Snowshoe Winter Adventure Tour

Our Snowshoe Winter Adventure Tour takes you out for an exciting snowshoeing adventure during the coldest, darkest months of the year to experience Waterton's Dark Skies beyond the Waterton Townsite. This is a physical, after-dark snowshoe experience recommended for those who are physically-fit, have a little experience snowshoeing, or are feeling adventurous and excited to learn to snowshoe on the fly! All required snowshoe equipment is provided.

Please note that stargazing is only a secondary component of this tour and the tour will go even during cloudy, snow-filled skies. Telescopes are NOT used on this tour.

Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Duration: Approx. 1.5 hours
Price: $65 per participant
Maximum 12 participants allowed
Minimum 3 participants required
Requires an adventurous spirit and good physical shape. Participants should be aged 6+, and able to walk at a steady pace for 1 hour over snow; you should enjoy an active lifestyle and be comfortable with being outside in cold winter conditions. Prior snowshoe experience is not required, though if you are interested, we do offer a Learn-To-Snowshoe tour during the daytime.

Tours may be rescheduled or cancelled at the guide's discretion, if sky or snow conditions are not conducive to stargazing/snowshoeing, if temperatures are below -20C or winds exceed 60km/h.

What’s included in the Tour?

• Personalized tour commentary provided by knowledgeable, friendly, experienced local guides
• Snowshoes
• Headlamp
• Hiking poles
• Binoculars
• Blankets are also available (if desired)

What to Bring / Wear

• Whenever you are taking part in outdoor activities in the mountains, it is a good idea to dress in layers appropriate for the weather (e.g. Tops: base-layer t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt, sweater or fleece, puff-down jacket, outer-layer jacket; Bottoms: long underwear, pants, outer layer snowpants)
• Appropriate outerwear suited for the weather (a good windbreaker or hardshell ski jacket)
• Wear good, sturdy winter boots
• Appropriate headwear (hat, bandana, warm toque)
• Gloves or Mitts
• A small backpack
• Your own headlamp with required red-light setting (if desired)
• Your own hiking poles (if desired)
• Your own blanket (if desired)
• A favorite cushion or collapsible/folding camp chair (to kneel / sit on, if desired)
• Any medications / allergy prevention
• A Sense of Adventure and an interest to learn!

Highlights

This tour begins when you meet your guide at Cameron Falls in the Waterton townsite, where you will collect your snowshoe equipment and review snowshoe technique with your guide. From there, participants must drive themselves to the the staging area of the tour, as described by the guide. Please note that tour participants are responsible for their own transportation to/from this meeting area. Also note that the starting point for the tour may change, depending on snow conditions (your Guide will confirm with you when you meet at Cameron Falls). The adventure route itself is approximately 1km in length (with an option to go further, depending on weather and sky conditions, as well as participants' fitness level), but it may feel like a longer distance/duration due to some elevation gain/loss and ever-changing snow conditions.

Upon meeting your guide, you will be outfitted with appropriately-sized complimentary snowshoes. We also provide complimentary hiking poles, headlamps and binoculars. Prior to hitting the trail, your guide will provide you with a crash-course in snowshoeing technique and familiarize you with what to expect on the tour.

Though your snowshoe journey may change, based on snow conditions, the typical route is a 1-way snowshoe loop with periodic stops for your guide to point out a noteworthy constellation or other night sky feature. Before you start to get cold, you will resume snowshoeing until the next viewpoint, where your guide will point out a few more noteworthy features and share a few additional stories.

Eventually we will complete our loop and return to the starting point, where the tour will conclude.

Please note that telescopes are not included in this tour. This tour focuses on snowshoeing at night, as well as naked-eye and binocular stargazing, and immersive storytelling.