Sky Lodges

WELCOME TO EARTHCODE SKY LODGES

“You will witness some amazing sunsets over the mountain range at the end of the day. As the evening gets darker the stars come out and the sky paints an enchanting picture. As you go to sleep you may be serenaded by Indigenous drumming and singing or the distant howling of coyotes. Then imagine waking up to birds singing and when you step outside your tipi or tent you will be overwhelmed with a beautiful sunrise with glorious orange, purple sunlight gleaming on the majestic snow topped mountains. This is a total escape experience which wakes up your inner soul. When you visit these scared lands, you can feel the peaceful and natural healing energies of Mother Earth.”

Location

Earthcode Sky Lodges is located on the sacred lands of the Stoney Nakoda First Nations, a short 25-minute drive west of Cochrane, Alberta on Highway #1A. The town of Canmore is only 20 minutes away and 45 minutes’ drive to Banff National Park. The campground is nestled in a peaceful secluded setting with an amazing stunning view of the spectacular Rocky Mountains.  Mount Yamnuska, a popular mountain destination for hikers, runners, and mountain bikers with plenty of trails to explore, is only a 10 minutes’ drive away.

Our camp is situated on Yethka Getaways, on private lands held by a Stoney Elder at the base of the Rocky Mountains which offers spectacular pristine scenery. Close to the Earthcode Sky Lodges is the the Bow River which offers some great fishing opportunities and recreational options such as white-water rafting and horseback riding. Our camp is surrounded by pristine country which is home to a variety of wildlife, including elk, deer, coyotes, and moose. Golden and bald eagles also make their home around the camp. The primary attraction to our camp is the amazing scenery which includes beautiful sunsets to the west and at night the stars come out very vividly. What stands us apart from other similar glamping operations is the cultural and educational experience through the sharing of our traditional Indigenous knowledge around star constellations. The Earthcode Sky Lodges glamping site is perched on high foothills overlooking the Bow River valley and to the west is an incredible panorama view of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.At Earthcode Sky Lodges you can truly escape the chaos of everyday urban living as you and your family relax in one of our tipis or high-end glamping tents.

About Host: Alvin Manitopyes

Alvin is of Plains Cree, Nakoda, and Anishnawbe ancestry, a registered member of the Muskowekwan First Nation of Saskatchewan. As a respected Elder, he is often called upon to share his extensive knowledge of traditional teachings, culture, history, healing practices and spirituality at health and wellness conferences and workshops throughout North America and abroad. Alvin has also functioned in the capacity as an advisor for numerous corporations and First Nations leadership in areas of self-government, treaty interpretation, economic development, duty to consult, corporate strategic planning, market expansion, business development, human resource development, and joint ventures projects associated with resource and environmental development operations on First Nations lands. Alvin is owner of Earthcode Enterprises Ltd, a consulting firm, that advances Indigenous economic development projects and assists First Nations Bands to be engaged in the clean energy industry in aeras of geo-thermal, solar, pyrolysis energy recovery, greenhouse/hydroponics, and hempcrete home construction. Earthcode Inc has been involved in the tourism industry for over a decade.


FOR BOOKINGS:

Contact Alvin Cell: 587.225.8419 

Email :

amanito@telus.net

CAMPGROUND INFORMATION

Earthcode Sky Lodges are designed to celebrate the rich and colorful Indigenous cultures from the Amazon rain forest, Andean cultures of South America, the outback of Australia, and the historic culture of the northern plains of Turtle Island. Our lodges will appeal to those visitors who are seeking affordable accommodation due to the high costs of expensive accommodation. Outdoor amenities on most of the sites include shared barbeques and/or assigned firepit including propane/firewood. Porta-potties are onsite. There are shower facilities within a short driving distance. An outdoor shower is in the works. Most tents are furnished with area rugs, outdoor tables and lawn chairs, ambience lighting, cell phone charging, Indigenous décor, night tables, coolers, and clothes racks.  Bring your own refreshments and food. Earthcode staff will make every effort to ensure all campers are in comfortable beds/mattresses. On-site staff to provide security and privacy.

CAMP RULES

  • NO SMOKING INSIDE TENTS/TIPIS
  • RESPECT QUIET HOURS FROM 11 PM TO 6 AM
  • OUTDOOR FIREPIT USE IS LIMITED
  • DO NOT KEEP FOOD IN TENTS OVERNIGHT
  • REMOVE ALL YOUR TRASH FROM TENTS
  • KEEP THE SPACE CLEAN
  • BE CONSIDERATE OF NEIGHBORS
  • BE RESPECTFUL OF SACRED SPACE
  • ENJOY YOURSELF AND RELAX

THINGS TO KNOW

  • CHECK OUT IS AT 12 PM
  • FIRST AID KIT, FIRE EXTINQUISHER, BEAR SPRAY ON-SITE
  • HORSES MAY GRAZE NEARBY AND POSE NO THREAT
  • MOST LOCAL RESTAURANTS CLOSE AT 8 PM
  • SHOWERS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN SHORT DRIVING DISTANCES – CANMORE REC CENTER IS RECOMMENDED
  • IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU DON’T KNOW JUST ASK!

Earthcode Sky Lodges also provides space for RV parking (no hook-ups) and tent camping at reasonable rates. Contact us for rates.

Sight-seeing and Cultural Experiences

Take a hike up the adjacent hills to witness beautiful mountain sunsets and see the world from an Indigenous lens. Based on availability of Elders there will be a central firepit for evening storytelling and sharing of traditional knowledge by knowledge keepers and Elders. There is hand-out material to explain the unique traditional knowledge of the star constellations to enrich your star gazing experiences. We have also had several UFO sightings in this area. There are opportunities to walk the land where award winning Hollywood feature films were filmed including The Revenant and Legends of the Fall. Please refer to specialized tours offered by Earthcode Tours for specialized tours.

Services

  • 34-person site capacity
  • Outdoor shower facility with hot water on demand is in the works. Showers are available within a short driving distance.
  • Secluded, fenced space on the Stoney Nakoda First Nations reserve, approximately 400 acres available for group activities

Earthcode staff can also recommend hiking trails (guided and self-guided), nearby cultural events, shopping options, casino, local site seeing experiences and other special excursions depending on what is requested. The host and Earthcode staff will be happy to provide recommendations for food take-out and dine-in restaurants in nearby Canmore and Banff.
The primary attraction to our camp is the amazing scenery which includes beautiful sunsets to the west and at night the stars come out very vividly. What stands us apart from other similar glamping operation is the cultural and educational experience through the sharing of traditional knowledge around star constellations.

BAND COUNCIL AND STAFF/CORPORATE RETREATS: Group Rates for Special Gatherings

Earthcode is prepared to work with tourists, corporations, and First Nations Band Staff/organization in the development and implementation of specialized itineraries designed to meet the needs and desires of their staff/ members.
Earthcode can work with you to provide a customized multiday group rate for a Chief and Council retreat, band staff, program staff camp-out, corporate retreat, board team building retreat, family reunion, private wedding, wellness/healing retreat, or for a land based educational program.
We can work with your assigned point person in all of the planning stages to ensure all factors leading to success are taken into consideration. Attention is given to detail in planning and making sure all plans are mutually agreed to, ensuring all expectations are fulfilled and, in the event, unforeseen circumstances will be addressed accordingly.

  • Dates, location and facilities options.
  • Truth and Reconciliation training session.
  • Cultural sensitivity and cultural awareness training.
  • Recreational activities.
  • Logistics and budgeting.
  • We can organize pre and post conferences excursions for delegates attending local conferences.
  • Earthcode, in partnership with our on-reserve resource people, can also organize land base education courses for schools and institutions.
  • Traditional certified food service is also available upon request for groups.