By Caroline Gault
Excerpt from “The Best Hiking Trails Around the World for Every Level of Experience”
Fryatt Valley, Jasper National Park, Alberta
Level: Expert
I’m not sure I’d recommend the eight-hour, 23-kilometre trek from Jasper National Park’s Fryatt Valley to Sydney Vallance Hut to a novice hiker, but if you let ignorance get the best of you—like I did—bliss really does live in the peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Guided by a close friend, I got a crash-course in backpacking I’ll never forget.
Though this hike gets more challenging with every step, you have options in the first 11 kilometres, which start on a flat, old fire road; we biked, and later locked our bikes to trees, cutting roughly an hour from the overall journey. This kind of insight from an experienced guide is almost as important as the right gear—a truth, comical in hindsight. After pumping and filtering icy mountain runoff into a pink Nalgene bottle, I was ecstatic at my success but then rolled my ankle on the rocks seconds later and watched my hard-earned drinking water—and dignity—trickle away. You’ve been warned: Wear your ankle braces, if you need them; wear the right hiking boots, always; and, along with your water filter, pack your medical kit, bear spray, freeze-dried food and even your choice spirits. (It adds weight, but you’ll be thankful at the top.)
We stopped to catch our breath and eat lunch while overlooking Fryatt Valley—360 degrees of nature’s finest—and tried not to obsess over being only at the halfway mark of our trip. From here, we walked through a wide, open canyon, surrounded by mountains and more stones (tough on my twisted ankle), guided by only small directional signs. Approximately four hours later, we reached the 200-metre hands-and-feet scramble up the final steep path called the Headwall. Even skilled hikers like my guide describe this 45-degree incline as a challenge. It’s the most trying part of the expedition, and, laden with exhaustion, it was the point where I held back tears.
Just when I thought I couldn’t go any farther, Sydney Vallance Hut greeted us. It’s a few ticks away from glamping, but at an elevation of 6,495 feet, the peaceful accommodations and sweeping views only add to the emotional high of getting there. First built in 1970, and renovated in 1999 and 2012, the private 12-sleeper log cabin is operated by the Alpine Club of Canada. Even non-members can rest up here, with a modest bunk with a mattress pad, wood-fire heat and propane lights and stovetops, for a nominal fee of $40 per night.
The next day we hiked a little farther, to a glacier where we watched as clouds cast shadows on treetops below and spotted mountain goats climbing what would appear to be our own private clifftop. It’s an exclusive experience, one that is ultimately available to anyone willing to put in the work. — Caroline Gault