The Best Kept Secret of Kananaskis: Mount Engadine Lodge

The clinking of glasses and jubilant laughter filling the lodge left no indication that this group of seniors had been left stranded after the snow-laden road to Mount Shark proved too slick for their charter bus.
Tucked within a quiet Kananaskis valley, Mount Engadine Lodge became more than just a mountain retreat on this snowy Wednesday in February; it was a refuge for more than 50 seniors from the Second Sixties Outdoor Club who had set out to enjoy a ski and snowshoe that morning.
I stepped inside the lodge, leaving the chilly mountain air behind. It felt like walking into your living room when you’re the last relative to arrive at the family reunion. I was immediately greeted by smiles and the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

My fond but foggy childhood memories of this place flooded back as I recalled two things: an ancient cat and knitted slippers.
The 19-year-old cat I remembered from my last visit would have been about 30 by now, and I figured there wasn’t much hope it would still be here. Even the fresh mountain air couldn’t keep it alive that long. And I felt a pang of nostalgia as I realized that the hand-knitted slippers no longer sat in a basket by the door.
While a few things had changed, the lodge had more than preserved a quaint feeling of warmth, ease and comfort that envelops you the moment you set eyes upon it. The place felt a lot bigger when I was a wide-eyed 11-year-old—the world often does when we’re kids. It was a full circle moment coming back to the lodge with my dad after a refreshing ski at Mount Shark. So many of my early memories learning to cross-country ski happened on the trails surrounding Engadine. Back then it took a whole lot of bribing with chocolate bars to get my sisters and I to strap on our skis. Now I can’t imagine my life without outdoor adventure.

Antique snowshoes and skis hung on the walls outside the lodge, while the inside was adorned with maps and pictures of the surrounding peaks, including the lodge’s namesake, Mount Engadine.
It was time for afternoon tea, where all kinds of hot beverages and sodas from the Grizzly Paw in Banff were served alongside a masterful charcuterie board of refined meats, cheese and crackers. I couldn’t dream up a better way to conclude a day of alpine adventures.

But today the place was packed to more than double its regular capacity. The lodge, only the size of a small house, was full to the brim, and I was by far the youngest guest there. With steaming coffees in hand and the lively sound of piano tunes filling the room, not a person in the place appeared to be upset over the unexpected unfolding of the day’s events. Bound for Mount Shark ski area, members of the Second Sixties Outdoor Club opted for the warmth and respite of Engadine Lodge after their bus failed to make it to the trailhead due to the icy conditions of the day.
John Charkie, trip coordinator for the Second Sixties Club, was more than thankful that the group had a place to take refuge less than a kilometre from their bus.

“It was striking just how welcoming and accommodating they were to a bunch of seniors,” he said. “Their invitation was, ‘Come in and have a strudel and a bottomless cup of coffee.’”
Known for their famous strudel—a warm pastry wrapped in thin, flaky crust and loaded with a sweet fruity filling—the lodge traces its origins back to 1987, when it was first built as a hostel by a Swiss couple who moved to the area, according to Geeske Van Veenendaal, former assistant operations manager at the lodge.
With only a few guest rooms at the time, the lodge began to gain popularity in 1988, when the Winter Olympics were held in Calgary.
The concept of the lodge has continued to evolve over the years, with the newest addition being several glamping tents built on the property seven years ago. The white-walled tents offer guests a cozy accommodation along with several rooms in the main lodge and a few more in a smaller building added in the 90s.

The remote location and its all-inclusive features are truly what sets Engadine apart from the rest. With a chef on site to provide four quality meals a day, there is little to worry about out there except what mountain activities will fill the day ahead of you.
“I think what draws a lot of people to this area is you’re so close to so many beautiful hikes or sceneries without the busyness that you have in Banff National Park or Lake Louise,” said Van Veenendaal. “You can still get away here and be completely alone on your hike and still be in complete silence.”
The peace and quiet was certainly evident to me. Standing on the back deck, overlooking the valley before me, I was met with the company of some bold Whiskey Jacks checking to see if I had any food to spare. This really didn’t seem like a bad place to be stuck I laughed to myself. The lodge had already been at capacity with overnight guests, but their hospitality shone through as they welcomed this bus load of seniors into their cozy backcountry abode, nonetheless.

A sense of togetherness seemed to be the overarching feeling here. It was as though the fast-paced rhythm of life came to a halt and all the walls that often exist between you and a stranger just melted away.
I sat on the red patio chairs overlooking a world painted white, still gripped by the hand of winter. Flurries began to fall and my coffee had long been chilled by crisp mountain air. The high spirits and contentment of the group reminded me that sometimes the best part of adventure is when things don’t go as planned. It wouldn’t be until 4 p.m. that the bus was towed out and the group was able to board and return to Calgary. But sometimes its the simple things—good food and great company—that make for the best mountain adventures.
I always thought the mountains had a way of bringing people together, this place does too.
When You Go:

- Mount Engadine lodge is located on Mount Shark Road just 36 kilometres south of Canmore, off the Smith-Dorrien Spray Lakes Road. Keep in mind there is no cell service on that road once you leave Canmore.
- Afternoon tea is available every day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. with the last seating at 4 p.m. It costs $35 per person, which will get you a charcuterie board, a variety of beverages and strudel for dessert (there are different flavours every day).
- The rates vary depending on the season and include the cost of four meals a day. Glamping tents are $495 a night for two people and vary in pricing for rooms in the lodge. The cost per night is $75 for youth. Children five and under are free.
- There’s plenty of groomed cross-country ski trails in the area, just up the road is the Mount Shark ski area, along with a myriad of hiking spots. If you forget any equipment, the lodge now rents cross-country skis and snowshoes even if you’re not a guest.
- The lodge is dog friendly! Feel free to bring your pooch along with you. There’s even a “dog wall” featuring Polaroid photos of all the canine guests that have come through in the past.

Great word pictures. It’s ben a while since I stayed at the lodge and you brought back many fond memories of it and the surroundings!