Momma don’t ride in the rain . . .
…….

We‘re one of the best-kept secrets in Banff,” claimed Banff Trail Riders owner Julie Canning. “This park is bigger than Delaware. It’s huge, and we take people to places that only a few ever get to.”

Canada’s most famous national park has two different characters. There’s the Banff that most of its four million annual visitors see – magnificent landscapes accessible by road combined with the comfortable amenities of the Banff townsite, but busy to the point that even finding a parking spot can be a challenge. Then there’s the 6,000 square kilometers of wilderness, with plenty of space to escape the crowds. However, backcountry travel isn’t for everyone, since it usually entails lugging a heavy backpack and being self-sufficient for wilderness camping.

Our three-day two-night horseback trip to Sundance Lodge offered an attractive alternative. We were able to explore remote backcountry yet sleep in a real bed, have hot showers, and eat well while not worrying about cooking.

As we rode away from the stables on the outskirts of Banff, the busy roads disappeared and we passed the last of the hikers and cyclists. Until we returned to Banff, we saw no one other than our fellow riders and those running the lodge.

Mules, Bears, and Barbecues

Besides riding a horse, our guide Tylar led a pack mule named Katie loaded with our lunch. While horses take the spotlight in a trail ride, mules are the real backbone of this operation. Motorized vehicles are not allowed in the park’s backcountry, so absolutely everything from food (for both people and horses) to supplies, visitors’ gear, you name it, goes in or out by mule. Some employees are full-time packers almost continually guiding mule trains between Banff and Sundance Lodge.

We stopped for lunch in an idyllic spot beside Healy Creek. The fact that we needed a mule to carry the grub should have been a hint that lunch would be more than a sandwich and a handful of trail mix. The guides quickly got a fire going and before long we were dining on barbecued steaks accompanied by salads and pastries, washed down with cowboy coffee. No worries about going hungry on this trip. About the only worry we would have is sore legs and rear ends unaccustomed to long hours in the saddle.

Lunch even came with entertainment as a grizzly bear wandered by on the opposite side of the creek. It completely ignored us and never even looked our way as it slowly ambled along.

Sundance Lodge

Late that afternoon we arrived at the lodge, an 11-room, two-story log building in a picture-perfect setting next to Brewster Creek, backed by soaring mountain peaks. The inviting verandah in front proved the perfect spot to relax with morning coffee or unwind with a cold beer after a few hours on the trail. Entertainment in front was often compliments of a group of hoary marmots that have adopted the lodge grounds.

Inside, the main floor is divided into a comfortable sitting room with a wood-burning stove, and a spacious kitchen-dining room where all meals are served. The lodge is off-grid with no electricity, phone, or cell service, though power is supplied by large solar panels and propane.

The log building next door is now an historic site. Named 10 Mile, a rather straightforward name because it was 10 miles from Banff, it was originally an outpost established by the CPR. Crews cut logs nearby then floated them down Brewster Creek and the Bow River to be used for building the railway.

Next morning it was back on the horses to explore farther afield, along more gorgeous valleys, meadows, and wooded hillsides. We rode across Brewster Creek a few times, with some exciting crossings in the fast-flowing water. The trails we followed date back to the early days of exploration on horseback and patrols by wardens and fire spotters.

Back at the lodge that evening, guests and staff alike visited around the bonfire, while some tried their hands at cooking or burning s’mores. Before the trip we were cautioned to be prepared for almost any type of weather in the mountains, but Mother Nature came through with unseasonably warm and clear conditions as we sat out late into the evening and watched the full moon wash a soft, cool glow across the creek valley.

The largest trail riding outfit in Canada

We sat down with Julie Canning to learn more about running the largest trail riding outfit in the country, with everything from hour-long rides along the Bow River to five days far into the backcountry.

She has around 300 horses at the ranch near Didsbury, Alberta. They winter here then most are brought to Banff in the spring. A lot goes on behind the scenes at the stables such as the almost constant work of the farrier in keeping shoes on the horses, leather repairs to some of the 500 saddles, and keeping tabs on the horses’ health.

Julie explained why they decided to go strictly with male geldings for trail rides. “It’s like high school with a bunch of boys together. Everything’s okay, but throw a couple of girls in the middle and all hell breaks loose.” The exception is for mules, where both males and females are used.

Besides the business end of things, Julie stressed the importance of environmental stewardship in the park, and how riding can help preserve rural and wilderness lifestyles.

“If we can help people connect with their landscape through riding horses, there’s a lot of joy that can come from that.”

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Momma don’t ride in the rain

When it was time to ride back to Banff, it looked as if our luck with the weather might run out. Clouds gathered and the forecast called for significant rain. Perhaps we’ll have a chance to use the slickers given to us at the beginning of the trip and tied to the top of the saddlebags for every ride. These traditional cowboy raincoats are like wearing a tent, large and loose-fitting so that they cover you even when in the saddle.

Julie would be riding back with us and she seemed more optimistic about the weather. “Momma don’t ride in the rain!” she said with a laugh. We also heard this comment earlier from one of the guides. It seemed that whenever Julie was along on a ride, the weather had the good sense to cooperate.

If the promised rains developed, we were told that our lunch stop could be brief. But nothing interrupted our usual leisurely lunch, complete with a fire to barbecue sausages. As we rode into Banff the skies looked more threatening, but we remained dry, and never had to dig out the slickers. We felt fortunate indeed that momma don’t ride in the rain.

For more details on horseback trips and other activities, see www.banfflakelouise.com

Back in the Saddle – backcountry trail riding near Banff