual General Mountaineering Camp (GMC) and would stay before or after the camp. Despite having only 10 beds, the Clubhouse hosted 90 guests in the summer of 1910 and made a small profit that year.

As the Clubhouse grew in popularity, more sleeping quarters were needed to accommodate keen mountaineers coming to explore the mountains. Conrad Kain was employed as a guide by the ACC. In the off season of 1910, he worked building four new tents for staff housing.

The Clubhouse was managed by a paid host responsible for cleaning and cooking the meals for the guests. Throughout the years, many outstanding people worked in the position. Nancy Lyall from Scotland worked as the operating manager for 17 years (1926-43). She was known for her kind spirit and motherly demeanour. Nancy made everyone feel welcome. Notable trail blazer, Lawrence Grassi was a volunteer for the ACC as a custodian at Fay and Elizabeth Parker hut. He built many of the hiking trails around Lake O'Hara. Over the years he worked repairing the Clubhouse and cabins. True to his nature he also built trails around the Banff Clubhouse.

In 1926, the Calgary Section took over the management of the Clubhouse. For twenty years the Clubhouse had been lit by smoky oil lanterns. The Club decided it was a high priority to install electricity. Over the next few years renovations were undertaken. A dozen new wood cabins were built to replace the raggedy old canvas tents. The new cabins had electricity and were heated with a small stove. The new accommodation could lodge up to 45 guests. The nightly rate was $3.50 or the discounted weekly rate of $21.00, meals were included.

With the growing popularity of Banff National Park, new roads were built to allow more accessibility. The Clubhouse experienced an increase in visitors from across Canada and the around the world. Eventually, the Clubhouse opened for winter as the interest in skiing snowballed.

By the 1940s, the Clubhouse needed some major repairs. It lacked a proper foundation, and the building began to shift, windows and doors were lopsided, the roof was leaking, the building needed rewiring, the front steps were dilapidated, and the cabins needed renovations. Due to travel restrictions during the Second World War the Clubhouse closed for the summer of 1943. In 1944 it reopened, and repairs were made to the building’s foundation.

Little maintenance was done over the next decade and the Clubhouse once again was falling into a state of disrepair. The cost to fix everything was considerable. A call to action was issued to encourage the members and sections for donations. Fund raising, donations and volunteers were swift to respond, and repairs were quickly made. The well-needed repairs extended the life of the buildings another ten years.

In the late 60s, the Clubhouse was again in a state of neglect. Club members were heartbroken at the deterioration of their beloved Clubhouse. The buildings were outdated and were described as ‘primitive facilities’. A proposal to extend and rebuild the facility was suggested but it would be too expensive. The area was not zoned for more tourist accommodation and Parks Canada wanted to eliminate the properties that boarder the town. An offer was given by Parks to buy back the lease. A vote was held and 675 voted to sell the buildings and 78 votes to keep it. The Clubhouse was sold in 1970 and in May 1973 it was torn down. A small plaque marks the spot where it once stood at the foot of the mountain.

“ACC has grown to become a vibrant community of passionate climbers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts.”

Celebrate with us at the Canmore Clubhouse Open House on June 9th from Noon to 4PM.
*A special thanks to Chic Scott for sharing the reference material.

06/04/2024

Lake Louise Gondola Locals Week!
Ride the Lake Louise Gondola June 20th-26th for a minimum donation of $5 to the
While you visit, take advantage of a 10% discount on the Trail of the Great Bear and Private Guided Gondola Experience!
The Lake Louise Gondola is your best chance to see wildlife from the comfort of your own chairlift!
Top off your visit with a drink on the Banded Peak Base Camp patio or take in the views while you dine at the Whitehorn Bistro.
Offer open to Locals from; Field, Lake Louise, Banff, Harvie Heights, Canmore, Dead Man's Flats, Exshaw, Lac des Arcs, Kananaskis, Mînî Thnî.
No reservation is required, please visit guest services at The Lake Louise Gondola to make your donation and receive your sightseeing lift ticket.
Offer valid 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, June 20 - 26th, 2024. Must show proof of residency.
https://www.facebook.com/events/892308475995405/

05/31/2024

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05/28/2024

Library Studio Presents: Bike Maintenance 101 with Community Cruisers! 🚵‍♂️🚵‍♀️

Learn how to give your bike a tune up and basic maintenance with Community Cruisers at the Canmore Library!

This workshop will focus on changing tires, how your brakes work, oiling your bike chain and more! ⚙️⛓️

It will be led by experts from Community Cruisers, so bring your bike to the Canmore Public Library for this fun night of leaning about bike maintenance!

Registration is required as space is very limited. Visit our website to check for any openings: https://bit.ly/3QVGu8f

The Library Studio Presents: Bike Maintenance 101, will take place on Tuesday, June 4th from 6:00 - 7:00pm in the Friends Program Room.