Bussing

  1. Stage S1, S2, and S3 Bus Procedures:

Due to environmental and safety considerations, the first two Stages on the South Phase will be unsupported by their teams. Race officials and Parks Canada will be on the race course if needed. New for 2022, runner pick up for S2 and runner drop off for S3 will also be done by bus as well as no teams will be allowed to drop off their runners or stop at the S3 Start. As in previous years, no team vehicles will be permitted on the Bow Valley Parkway from Banff to Lake Louise.

To facilitate this, buses will be provided to transport runners to their start positions for S2 and S3. And S1 and S2 runners will be bussed back to the Lake Louise Inn. Team Captains must make transportation plans to get their S1 and S2 runners to the Castle Mountain start for 6:30 am and to get them from Lake Louise around 11:15 am. And have their S3 runners load the bus at Lake Louise Inn by 8:45 to get to the Stage 3 start.

 The procedure is as follows:

  1. Stage S1 and Stage S2 runners will congregate at Castle Mountain Junction (parking lot across from the gas station) starting at 6:30 am.
  2. Prior to 6:40 am, stage S1 runners will deposit their gear, clearly marked with their team number, on the one bus designated for S1 runner bags <Bus A> in the back seats.
  3. Prior to 6:50 am, all Stage S2 runners will board Bus A for transport to the Stage S2 start area.
  4. At 6:50 am, all Stage S1 runners will be escorted to the start line on Highway 1A, in preparation for their 7:00 am start.
  5. After the Stage S1 start, Bus A will leave Castle Mountain Junction to transport the S2 runners to the Stage S2 start area.
  6. When the bus arrives at the Stage S2 start area, Stage S2 runners will off load the buses and prepare for their Stage S2 start. A volunteer will oversee the equipment bag retrieval from the bus as S1 runners arrive.  Only runners with bib numbers will be allowed to retrieve gear.
  7. Prior to their start, Stage S2 runners will place their gear in the back seats on the bus designated for S2 runner bags <Bus B>.
  8. As Stage S1 runners complete their stage they will collect their gear from Bus A and board Bus B.
  9. Bus B bus will depart Baker Creek at 8:25 am with any S1 runners who have finished and go to the Lake Louise Inn.
  10. Bus A will depart Baker Creek at 9:20 am once the remaining S1 runners have finished their stage and go to Lake Louise Inn.
  11. At the Lake Louise Inn, S1 runners will depart Bus B leaving the S2 runners’ bags on the bus.
  12. At Lake Louise Inn, the S3 runners will load onto Bus B by 8:50 am for transport to Herbert Lake.
  13. S3 runners will leave the bus and start to prepare for their run. Once done with their bag, they will place it, marked with their team number, with their S2 runners’ bag on Bus B.
  14. At Herbert Lake, incoming S2 runners will retrieve their bags and their S3 runner’s bag from Bus B. Only runners with bib numbers will be allowed to retrieve gear.
  15. S2 runners load onto the busses to be taken back to the Lake Louise Inn. The first bus to leave back to Lake Louise will be Bus A.
  16. Bus B will depart Herbert Lake around 11:00 am to go back to Lake Louise Inn once all S2 runners have completed their stage.

Bus Departure Times

  • Following is a summary of the above by chronological order.

  • 6:30am – S1 and S2 runner congregate at Castle Mountain Junction

  • 6:40am – S1 runners load their bags onto Bus A

  • 6:50am – S2 runners board Bus A

  • 7:00am – S1 starts

  • 7:05am – Bus A departs Castle Junction for Baker Creek with S2 runners and S1 bags

  • 7:25am – Bus A arrives and Baker Creek and S2 runners unload

  • 7:45am – S2 runners begin loading their bags onto Bus B

  • 7:55am – S1 runners begin to arrive at Baker Creek and collect their bags from Bus A

  • 8:25am – Bus B departs Baker Creek with some S1 runners to Lake Louise

  • 8:40am – forced start for S2 at Baker Creek

  • 8:45am – Bus B arrives at Lake Louise and S1 runners unload

  • 8:50am – S3 runners load onto Bus B at Lake Louise

  • 8:55am – Bus B departs Lake Louise for Herbert Lake with S3 runners

  • 9:05am – Bus B arrives at Herbert Lake and S3 runners unload

  • 9:10am – S3 runners leave their bags on Bus B with their S2 team member’s bag

  • 9:20am – S2 runners finishing at Herbert Lake and collect their bag and their S3 runner’s bag from Bus B

  • 9:20am – Bus A departs Baker Creek with remaining S1 runners to Lake Louise

  • 9:35am – Bus A arrives at Lake Louise and remaining S1 runners unload

  • 9:45am – Bus A departs Lake Louise for Herbert Lake

  • 10:00am – Bus A arrives at Herbert Lake

  • 10:10am – Bus A departs Herbert Lake for Lake Louise with some S2 runners

  • 10:20am – Bus A arrives at Lake Louise and unloads S2 runners

  • 10:20am – forced start for S3 at Herbert Lake

  • 11:00am – Bus B departs Herbert Lake for Lake Louise with remaining S2 runners

  • 11:10 am – Bus B arrives at Lake Louise and remaining runners unload.