Duration 120-minutes (2.0)
- The Robinson-RH44II Helicopter can accommodate 2 to 3 passengers at a cost of CAD$1,800.00.
- The Eurocopter EC120 Helicopter can accommodate 3 to 4 passengers at a cost of CAD$2,500.00.
- The Airbus-AS350B3 Helicopter can accommodate 4 to 5 passengers at a cost of CAD$4,410.00.
L R HELICOPTERS’ tours offer a view of Alberta that few people are able to enjoy.
Are you a ski nut looking for the perfect backcountry powder or do you just want to take in the natural phenomenon of the Rocky Mountains? You will be amazed by how quickly you find yourself surrounded by mountains you never knew were so large! Fly up through the pristine Spray Lakes towards Haig Glacier passing briefly into British Columbia. Your personal pilot will guide you through the various alluring valleys and even over the tall peaks of the Rockies. The feeling of flying over a ridge as the ground suddenly disappears beneath you is sensationally hair-raising!
The Mt Assiniboine tour involves a 120-minute loop that begins as you head west into the Rocky Mountains, a truly amazing view in itself. As you reach Bragg Creek via Red Wood Meadows, just west of Calgary, your pilot will take you along the banks of the Elbow River, where you can view the abundant vegetation and wildlife in the area. Following the river, the Elbow Falls will soon come into view, an amazing climax to your tour.
Your pilot will fly over the falls allowing you to take in all of its beauty before turning southwest toward Forget Me Not Pond and the Elbow River. Following canyons and steep valleys, you will reach the Sheep Lakes and finally the Elbow Lake, located on the Elbow Pass at 6900 Feet.
Leaving the Rae Glacier (the last glacier existing in the K country) to the west, we will climb to 11,000 feet flying over the Kananaskis lakes and following the upper Kananaskis River all the way up to the Haig Glacier reaching the continental divide.
Breathtaking drop crossing over the French Creek, you are on the top of the Spray Mountains and the line of sight stretches from The Bogaboos to Mt Robson. The flight continues to Mt Assiniboine the Canadian Matterhorn, the heart of the Southern Rockies.
Leaving Mt Assiniboine to the east will follow the Spray lake south shore through the Kananaskis range, Barrier lake to Moose Mountain with its 8000 feet, one of the highest lookout towers in Alberta direct to Springbank via Moose Flat.
It’s called Moose Flats for a reason; moose are often spotted in this area, so have your cameras ready! As a bonus, on the return trip to Springbank, you will fly over the famous movie set originally constructed for the 1994 film Legends of the Fall Starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins. The set is still being used in popular films most recently in The Assassination of Jessie James.
Your L R HELICOPTERS’ Kananaskis tour will then conclude back at our base in Springbank. We are sure you will never look at South Alberta the same way again.
Quick Facts :
Bragg Creek
- Named after Albert Warren Bragg from Collingwood Nova Scotia who homesteaded in the area in 1894
- The community was established between a forestry reserve, the Sarcee Indian reserve, and a Provincial Park
- Ranching was the original primary economic generator
- Bragg Creek was featured in films “Storm” and “Killer Image” both directed by David Winning
- Aired the TV show “North of 60” which was mainly filmed in Bragg
- In 2005 Bragg Creek was flooded and many of the buildings were damaged
- 595 population in 2011
Elbow River
- Runs through several features including Allen Bill Pond, Forget me not Pond, Elbow Falls
- Sections of the river are closed to fishing or are catch-and-release waters only
- In 2005 the flooding was so severe the water flowed over the Glenmore Dam in Calgary
- In 2005 1500 Calgarians were evacuated however in 2013 tens of thousands were evacuated
- Originates from Elbow Lake in the Elbow-Sheep Wildland Provincial Park
- Is one of 2 of Calgary’s chief drinking water sources
- Merges with the Bow River in Calgary just west of the Zoo
- Fort Calgary is located at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers.
- Total length 120km and drains an area of over 1200 square km
Elbow Falls
- A small set of waterfalls along the Elbow River west of Bragg Creek
- In the dry season, the falls reach a height of 6 m while in June the river fills up and the falls in the only 3m
- Overnight camping and hiking are available at several nearby campgrounds
- After the 2013 floods, the day-use area was destroyed
CL Ranch
- On the banks of Jumping Pound Creek
- Established in 1887 by Richard Copithorne who immigrated from Ireland
- A movie set for “Legend of the Falls” and “The Assassination of Jessie James”
Kananaskis Lakes
- Upper Kananaskis Lake is a natural lake that was turned into a reservoir in Kananaskis Country in Alberta, Canada.
- Upper Kananaskis Lake, along with Lower Kananaskis Lake, is located in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
- The lake is part of a series of natural and manmade lakes in the Kananaskis and Bow Valleys used for hydroelectric power, flood control, and water reserves for the Bow River water users such as the city of Calgary.
- The lake is also used for recreational activities, with hiking paths surrounding the lake (and cross-country skiing trails in the winter).
Mount Assiniboine
- Mount Assiniboine, also known as Assiniboine Mountain, is a mountain located on the Great Divide, on the British Columbia/Alberta border in Canada.
- At 3,618 m (11,870 ft), it is the highest peak in the Southern Continental Ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Mt. Assiniboine rises nearly 1,525 m (5,003 ft) above Lake Magog. Because of its resemblance to the Matterhorn in the Alps, it is nicknamed the “Matterhorn of the Rockies”.
- Mt. Assiniboine was named by George M. Dawson in 1885. When Dawson saw Mt. Assiniboine from Copper Mountain, he saw a plume of clouds trailing away from the top. This reminded him of the plumes of smoke emanating from the teepees of Assiniboine Indians.
- Mt. Assiniboine lies on the border between Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, in British Columbia, and Banff National Park, in Alberta.[4] The park does not have any roads and thus can only be reached by a six-hour hike 27 km (17 mi), a three-hour bike ride (now disallowed to reduce human/grizzly encounters), or a helicopter. The usual approach is via Bryant Creek. From Canmore follow the Smith-Dorien road to the Mount Shark parking lot. A helipad is also here.
Spray Lake
- Spray Lakes were a string of lakes formed along the Spray River, a tributary of the Bow River. With the damming of the river, the lakes were united in the Spray Lakes Reservoir.
- It lies between the Goat Range and the Three Sisters ridge, at an elevation of 1,720 meters (5,640 ft). The lake is followed by Highway 742 (Smith Dorrien Trail) in the northern part.
- The lake is fed by the following waterways: Bryant Creek, Turbulent Creek, Currie Creek, Watridge Creek, Spray River, Smuts Creek, and Spurling Creek.