“I’ve never been so remote, so secluded, so isolated. Everything felt so vast, and it’s both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.”

I crouch down beside the helicopter, feeling the wind begin to whip my hair into a frenzy as the whirring mechanical beast lifts off from the makeshift helipad. In front of me stands Rostrum Cabin, my home for the next night and the first of four nights of a hut-to-hut hiking trip I’ve joined as a solo adventurer.

I choke on some stray hair as I inadvertently inhale part of my ponytail, watching as our only mode of transportation — outside of our own feet — disappears into the hazy valley that shimmers with mid-season wildfire smoke.

Myself and two women I met for the first time this morning have just flown into the Blue Water Valley to make our way to Icefall Lodge. Located near Golden, British Columbia (a mere three-hour drive from Calgary, Alberta), in the wilds of Western Canada, it feels so close and yet so far from the ubiquitous puffy-jacketed crowds of the nearby national parks.

Venturing Off-the-Beaten Path

Icefall Lodge, built in 2005 and best known for its world-class ski touring, now boasts two additional satellite cabins: Rostrum Cabin and Kirwan Cabin (constructed in 2019 and 2022 respectively). With the addition of Kirwan Cabin, summer guests now have the option for a three- or four-day, off-the-grid, Alps-inspired hiking trip in this remote corner of British Columbia.

Off-the-beaten path is the best way to describe this experience. Despite the rustic luxury of the cabins (beds, a wood-burning stove, power, and a chef/guide are all included in the price), the remote nature of the area means you may not see another hiker during your time here. The area is inaccessible via car or foot unless one is willing to brave a perilous river crossing. And, while this is technical wilderness hiking, it still manages to be straightforward for hikers new to multi-day trips in the backcountry.

“These aren’t manicured Parks Canada trails,” says Anne-Sophie Champagne, one of the lodge’s cooks and custodians, as she gestures to the alpine meadows, glaciers, and ridges that surround us. “It’s inspired by European Haute Routes and is one of the only hut-to-hut options around, creating a unique and accessible hiking experience.”

I sit and chat with Champagne as the surrounding mountains fade into a soft haze. Below us, Mount Arras comes into view, its striking striations resembling the folds of a well-worn, striped sweater. The effect is mesmerizing.

Next to the cabin, Rostrum and Diamond Glacier loom above us, the glacial ice begging to be seen from a closer vantage point. We enjoy the spectacular scenery while waiting for the rest of our crew to arrive, including several hikers who have never attempted a hut-to-hut trip before.

An Accessible Backcountry Adventure

Sandra Nestick, hailing from Toronto and here to celebrate her friend Megan Show’s 40th birthday, is one of these hikers. “I really didn’t have a grasp of exactly what we would be doing,” she tells me. “I had never even used a headlamp before, but there is a comfort in traveling with friends. There is nothing that Meg can’t get me through.”

And this proves true later when we set off on a short 2.1 mile hike to the toe of Rostrum Glacier and Nestick has to scramble up rocky, rugged terrain that is unfamiliar and challenging.

The crumbling rills of the receding glacier don’t manage to defeat her. However, when we stumble back into the warm cabin later, thoroughly soaked from a late afternoon rain shower, she reflects on how hard that first hike was. “The helicopter was gone and I was thinking a lot about how I’ve never been so remote, so secluded, so isolated. Everything felt so vast, and it’s both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.”

She tells me later that she was having to battle her mind, as well as the trail, when hiking to the Rostrum Glacier. “I knew I was physically capable, but it became more about overcoming my own doubts. I knew then that I could continue, that I could do it,” said Nestick.

A Treeline Traverse

The next day, we make our way to Icefall Lodge, a 5.5-mile trip that is best taken slowly to fully absorb the vast, natural landscape. We navigate avalanche chutes garnished with quartz the color of cream and twist our way through tunnels of tight trees. In the meadows, we breathe in the scent of fresh foliage and fragrant wildflowers.

The rain falls in intervals, and fog drapes itself over the ridgelines. When the mountains briefly reveal their glacier-carved faces, it’s met with laughter and cheers.

A family of marmots emerges from the obsidian shale scattered across a hillside, drawing our attention as we hike through. It’s a small moment — one I might have overlooked on my own — but there’s a quiet joy in watching Nestick’s excitement at spotting one for the first time.

We spend two nights at Icefall Lodge, celebrating Show’s birthday, playing games, and warming up in the sauna after braving a frigid shower beneath a nearby waterfall — the same one that powers the lodge’s hydroelectric system. Hiking through surreal landscapes, we feel like the only people on earth. We plunge into icy pools scattered with glacial ice, the shock rippling through our bodies as the cold tightens our skin.

The Descent to Rivendell

The next day we wander for 4.5 miles through a valley ripe with sunshine to our final destination: Icefall Canyon . Even stepping on a wasp nest and procuring three souvenir stings can’t poison the overwhelming awe I feel as I find myself in what can only be described as Rivendell. A dozen powerful waterfalls are suddenly revealed over the crest of the trail, cascading down limestone cliffs in ever-increasing or decreasing quantities depending on the time of day and the amount of glacial melt pooling from the massive ice formations that loom over the valley.

Tucked into the canyon is the Kirwan cabin, where we will spend our final night. It’s named for Troy Kirwan, a mountain guide, helicopter pilot, and friend of Larry Dolecki, the owner and operator of the cabins and lodge. Sadly, Kirwan died of ALS in 2020. A quick flip through the scribbled notes from previous visitors and it becomes clear how loved he was, the logbook now an ode to his memory.

“[Troy] loved it there,” Dolecki says. “It’s one of the most unique spots in the mountains that we’d ever seen, and we wanted to make it more accessible to other people. We wanted to share it with them.”

I can’t help but be grateful for their decision as I pick my way down a loosely marked and rocky trail to the end of the canyon. When I turn one last corner, a final waterfall reveals itself, one more powerful and majestic than I’ve witnessed before.

I clamber up the side of the foaming water, letting the spray soak my skin. I twirl. I dance. I revel in this lovely, lonely space.

If You Go

This trip can be booked directly via Icefall Lodge. Book for an uncrowded, off-the-beaten path wilderness hiking experience, and to support a local business.

Trips start at $2000 a person and are inclusive of a round trip helicopter ride, guide, food and lodging. Fresh bedding is included at Icefall Lodge, but guests may want to bring a sleeping bag liner for Rostrum Cabin and Kirwan hut.

Hiking experience and the ability to walk for several hours a day carrying a pack is required. Backcountry experience is not required.

The hike from Rostrum Cabin to Icefall Lodge is a 5.5 mile treeline traverse, and Icefall Lodge to Kirwan Hut is 4.5 mile descent, with up and down hiking. From Icefall Lodge a variety of day hikes, from beginner to expert and short half-day jaunts to full day excursions, are easily accessible. Guests also have the option to book a bed for several nights at Icefall Lodge. The staging area for the helicopter ride is located just outside of Golden, BC, a three-hour drive from the Calgary International Airport.