Cariboo Lodge
Heli-Hiking The Columbia Mountains - Valemount
Cariboos Lodge, BC, Canada
Trip Dates: August 15 - 19, 2025
Length of Trip: 5-days / 4-nights
from *$5027 USD PER PERSON, double occupancy.
$1000 A Person Deposit Is Required to Reserve Space
Price does not include GST and Provincial taxes.
(Trip requires a One-Night stay in Banff, prior to departing for the Cariboos Lodge.)
We didn't create heli-hiking; but we helped perfect it!
With over 30 Years of Heli-hiking experience, The Walking Connection is a big part of that success!
Working hand-in-hand in the early days, we contributed to the Canadian Mountain Holidays adventure experience by providing pre-adventure physical training programs and itinerary development, and most of all, we have been leading hundreds of our guests on this incredible journey since 1994!
The Walking Connection delivers incredible mountain adventures and exceptional alpine hospitality. Whether you venture to the Cariboos, Bugaboos, or Bobbie Burns with one of our organized groups or independently, you'll be treated to delectable gourmet meals, awe-inspiring daily heli-access excursions, cozy lodgings, all the necessary equipment, and much more.
1/5 How it Works
Our Heli-accessed hikes are the ultimate high-country adventure.
Heli-hiking is more than just a trek through the mountains; it's a journey of discovery and exploration. Your guide will lead you along rugged ridgelines, through tranquil alpine meadows, and to breathtaking viewpoints that will leave you speechless.
Our adventures are tailored to match the group dynamic. From exploring dramatic glaciers to navigating open terrain framed by vibrant wildflowers, the experience of heli-hiking is defined by wonder, education, and awe at every turn.
Embark on an unforgettable Heli-hiking adventure with the Walking Connection. Every step leads to new discoveries and breathtaking views.
What's Included?
Pre-Adventure
We'll help you get ready. Walking Connection Adventure Specialists will help you plan and prepare for a fantastic journey. We can make pre and post-stays in Banff and Calgary, help with ground transportation, and we'll even help with a Free 30-Day Physical Training program, Journey30 to help you maximize your mountain experience.
Accommodations
A double occupancy room in the hotel-style Cariboo Lodge for your stay, featuring a full range of inviting onsite amenities.
Food & Beverage
Three meals per day – a chef-prepared breakfast and dinner, plus packed lunches, après-hiking snacks, and non-premium non-alcoholic refreshments.
Heli-Assisted Guided Adventure
Professionally accredited guides will accompany you on your adventure, including heli flights up and down the mountains and return flights to your lodge.
Ground Transportation: From Calgary International Airport to Banff via airport shuttle, Banff to Jasper and Valemont helipad, and return to Banff or Calgary International Airport.
Equipment
You can use CMH hiking equipment, including boots, rain jackets, wind pants, day packs, and hiking poles. Some of our guests opt to use their own equipment—the choice is yours.
There Is Something For Everyone!
The Choice is Yours...
...ROAM
Spend a full day of hiking but at a more relaxed pace. Experience simpler but stunning terrain with minor amounts of elevation gain and loss. Longer breaks along the way allow for plenty of photo opportunities.
Pace: Slow with regular breaks. | Terrain: Easy and moderate. | Distance: Moderate horizontal distance. | Elevation: Minimal gain and loss.
...EXPLORE
Challenge seekers will love the full days and varied terrain. Maintain a steady, moderate hiking pace over reasonable distances that are similar to the exercise they do multiple times per week. Navigate terrain with some elevation gain and loss, and stop for regular breaks along the way. Pace: Moderate with regular breaks. | Terrain: Varied terrain. | Distance: Moderate horizontal distance. | Elevation: Moderate gain and loss.
...ADVENTURE
Adventurers enjoy strenuous, fast-paced activities. If you are already very active and physically fit and want to hike for full days, covering a lot of ground, this group is for you. You’ll typically navigate more challenging terrain with lots of elevation gain and loss, stopping for shorter breaks along the way.
Pace: Fast pace with short breaks. | Terrain: Varied terrain. | Distance: Long horizontal distance. | Elevation: High gain and loss.
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Am I fit enough? (YES!)Our aim is to assist you in reaching your personal summit. The terrain we hike can present a challenge even for the fittest alpine athletes, or as relaxing as a gentle stroll through a spectacular alpine meadow and everything in between. We are skilled at matching the group's objectives with their fitness levels and preferred pace. So whether you prefer to cover long distances and gain elevation quickly or take a more leisurely approach to appreciate the alpine scenery, we will customize the pace and objective to suit your preferences. As a bonus, The Walking Connection provides a comprehensive 30-Day Virtual Training Program (Journey30) that will help get you ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
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What if I want to hike in the morning and return to the lodge in the afternoon?To ensure our guests' comfort, our guides regularly check in with them and will make arrangements for their return to the lodge as soon as possible if needed. Once back at the lodge, there are various activities available for guests to enjoy, such as getting a massage to rejuvenate their muscles, soaking in the hot tub while taking in the beautiful scenery, relaxing on the deck with a good book, or even taking a dip in the nearby pond.
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How much time is spent flying in the helicopter?During your stay, the helicopter will be an integral part of your daily experience. Every morning, the helicopter will transport your group and guide to an alpine starting point from which you'll begin your hike. Throughout the day, it may also transfer you to different terrain or to areas with better weather conditions, before returning you to the lodge at the end of the day.
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What is Adventure Travel?Adventure Travel is for those inclined or willing to engage in adventures; defined as exciting or very unusual experiences. To be adventurous. Adventure Travel is participatory. It's the act of engaging in the activities of a travel experience rather than viewing it as a spectator. The true definition of Adventure Travel can be fround between the beholder's, mind, and heart. What is adventurous to YOU? Perhaps a relaxing walk along a deserted beach? A hike to a distant mountain peak or a walk through old town with freinds to an amazing city park? Pick your adventure dream vacation. We know the way!
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Are Walking Connection Geographhic Adventures right for me?Yes! If you like an intimate relationship with your surroundings. By walking the countryside or strolling bustling city streets, you have the chance to explore the path less traveled. Much of the world we explore moves at pedestian speed. Matching that allows you to Immerse yourself in the true flavor of a culture, the people, its history and all of its unique sights and sounds.
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Why travel with Walking Connection?Traveling with Walking Connection is not about going on a “group” tour. It is about taking a ‘real’ vacation/holiday where all the details are planned so that you can relax, reenergize and truly be stress free. We find special places that without us, you would probably not find on your own. Once there, you have plenty of time to be independent and explore on your own. We pride ourselves in personal service by knowing our guests on an individual basis. We will learn what your likes and dislikes are, what you are interested in and what your physical capabilities are. Then based on that information, we share each destination with you as only we can.
Heli-hiking FAQ's
More Info or Resos!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Here is a printable document [pdf] with details you will want as you make your reservations.
Please read it carefully and do not hesitate to contact us if you need clarification on anything.
Step One
Download the printable Trip Details Page and read it carefully. Here is what it covers:
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Dates.
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Prices.
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Itinerary.
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Inclusions & Exclusions.
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Payments & Cancellation Policies.
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Additional Trip Details and Logistics.
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Information on Travel Insurance.
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Walking Connection Contact Information
Step Two
Complete Initial Reservation Deposit
We gladly accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex, & Discover
Once you complete your payment, you will be auto-redirected to the Trip Registration Form.
This page also contains important information regarding:
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Passport (Scan of your signature and picture page).
A picture from your phone will do.
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Liability Statement & Release
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Travel Insurance.
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Walking Connection Contact Information.
Complete and submit the Trip Registration Form. That's it. You're all set.
Our Heli-hiking Story - 30 Years
We wrote this short story in 1994 to introduce our newest heli-hiking adventure at the time and invite clients to join us in celebration of our company's 10th year anniversary. The story we told then is the same story we told last year when we went heli-hiking 30 years later. It could be the same story we tell again this year. The only difference is YOU!
"The helicopter has just landed. You and ten others slowly exit the helicopter and huddle on the ground near the skid. Your hat in hand shields your face from swirling downdraft. The helicopter lifts off, and with it, the wind is suddenly gone. You slowly straighten up. Standing on a mountain at 8,000 feet, the twisting stream in the green valley is a mile down. Across the valley, a glacier made of ice 1,000 years old clings near the top of a jagged mountain. Beyond it, rows of mountain peaks touching the heavens fade to the horizon."
Welcome to the top of the world!
"This is an invitation to try something different. Join us as we take you off the beaten path, exploring the mountains as they really are: majestic, unspoiled, and breathtaking. With a helicopter, we will have access to everything the mountains offer, from the peaks to glaciers and beautiful flowered meadows. We will walk above the tree line across spectacular high mountain ridges where the peaks poke into the endless sky.
For you, this is truly a stress-free vacation. Our hikes are suited to you. Your pace, your distance, your interests, and your lifestyle. Challenge yourself, or just chill! You relax, and we handle the details -- even down to the hiking equipment you will need from head to toe. "There is no other feeling like being placed on a mountaintop with only ten other guests and a 360-degree view that will leave an impression on your mind, body, and spirit -- for the rest of your life!"
Celebrate the Journey!
That first heli-hiking experience at the Bugaboos was our first real entry into the Adventure Travel space. It taught us that we had a lot to learn, but also helped gain a better understanding and more clarity on what would become our careers and life mission! By the second or third trip, Gene made a comment that CMH and The Walking Connection would quote for years to come..."If you are only able to go on one more vacation, this should be it! So for the next 27+ years, that's exactly what we did.
Gene & Jo Ann Taylor
Co-founders, CEO & President
#genesjourney #iwalkeveryday #walkingconnection
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Call us at (623) 561-0846 to speak with a Walking Connection Team Member.