I fully endorse hiking out via Wonder Pass rather than in – the views of Marvel Lake are stunning. Sure, Assiniboine Pass is less scenic, but it’s definitely easier and we saw only one other group on that route (in September) beyond Bryant Shelter.

We stayed at Allenby Junction on our last visit and the tent sites were, well, rustic (that’s a generous description). It’s clearly not very popular but it was a great place to feel very small and isolated! We had something chew our tent while we were there – our best guess is a porcupine, but we never saw or heard it.

We also didn’t see bears (only prints in the mud) but other people did. We heard elk and coyotes though.

It might be worth highlighting that Og Lake has no shelter – at all, not even trees – so you’re totally exposed to the elements (as we found out in the pouring rain!). But the view of Assiniboine is awesome.

Yeah, we also want to do the traverse, but we’ve promised ourselves a helicopter ride next time as I think we’ve earned it, having hiked in from both ends 🙂 There’s an even longer traverse suggested by the Copelands that I’d also love to try some day…