Fly Fishing & Hiking on The Great Divide

Fortress Lake Fly Fish and Hike Retreat is built in partnership with Fortress Lake Fly Fishing Resort — and it is, without question, one of the most remote and rewarding places we will ever take you.

This is a trip for those who fish, who hike, who want to move through a landscape that has barely been touched. Brook trout. Backcountry trails. Dense cedar forests mixed with rocky views. And when the day is done, a wood-fired cedar hot tub waiting at the edge of the wilderness.

Getting here is part of the experience. Fortress Lake sits deep in the Columbia Icefields, bordering Jasper National Park — accessible only by helicopter or a hike-and-packraft expedition that earns every view it delivers. Either way, arrival feels like crossing into somewhere different. Somewhere quieter. Somewhere real.

Once you're in, certified fishing guides, professional hiking guides, and an exceptional backcountry chef take it from there. This is luxury — not in spite of being in the middle of nowhere, but because of it. Cozy yurts, warm communal meals, and a place that asks nothing of you but to be present.

Fortress Lake doesn't just draw you in. It holds you there.

Location:

Fortress Lake, Hamber Provincial Park

Available Dates:

Booking for 2027 - please inquire

Sweat Equity: 3

Type of Tour: Cozy

$3900/pp

*Based on double occupancy in the Canvas Cabins or Yurts

Your 4-Day BC Heli-Hike Adventure

  • Arrive at Rockies Heli, Cline River, AB to prep for your 30 min flight to the lodge. Upon arriving you will get a tour of the facility, be shown to your cabin/yurt and settle in with drinks and snacks. Your guides will have fishing and/or hiking options for the remainder of the day.

    You will arrive at the lodge by 9:30am weather permitting

    Dinner is served at 6pm

  • Breakfast is at 8am

    Dinner and wine is served at 6pm

    In between 8am and 6pm, the Fortress staff and your hiking host will cater your days to get the most out of your time at the lodge. This may include morning stretches, fishing for brook trout, daily hiking plans, chef prepared dinners, firing up the cedar hot tub, building a fire on the beach, socializing in the common room or floating on the lake with the paddle boards.

    The trip is entirely catered to guests needs and wants. With a full staff we can accommodate a variety of interests.

  • Rinse and repeat. Hike along the lakeshore, deep into the cedar forest, or up to one of the neighbouring peaks. Fly fish from the peninsula or explore the far shores of the lake.

  • Relax one more morning with delicious coffee before you hop on the helicopter for a jaw dropping flight out over the Whitegoat Wilderness and the Columbia Icefields.

The Details

Getting There

We fly out of Nordegg, AB. Nordegg is situated on highway 11, just east of the Columbia Icefields Highway. It is three hours from Edmonton or Calgary and 1.5 hours from Red Deer. Ask us about transportation from the Calgary airport.

Camp Life

Fortress Lake Lodge sits tucked into a valley ringed by mountains, glaciers, creeks, and rivers. Six cozy yurts sleep two guests each, two canvas cabins accommodate up to three, and a warm communal dining area is where a professional chef prepares meals for the group. After a day on the water or the trail, the cedar hot tub is waiting.

Power boats shuttle guests to trailheads, gravel beaches invite an easy wander, and the views — glaciers, peaks, 360 degrees of untouched wilderness — never get old. Brook trout fishing rounds out a place that's as complete as backcountry gets.

What’s Included

  • Round trip heli flights to and from Fortress Lake over the White Goat Wilderness and the Columbia Icefields

  • 3 days, 3 nights at the lodge

  • All meals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks

  • Wine or beer for purchase

  • Fly fish guides and gear

  • Boat, kayak, and paddle board access

  • Guided hiking excursions with an ACMG guide

  • Wood fired cedar hot tub

  • Evening activities

What You’ll Need

We’ve got the logistics, flights, meals, and shelter covered—here’s what you’ll want to bring for personal comfort and adventure:

  • Hiking gear like boots, layers, and trekking poles. Need a checklist or want to rent equipment? Just ask—we’re happy to help.

  • Personal care items such as biodegradable soap, toothbrush, etc.

  • Transportation to and from Nordegg Airport. (transport can be arrranged upon request)