[4 minute read]

PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR THEIR NEXT ESCAPE.

Seat sales.
Round the world tickets.
Backpacking through SE Asia.
Gap years in Australia…
But what about staying here? 

By the time I was 24 I had travelled, lived and worked in over 30 countries. I was a professional at hopping on any flight I could to get away; I needed to explore, but staying in Canada didn’t seem “adventurous” enough for me.  I thought adventure could only be satisfied with foreign experiences on the other side of the world.

In my early 20’s I was offered a short term contract for a travel company based in Vancouver. I had never been to Vancouver but thought “What the heck? It’s only three months…just another trip and a new experience.”

Long story short, it’s been five years and I haven’t looked back since. I absolutely fell in love with this city. Over the course of these years, I was going through a lot of change – including transitioning out of the travel industry. It was SO hard to not have the option of travelling all of the time so I started packing my evenings and weekends with any adventure I could find in and around Vancouver.

Once I started exploring British Columbia, I realized how much I had skipped out on. I couldn’t believe how incredible my own country was and couldn’t help but wonder why I had never opted to explore my own backyard. While I’m lucky to have seen and experienced so much traveling the world – this is my home..and I set out with one mission:

Show people that they don’t have to go far to “travel”.

And then it was born: #TheStayCationSeries. My first travel series came with one goal: travel around Canada to showcase what our home is all about while supporting local, sustainable tourism and leaving you with a detailed blog on how you can re-create the trip for yourself.

That first year brought me to work with six tourism boards across British Columbia and Alberta. After a bit of a hiatus, I’m back. And this time – I’m showing you how you can experience your own private alpine experience.

We start in Pemberton, BC. Let’s go!

– Ally 

 

 

Whitecap Alpine Adventures. 

Offering private, year-round mountain retreats across the globe, it’s easy to see why Whitecap can be referred to your “home away from home” after your first experience. The team reached out to me to come to shoot some photos while immersing me into their new summer program located in the backcountry outside of Pemberton, BC.

Picture this: endless meadows, alpine peaks, bright blue glacier lakes and the most quaint little cabin you’ll ever come across. And just when you think it doesn’t get better, they decide to throw in some yurts and saunas, hot showers, incredible guides, and a private chef. Can you say luxury?

Did it ruin future camping for me? Maybe.
Am I mad about it? Not at all.

 

 

Your Private Mountain Escape

Make your way to the Pemberton airport to check-in for your getaway where you’re met by the lovely crew from Blackcomb Helicopters. After a weekend intro and a safety briefing, you’ll find yourself running towards the chopper for a 20-minute scenic flight through the mountains. Your pilot will fly you over glaciers, rigid peaks, and Gatorade lakes before landing right at your doorstep. You duck out of the helicopter and run towards the cabin – and that’s when it finally sinks in:

Welcome to your new mountain home.

The McGillivray Pass Lodge is everything you can want in a cabin and more. You’re greeted by your guides and private chef for the weekend who take the time to show you around:

• 1 main lodge with full kitchen, a wood-burning fireplace, electricity and wifi.
• 1 cabin with 5 bedrooms, 1 bathroom + bed, pillows, and linens.
• 3 yurts, a hot shower, sauna, and heated outhouses.
  
  
  
  

  What To Expect.

  

  This is your trip – so expect to do as much, or as little, as you’d like.  Your guides are there to show you around the South Chilcotin Mountains. There are no shortages of mountain peaks, alpine lakes, meadows and rolling hills to explore – but if you’d like to take some solo time to sit and enjoy the lodge – you can do just that.
  
  If there’s one highlight of the trip that can’t be missed – it’s the wood-burning sauna built on top of a lake surrounded by jagged ridgelines and snow-capped peaks. It’s approximately a 30-minute hike in from the lodge. Pack a lunch, plenty of water and bathing suit (heck, I even brought up a floatie) and plan to spend the day there.
  
  Pro tip: wake up extra early and hike into the lake to catch the sunrise. The peaks glow a beautiful orange and the reflections on the lake are not to be missed. 
  
  
  

 

Booking A 5 Billion Star Hotel.

The lodge keeps its doors open to you all-day with access to snacks and 3 daily meals cooked by a private chef tailored to your dietary restrictions. Guests also have access to a bar and wifi at additional costs. Note: there is no cellphone service up at the lodge.

Whitecap is perfect for individuals, groups or private events has opens its summer operations from July 12-September 29th. Additional details and frequently asked questions can be viewed here.

Bookings are made directly through Whitecap and can be done here. If you have any special requests or private booking requests, you can contact the team at info@whitecapalpine.ca.

Want to see some behind the scenes video content of my trip? Watch here.

**Please remember to explore responsibly. Always do destination research before you travel and remember the Leave No Trace policy!

 

 

 

 

Picture This.