Camp Highlights

  • Stay at the luxurious Shadow Lake Lodge with on site chef and personal cabins
  • Surround yourself with pristine forests, towering peaks, and the ice-blue water of Shadow Lake
  • Explore the area through the lens of photo-savvy ACMG guide Kirsten Knechtel
  • Practice plein air painting techniques with artist-in-residence, Patti Dyment

Dates & price

  •  June 27th - July 1st, 2022
  •  $2, 195 + Tax / Person

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Capture the Pristine Wilderness from the Comfort of Shadow Lake Lodge

Shadow Lake Lodge is nestled near the towering grandeur of Mt Ball. It's easily accessible with the trail head not far from the Town of Banff. The hike is a fairly gradual 14km hike in on an old fire road. Private cabins and gourmet meals provide a relaxing and comfortable base for the guided day hikes that we will take you on in this camp. All meals with exception of lunch on the first day are provided by the experienced kitchen team and professional chef. The lodge is equipped with a full commercial kitchen.

The lodge is the perfect base camp as it sets you up for many hikes that take you quickly into the alpine and to come amazing view points. Or, choose to wander less than 1 km over to the quiet shores of Shadow Lake. 

For this Artist retreat, we are excited to have Patti Dyment as the artist-in-residence. A seasoned plein air artist, she has joined us form many summers at our General Mountaineer Camp's Artist Week. Check our her work at Fallen Leaf Gallery.

Camp Objectives

The objectives for this camp are twofold;

Firstly to explore the beautiful Shadow Lake area with ACMG mountain guide and photographer, Kirsten Knechtel who knows all of the best lookouts and trails including classics like Gibbon Pass, Whistling Pass, and Pharaoh Creek to Egypt Lakes.

The second is to push your creative boundaries with daily plein air painting lessons and art workshops with seasoned Artist-in-residence, Patti Dyment. This camp is geared towards anyone who wants to get into painting the beautiful mountain scapes, flowers and natural environment around Shadow Lake Lodge.
Day by Day Adventure Itinerary 
  •  
  • Day 1: Meet your group at the Red Earth Creek Parking Lot at 8:00am (MST) and hike the 14km trail in. Watch out for Terry the Grouse on the road! Unload at the cabins then walk 1km to go check out Shadow Lake.
  • Days 2, 3 and 4 (general itinerary):
  • 0700: Breakfast (rotating kitchen schedule to allow for social distancing) and pack lunches.
  • 0830: Depart on your daily objectives (i.e. hiking, creating, or relaxing)
  • 1630: Head back to the cabins for tea and a snack.     
  • 1800: Dinner (rotating kitchen schedule to allow for social distancing).
  • 1930: Free time to journal, read, share stories or play a card game.
  • Day 5: Pack up and head back down the road.
Is this Camp For Me?
Beginner 

This camp is open to all levels of artists. While daily sessions with the artist-in-residence will be geared towards painting (oil) and sketching, photographers and artists who work in other mediums are welcome to attend. You should be a competent hiker and be comfortable independently navigating well-signed trails with the help of a topographic map (if necessary)

Food, Accommodation and Guiding

Food

We are very excited to share the meals prepared in the onsite commercial kitchen by our professional chef at the lodge. Breakfast, lunch, tea + goodies and Dinner will be served each day. On top of that there is an extensive wine and beer list to quench the post-hike thirst (subject to additional cost).

Accommodation

You will being sharing a cabin with one other artist at Shadow Lake Lodge. Each person will get their own double bed. For more details on the Lodge visit their website.

Guiding

Our low guiding ratio will give you the best possible chance of success.

The ACC hires guides certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Visit the ACMG website to learn more about what they do!

Gear and Rentals

Don't have everything on the gear list (found on the right hand side of this webpage)? We recommend heading to Gear Up in Canmore to grab any items your might be missing. To ensure availability of items call ahead to book. ACC members get a 10% discount.

Closer to the trip start date, Patti will be available to answer any questions specific to art supplies and equipment. 

 

Your Guides

BOB OLINGER

Bob has been active in the Rocky Mountains for many years. His passion for the outdoors has taken him through all of our mountain Parks hiking, trail running, climbing, scrambling, and ski touring. He has been a Trip Leader for the Alpine Club of Canada for over a decade, leading ski tours throughout Banff National Park, and Kananaskis Country. Suffice to say he knows the backcountry well.

Bob became an Apprentice Hiking Guide with the Interpretive Guides Association some years ago, and also joined the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides as an Apprentice Hiking Guide with Winter Certification. This has enabled him to lead trips on and off trail in all four seasons through the mountains, while sharing his love and knowledge of the outdoor environment.

The mountain backcountry is a beloved place for Bob to be, and he has been fortunate to guide in spectacular areas in the Purcell and Rocky Mountain Ranges. While not a photographer of note, Bob has taken many pictures of the outdoor world that have been used to paint from, or in advertising. 

Bob is also a registered Massage Therapist of many years standing, and plans to continue to balance both pursuits with his own active lifestyle. He shares his time between the Bow and Columbia Valleys, enjoying what he terms, “the best of both worlds”.

PATTI DYMENT

Living, hiking and painting in the Canadian Rockies for over three decades has given Canmore artist Patti a profound appreciation of and connection to the mountain landscape. She paints en plein air as much as possible. “My work is intended to celebrate our common experience of beauty. Inspired by nature, I paint relentlessly, I study painting, I think about and dream about painting. It’s a wonderful fascination.”

Patti is a popular instructor of painting classes and workshops. She was awarded Federation of Canadian Artists signature status in 2011. Patti has been exhibiting in commercial and public galleries since 1988 including;

Solo and trio exhibitions in the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Duo exhibitions in the Canmore Guild Gallery, The Edge Gallery (Canmore), The Fallen Leaf Gallery (Canmore), The Calgary Stampede Western Art Gallery, Many Federation of Canadian Artists group exhibitions (including Spilsbury Medal and AIRS exhibitions), and an exhibition in Higashigawa, Hokkaido, Japan.

RESIDENCIES:

Twice Artist in Residence, Brewster Columbia Icefields
Artist in Residence, Numtijah Lodge, Bow Lake, AB
Artist in Residence, Alpine Club of Canada Artist Retreat Yoho National Park, AB
Artist in Residence, Bear and Bison Inn, Canmore, AB

PUBLIC ART:

Canmore Utility Box Program, 2015
Art In Nature Trail, Banff Alberta 2021

GALLERIES:

The Mortar and Brick Gallery, Fernie, BC
The Fallen Leaf Gallery, Canmore, Alberta

Adventure Map

MORE INFORMATION

Please try to register online before calling. If you are having issues please try to have your emergency contact information and course questionnaire filled out before calling.

  Email us
  403 678 3200 ext. 213

Course Documents

Gear List coming soon! 

Before registering, please review our Waivers and Liability page:

Trip Waivers and Liability Page

Cancellation policy and travel Insurance

Please be sure to review our cancellation policy before registering for ACC Adventures:
 
Cancellation Policy  
We sell Tugo® Travel Insurance suitable for both ACC Adventures and personal trips: 

Travel Insurance

INCLUDED IN YOUR CAMP FEE
  • 5 days professional guiding by certified ACMG Mountain Guide 
  • Daily art workshops by the Artist-in-residence
  • Accommodation in Shared Cabins at Shadow Lake Lodge
  • All meals made by a professional on site chef
  • Wilderness passes
PARTICIPANTS MUST PROVIDE
  • Transportation to and from Red Earth Creek parking lot
  • Lunch on day 1 and dinner on day 5
  • Personal gear, art supplies and equipment
  • National Park vehicle pass

ORGANIZING FANTASTIC ACC ADVENTURES FOR OVER 100 YEARS

  • Local Knowledge - based out of Canmore, AB, we know the Rockies region and the best local caterers, guides and porters
  • Dedicated resources - full-time office staff, ACMG guides and group equipment on-hand to ensure your trip runs smoothly
  • Not-for-profit - any money we make on camps and courses is reinvested into providing services for our members and the mountain community