“ARSCH BOMBA!” …*splash!*
This was the war cry of the afternoon as we took turns plunging into a refreshingly cool pond with an unmistakable air of reckless abandon about us. Our ringleader, Tina, was a free-spirited fellow adventurer on a multi-day helicopter hiking trip out of CMH Bobbie Burns. Following an afternoon negotiating the peaks of Zebra Ridge in the remote Purcell mountain range, we were blowing off what remaining steam we had dockside with a plethora of “arsch bombas” (my new favourite German phrase which, according to Tina, roughly translates as “butt bombs”!). I felt like I hadn’t had this much energy since I was a teenager, and I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt this free.
CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures is best-known for their legendary heli-ski offerings but, as a keen rambler, it was their summer outdoor expeditions that caught my eye. Imagine daily helicopter rides to otherwise inaccessible trails way up in the alpine, traipsing eye-to-eye with still-snow-capped peaks, jumping (if you dare) into glistening cobalt blue lakes fed by glaciers you can actually stand aside, and traversing waterfalls in ice carved valleys: this was the picture painted by my research before I set out. While all of this came to pass (and then some!), what I didn’t expect was the sheer thrill of actually living it. Backdropped by landscapes so pristine they served me the real meaning of “awestruck”, I had truly been spirited away to the magical lands of my wildest mountain fantasies. With the ever increasing footfall of tourism in the Bow Valley, especially during the summer months, it is heartening to know that pure emersion in nature still exists, and is just a two hour dive to a heli-pad away!
“JESUS, BEX, THAT LOOKS INTENSE”, a friend commented on an Instagram story frame of me, helmet and all, cresting the final death defying peak of the Mount Nimbus Via Ferrata, the highest and longest of its kind in North America. Little did I know that the most terrifying moment was yet to come; a backwards repel down a 1000 ft vertical cliff face with just a couple of safety clips, a rope, and the strong muscles of our fearless guide, Bernie, between me and the ground. So, yeah, “intense” was one of milder descriptors I would have used to apply to a tiresome, but deeply rewarding day of mountaineering.
“Via Ferrata” is Italian for “iron road”, and refers to iron rungs fixed (firmly!) into a mountain, enabling lionhearted, strong legged souls to scale the otherwise unscalable. CMH Bobbie Burns has not one but TWO in their repertoire, the infamous Nimbus, and the Conrad Glacier route, which replaces the exhilaration of sheer drops with traverses over raging waterfalls on thin wire bridges. Guides are on hand to coax you out of your comfort zone, or facilitate a mellow leisurely stroll in a mountain meadow replete with wildflowers, if that’s more your track. Truly, anything goes here; the mountains are your playground to enjoy at whatever pace you decide.
If there wasn’t so much fun to be had in the wilderness, I could have quite happily whiled away my time down the lodge itself. Outside of the perfect-for-arsch-bombas pond, CMH Bobbie Burns has an outdoor hot tub, massage rooms, a sauna, a games room, an indoor lounge and outdoor deck (both rife with excellent spots for curling up with a good book), a fully stocked bar with daily cocktail features, a gym replete with a climbing wall, light trails around the grounds and a cute babbling brook flowing across the front lawn; basically, it is the summer vacation home of your dreams.
The trip appears to be carefully structured to maximize freedom, movement and indulgence in equal measures. A gentle bell rings out at 7.15 am, the first wake-up call for those who want to participate in a daily warm-up class in the gym. A louder bell heralds the serving of breakfast at 8am, an unmissable affair not only for the lashings of bacon, eggs and maple syrup it provides, but also for the briefing of the day's activities. Armed with snacks, juice and electrolyte water, guests are choppered out of the lodge from 9 for a full-day’s quest, typically returning before 5pm for cocktail hour and “tea goodie”, a lavish pre-dinner snack. Not to be outdone, dinner, served promptly at 7, is a grand affair in itself, consisting of a hearty three courses prepared by the lodge’s private chefs. If you can keep your eyes open much longer after your meal, there’s usually great conversation and the occasional guitar serenade to be found out on the deck, which provided some of my favourite connections of the trip.
“It usually takes a day or so to get the city out of ya,” declared Jonny, an all-seasons mountain guide, over mouthfuls of Alberta steak, “then, y’know, it’s like we’re all the same. The mountains don’t care who you are or what you do, it’s just you and peaks.” Johnny and his friends JF and Bernie all have worked together at CMH for over 30+ years, with their respective families joining them throughout their seasons. While the otherworldly views were indeed a huge part of what made this trip unforgettable, break bread with fellow guests and guides alike, learning their stories and swapping tales from trails fostered such a deep and memorable sense of community that sets the CMH experience apart as something truly special.
Heli-hiking was hands down my favourite active experience of all time. To put it plainly, it was the best summer camp for adventurous adults I could have ever imagined…with cocktails! Johnny was right; there’s something about this place that levels you, that strips you of your ego, and unites you with fellow travellers in an age where we can so often feel estranged. If only for a few short days, I felt like part of something great. I cannot stress how much I am looking forward to my next trip.
For inquiries and further information, please visit www.cmhsummer.com
