High Energy and High Living in the High Country

Holding tightly onto a chain embedded in the side of a mountain while negotiating a steep, narrow trail above a pristine lake had not entered my imagination when my husband and I signed up for a hiking trip to Durrand Glacier Chalet. I had also not anticipated the amazing food we enjoyed daily at this remote lodge high in the Selkirk Mountains. As I discovered, these were only two of the surprising experiences on this memorable trip.

Adventure travel has become increasingly popular for people of all ages, but it has been especially embraced by baby boomers in search of unique travel experiences. These escapades often involve strenuous physical activity in unique settings, and this was certainly the case with our hiking trip. While people travel all over the world in search of adventures, we are fortunate in western Canada to have several remote back-country lodges that offer alpine hiking and climbing in the summer, and backcountry skiing in the winter. Most of these lodges are accessible only by helicopter, but there are a few you can ski or hike into, depending on the season.

Tom and I have been members of a hiking club for many years. While the focus of this club has always been on day hikes, there have been a few multi-day trips offered over the last few years. When the opportunity came up to register for a five-day trip to Durrand Glacier Chalet, we jumped at the chance and, thus, started preparing for our first adventure travel experience.

Durrand Glacier Chalet is owned and operated by the Beglinger family. Ruedi Beglinger, a Swiss mountain guide, came to Canada in the early 1980s as a young man. He dreamed of operating his own backcountry ski and hiking lodge in Canada and decided the Durrand Glacier region in the Selkirk Mountains outside of Revelstoke, BC would be the perfect location. He was eventually able to negotiate a lease for the exclusive use of 76-square km of this beautiful mountain terrain and proceeded to build a wooden lodge with several outbuildings that have innovative, environmentally responsible systems for electricity and water. Ruedi’s wife, Nicoline, and their two daughters, Charlotte and Florina (who have grown up on the mountain), are integral parts of the business, and it would be hard to find a more hospitable and competent family running a lodge anywhere in the world.

Access to Durrand Glacier Chalet is only possible by helicopter. Our group of 14 hiking club members assembled bright and early one morning in July in Revelstoke and were soon underway for the 45-minute van ride to the helicopter launching pad. Here, we had our first introduction to the incredible amount of organization involved in running a remote lodge. Each helicopter trip was planned down to the last detail, so the maximum number of people and the right amount of food and supplies could go on each flight, without exceeding the weight limit.

I really enjoyed the helicopter ride and was disappointed when, less than 10 minutes after takeoff, we were landing on the wooden platform in front of the lodge.

Once at the lodge, our days fell into a pleasant routine. A wide variety of food was spread out on the table in the dining room every morning at 7 a.m., and we were expected to get ourselves out of bed and make our own lunches. This was followed by a delicious hot breakfast prepared by Nicolina and served at 8 a.m. By 9 a.m., we were assembled on the deck outside the lodge with our backpacks and hiking poles. A choice of at least two different hikes were offered each day, which worked out well as we had a variety of hikers within our group with different levels of experience.

Back at the lodge by mid-afternoon, we were treated to a snack prepared by Henrik, the Swedish chef. Depending on the day, this could consist of anything from homemade pizza to sushi to crudities with a variety of homemade dips, as well as a freshly made torte. Afterwards, most of us rested and relaxed in the comfy lodge, but then eagerly assembled for dinner at 6:30 p.m., when Chef Henrik’s true talent was revealed. We were treated to three-course dinners each night consisting of either a tasty homemade soup or innovative salad, followed by a main course that ranged from salmon to barbequed beef tenderloin with delicious side dishes and, of course, a freshly-made, decadent dessert! Everything was made at the lodge from scratch, including freshly baked bread every day.

Several people have asked us if we would recommend a trip like this one. While we would recommend it, we often preface it by saying we wish we had done it when we were younger. As mentioned earlier, adventure travel usually involves strenuous activity. While we talked to others who had done similar trips – and explored the trails on their website before we left – I had no idea how challenging the hiking was going to be.

While we only hiked trails the Beglingers had rated easy to moderate, the same trails would be considered moderate to difficult by our hiking club, due to the uneven footing and the elevation gains. (When staying at a remote mountain lodge at 1946 metres, almost every hike you do involves either a steep climb or steep descent, followed by the opposite on your return journey.) Having said that, though, the guides were very competent, used their two-way radios to maintain frequent contact with the main lodge, and adjusted the pace of the hikes as needed to accommodate those of us who trailed behind. Nevertheless, a good level of fitness and some mountain hiking experience are definitely recommended before attempting a similar trip.

The benefits of this type of adventure travel, though, are enormous. The scenery around Durrand Glacier Chalet was beautiful and unlike anything I had ever seen before. The mountain views around the lodge and the remote waterfalls were stunning, and we happened to be there when the colourful wildflowers were at their peak. What a wonderful treat to hike on a vast network of trails in such a tranquil location and then fill up your water bottle from a clear mountain stream. We had almost all the comforts of home at the lodge (including hot showers and wi-fi), yet it was very quiet and peaceful. The only noise we heard at night was mountain goats dancing in the moonlight on the wooden deck below our window.

And, of course, when you are getting so much exercise every day and burning so many calories, you can enjoy the sensational food without guilt! So, if you decide to step into adventure travel hiking, be prepared for “High Energy” (strenuous hiking) and “High Living” (amazing food and accommodation) in the “High Country.”

For more information, see Selkirk Mountain Experience website: www.selkirkexperience.com

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