Banff/Jasper in January
Apr 30th, 2006, 05:36 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Banff/Jasper in January
Hi, I've been reading the boards however I have some questions about a trip that I
am planning which I haven't been able to find answers for. The trip is being planned for January 2007. I am planning to drive from Vancouver to Kamloops or Revelstoke (via Whistler-more scenic?), stay overnight, then drive to the Lake Louise/Banff area for approximately 3 nights including some snowboarding in the area. I will then drive to Jasper. I have allowed a full day for the drive from Banff to Jasper so we can stop along the way, but am unsure if we can do anything (hikes) at that time of year? After spending a day in Jasper we go on to Edmonton for a day. At that point we will either leave the car there (one way rental) and fly out from Edmonton or if that is too expensive we could backtrack to Vancouver, however that means losing probably 2 days at our next destination, which I would prefer not to do.
My main questions are-
Is travelling in that area in January a bad idea?
What will the weather be like? Clear skies or more typically clouded?
I am picturing clear blue skies and snowy mountains. Am I likely to get that in January?
Are the roads drivable in January?
Will the lakes all be frozen and therefore perhaps not as beautiful?
Is accomodation likely to be reasonable at that time?
Will things (roads, trails, attractions, hotels) be open?
Any pros and cons or suggestions will be much apreciated.
There will be 4 of us (all adults)coming from an Australian summer so any suggstions on packing/what to wear would also be helpful. This will be the first trip to Canada for everyone, however we have driven on snowy, icey roads before in N.Z.
Thankyou so much for any help you can give me!
am planning which I haven't been able to find answers for. The trip is being planned for January 2007. I am planning to drive from Vancouver to Kamloops or Revelstoke (via Whistler-more scenic?), stay overnight, then drive to the Lake Louise/Banff area for approximately 3 nights including some snowboarding in the area. I will then drive to Jasper. I have allowed a full day for the drive from Banff to Jasper so we can stop along the way, but am unsure if we can do anything (hikes) at that time of year? After spending a day in Jasper we go on to Edmonton for a day. At that point we will either leave the car there (one way rental) and fly out from Edmonton or if that is too expensive we could backtrack to Vancouver, however that means losing probably 2 days at our next destination, which I would prefer not to do.
My main questions are-
Is travelling in that area in January a bad idea?
What will the weather be like? Clear skies or more typically clouded?
I am picturing clear blue skies and snowy mountains. Am I likely to get that in January?
Are the roads drivable in January?
Will the lakes all be frozen and therefore perhaps not as beautiful?
Is accomodation likely to be reasonable at that time?
Will things (roads, trails, attractions, hotels) be open?
Any pros and cons or suggestions will be much apreciated.
There will be 4 of us (all adults)coming from an Australian summer so any suggstions on packing/what to wear would also be helpful. This will be the first trip to Canada for everyone, however we have driven on snowy, icey roads before in N.Z.
Thankyou so much for any help you can give me!
Apr 30th, 2006, 09:02 AM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello daleffit,
Thanks for providing lots of context. It helps me to understand your needs.
>>>>>>I am planning to drive from Vancouver to Kamloops or Revelstoke (via Whistler-more scenic?), stay overnight, then drive to the Lake Louise/Banff area for approximately 3 nights including some snowboarding in the area.<<<<<<
If all goes well, you could do the trip in 2 days. However, it would be more prudent to allow 3 days for it, in case you get held up for a day by a blizzard, a rock slide that needs to be cleared from the road, or whatever. If something of that nature happens, one of the more likely places in which you would be held up would be Revelstoke or Golden.
>>>>>>I will then drive to Jasper. I have allowed a full day for the drive from Banff to Jasper so we can stop along the way, but am unsure if we can do anything (hikes) at that time of year?<<<<<<
The Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper stays open for most of the year. No, you really can't do any hikes at that time of year. If you wanted to explore beyond the road, you'd need snow shoes or cross country skis.
Be aware that there are no services along the Icefields Parkway in winter. That is, there are no gasoline (petrol) stations, no restaurants and no flush toilets. Also be aware that cell (mobile) phones do not work along the Icefields Parkway, and traffic is light in winter. So, in case you run into a problem, you should be equipped to survive in very cold conditions for several hours. I'll return to that issue later.
I stated that the Icefields Parkway usually is open. However, it occasionally does get closed owing to severe weather conditions (occasional freezing rain and the like). Unfortunately it's impossible to predict when that might happen. Chances are that you'll be able to go to Jasper as you wish. However, there is a small chance that you'll have to fall back on Plan B, skip Jasper, and drive to Edmonton via Calgary. I do hope you get to drive the Icefields Parkway to Jasper, because the scenery is gorgeous.
>>>>>>After spending a day in Jasper we go on to Edmonton for a day. At that point we will either leave the car there (one way rental) and fly out from Edmonton or if that is too expensive we could backtrack to Vancouver, however that means losing probably 2 days at our next destination, which I would prefer not to do.<<<<<<
Quite. And remember it's not just a question of losing 2 days. If you hit adverse weather conditions, there is a possibility of losing 3 days, missing your flight to your next destination, and all the complications that go with that.
This message is long enough, so I'll start a new one.
Thanks for providing lots of context. It helps me to understand your needs.
>>>>>>I am planning to drive from Vancouver to Kamloops or Revelstoke (via Whistler-more scenic?), stay overnight, then drive to the Lake Louise/Banff area for approximately 3 nights including some snowboarding in the area.<<<<<<
If all goes well, you could do the trip in 2 days. However, it would be more prudent to allow 3 days for it, in case you get held up for a day by a blizzard, a rock slide that needs to be cleared from the road, or whatever. If something of that nature happens, one of the more likely places in which you would be held up would be Revelstoke or Golden.
>>>>>>I will then drive to Jasper. I have allowed a full day for the drive from Banff to Jasper so we can stop along the way, but am unsure if we can do anything (hikes) at that time of year?<<<<<<
The Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper stays open for most of the year. No, you really can't do any hikes at that time of year. If you wanted to explore beyond the road, you'd need snow shoes or cross country skis.
Be aware that there are no services along the Icefields Parkway in winter. That is, there are no gasoline (petrol) stations, no restaurants and no flush toilets. Also be aware that cell (mobile) phones do not work along the Icefields Parkway, and traffic is light in winter. So, in case you run into a problem, you should be equipped to survive in very cold conditions for several hours. I'll return to that issue later.
I stated that the Icefields Parkway usually is open. However, it occasionally does get closed owing to severe weather conditions (occasional freezing rain and the like). Unfortunately it's impossible to predict when that might happen. Chances are that you'll be able to go to Jasper as you wish. However, there is a small chance that you'll have to fall back on Plan B, skip Jasper, and drive to Edmonton via Calgary. I do hope you get to drive the Icefields Parkway to Jasper, because the scenery is gorgeous.
>>>>>>After spending a day in Jasper we go on to Edmonton for a day. At that point we will either leave the car there (one way rental) and fly out from Edmonton or if that is too expensive we could backtrack to Vancouver, however that means losing probably 2 days at our next destination, which I would prefer not to do.<<<<<<
Quite. And remember it's not just a question of losing 2 days. If you hit adverse weather conditions, there is a possibility of losing 3 days, missing your flight to your next destination, and all the complications that go with that.
This message is long enough, so I'll start a new one.
Apr 30th, 2006, 09:31 AM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>>>>>>Is travelling in that area in January a bad idea?<<<<<<
On these travel discussion forums I see overseas visitors like you trying to plan trips to the Rockies in winter, and I think it's a challenge for you. The main challenge is that you're dealing with unpredictable natural conditions, and you have to build in some extra time for contingencies. If you'll be driving from Vancouver to the Rockies, you need to build in an extra day. The same is true when you drive from the Rockies to Vancouver.
Winter emergencies are not confined to Canada. You mentioned driving in New Zealand in winter. Well, you may not have experienced anything untoward in NZ, but my son did. We did an expat assignment in Melbourne in the late 1990s. My younger son, then a teenager, accompanied his school class on ski trips to NZ during three successive July holidays. During one of them, their bus was stuck for 14 hours overnight during the journey from the airport (Queenstown, if I remember correctly) to the ski resort. A big truck had jack knifed on the road ahead of them. Until the wreckage could be cleared away, it held up all the traffic that was trying to reach the mountain resort town. My son loved snowboarding in NZ, and even the night in the bus became one of those "war stories" that it later was fun to relay. My only point in telling it is to illustrate that winter destinations do have potential challenges.
>>>>>>What will the weather be like? Clear skies or more typically clouded? I am picturing clear blue skies and snowy mountains. Am I likely to get that in January?<<<<<<
There is a lot of clear, sunny weather in the Canadian Rockies. However, as is the case in Australia, precipitation arrives in waves. A weather front moves in from the west coast, dumps its moisture on the mountains, and moves on, leaving sunny skies behind it. No one can say what the weather will be like during the 3 days that you'll be in Banff.
>>>>>>Are the roads drivable in January?<<<<<<
Yes, with the qualifications that I mentioned earlier.
>>>>>>Will the lakes all be frozen and therefore perhaps not as beautiful?<<<<<<
Yes. But the snow-laden winter landscape has a magic of its own.
>>>>>>Is accomodation likely to be reasonable at that time?<<<<<<
Yes.
>>>>>>Will things (roads, trails, attractions, hotels) be open?<<<<<<
Main roads will be open. Only a handful of side roads will be closed. I'm thinking of the ones to Takakkaw Falls, Moraine Lake and Mount Edith Cavell.
Hiking trails become snow shoe or cross country ski trails in winter.
Several summer attractions are closed in winter. For example, you cannot do white water rafting in winter. You cannot rent canoes and kayaks in winter. The Snocoach rides onto the Athabasca Glacier, about half way between Lake Louise and Jasper, do not operate in the winter.
Winter, however, offers a different range of activities. Obviously there's skiing and snow boarding. Instead of going horseback riding, you can go on horse drawn sleigh rides. You can go dog sledding. With appropriate cleats on your boots, you can go ice walking in a canyon. You can go ice skating. You can go ice fishing. You can go up Sulphur Mountain gondola just outside of Banff townsite. I could go on listing potential activities. But, honestly, if you're going to be snowboarding, you're going to stay busy, and you're going to see stupendous mountain scenery. I don't know how much time or inclination you'll have left for the other activities.
When it comes to snowboarding, you might like to try both Sunshine and Lake Louise. You can access both ski hills if you buy a Tri-Area Lift Ticket (which enables you to go to Sunshine, Lake Louise and Norquay).
More than enough hotels will be open for your needs.
More ........
On these travel discussion forums I see overseas visitors like you trying to plan trips to the Rockies in winter, and I think it's a challenge for you. The main challenge is that you're dealing with unpredictable natural conditions, and you have to build in some extra time for contingencies. If you'll be driving from Vancouver to the Rockies, you need to build in an extra day. The same is true when you drive from the Rockies to Vancouver.
Winter emergencies are not confined to Canada. You mentioned driving in New Zealand in winter. Well, you may not have experienced anything untoward in NZ, but my son did. We did an expat assignment in Melbourne in the late 1990s. My younger son, then a teenager, accompanied his school class on ski trips to NZ during three successive July holidays. During one of them, their bus was stuck for 14 hours overnight during the journey from the airport (Queenstown, if I remember correctly) to the ski resort. A big truck had jack knifed on the road ahead of them. Until the wreckage could be cleared away, it held up all the traffic that was trying to reach the mountain resort town. My son loved snowboarding in NZ, and even the night in the bus became one of those "war stories" that it later was fun to relay. My only point in telling it is to illustrate that winter destinations do have potential challenges.
>>>>>>What will the weather be like? Clear skies or more typically clouded? I am picturing clear blue skies and snowy mountains. Am I likely to get that in January?<<<<<<
There is a lot of clear, sunny weather in the Canadian Rockies. However, as is the case in Australia, precipitation arrives in waves. A weather front moves in from the west coast, dumps its moisture on the mountains, and moves on, leaving sunny skies behind it. No one can say what the weather will be like during the 3 days that you'll be in Banff.
>>>>>>Are the roads drivable in January?<<<<<<
Yes, with the qualifications that I mentioned earlier.
>>>>>>Will the lakes all be frozen and therefore perhaps not as beautiful?<<<<<<
Yes. But the snow-laden winter landscape has a magic of its own.
>>>>>>Is accomodation likely to be reasonable at that time?<<<<<<
Yes.
>>>>>>Will things (roads, trails, attractions, hotels) be open?<<<<<<
Main roads will be open. Only a handful of side roads will be closed. I'm thinking of the ones to Takakkaw Falls, Moraine Lake and Mount Edith Cavell.
Hiking trails become snow shoe or cross country ski trails in winter.
Several summer attractions are closed in winter. For example, you cannot do white water rafting in winter. You cannot rent canoes and kayaks in winter. The Snocoach rides onto the Athabasca Glacier, about half way between Lake Louise and Jasper, do not operate in the winter.
Winter, however, offers a different range of activities. Obviously there's skiing and snow boarding. Instead of going horseback riding, you can go on horse drawn sleigh rides. You can go dog sledding. With appropriate cleats on your boots, you can go ice walking in a canyon. You can go ice skating. You can go ice fishing. You can go up Sulphur Mountain gondola just outside of Banff townsite. I could go on listing potential activities. But, honestly, if you're going to be snowboarding, you're going to stay busy, and you're going to see stupendous mountain scenery. I don't know how much time or inclination you'll have left for the other activities.
When it comes to snowboarding, you might like to try both Sunshine and Lake Louise. You can access both ski hills if you buy a Tri-Area Lift Ticket (which enables you to go to Sunshine, Lake Louise and Norquay).
More than enough hotels will be open for your needs.
More ........
Apr 30th, 2006, 10:17 AM
#4
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To understand the weather conditions you may experience in British Columbia and the Alberta Rockies, it helps to understand BC's "shattered climate."
The ocean moderates the temperatures on the west coast, so that they are neither obscenely hot in summer nor obscenely cold in winter. Vancouver has a temperate rainforest climate. It has relatively mild winters (at least by Canadian standards), but they do tend to be wet. You may experience low cloud and drizzle on the coast. However, I hope you'll be fortunate enough to experience a cold, crisp, sunny day, such as Vancouver sometimes does get in winter. The city's mountain backdrop on a day like that is marvellous.
As you move inland from the coast, you cross a series of alternating mountains and valleys that run roughly in a north-south direction. The windward side of each mountain range (the west side that faces the Pacific Ocean) receives a lot of precipitation. The leeward (east) side of each mountain range receives less precipitation.
An equivalent example in Australia is the area around Cairns. You have the lush coastal plain. Then you climb the Atherton Tableland to Kuranda and beyond, and it gets much drier in the Gulf Savannah area.
Anyway, BC has this interesting combination of climates. There are rainforest areas and then there are semi-desert areas, sometimes only a few miles apart.
Since Calgary is to the east of the Rockies, it is in their rain shadow, and it usually gets relatively little precipitation. There is a four-lane, divided highway between Calgary and Banff National Park, and you can almost always drive it. That makes Calgary one of the most reliable entry points for the Canadian Rockies. I mention that in case you choose to fly from Vancouver to Calgary instead of driving.
Edmonton also is to the east of the Rockies. Although Edmonton is further from the mountains (4 hours rather than Calgary's 2 hour), I believe the road from Jasper to Edmonton usually is in fairly good shape. It has been on the few occasions that I've driven it in winter. However, I travel that road less often than the one from Calgary to Banff, so I would feel more comfortable leaving that commentary to someone else.
Banff's average daytime high temperature in January is -5 deg C. Its average night time low is -15 deg C. However, in the last 70 years, Banff has experienced a daytime temperature as high as +12 deg C in January and a night time temperature as low as -51 deg C.
The "What To Pack" page of my website covers, well, what to pack:
http://groups.msn.com/CalgaryandCana...urwebpage.msnw
Here is a website about winter driving in the Canadian Rockies and the type of emergency equipment you should have in your vehicle:
http://www.canadianrockies.net/howto...rivingfaq.html
One of your questions that I have not answered is the wisdom of driving from Vancouver to the Rockies via Whistler. I don't know how well travelled the road from Whistler to Kamloops is in winter and what the prevailing road conditions are in winter. That is another question that I would like to defer to someone else.
Other than that, you may find additional questions answered if you fossick around my website. However, if you more questions arise, feel free to come back here and ask away.
The ocean moderates the temperatures on the west coast, so that they are neither obscenely hot in summer nor obscenely cold in winter. Vancouver has a temperate rainforest climate. It has relatively mild winters (at least by Canadian standards), but they do tend to be wet. You may experience low cloud and drizzle on the coast. However, I hope you'll be fortunate enough to experience a cold, crisp, sunny day, such as Vancouver sometimes does get in winter. The city's mountain backdrop on a day like that is marvellous.
As you move inland from the coast, you cross a series of alternating mountains and valleys that run roughly in a north-south direction. The windward side of each mountain range (the west side that faces the Pacific Ocean) receives a lot of precipitation. The leeward (east) side of each mountain range receives less precipitation.
An equivalent example in Australia is the area around Cairns. You have the lush coastal plain. Then you climb the Atherton Tableland to Kuranda and beyond, and it gets much drier in the Gulf Savannah area.
Anyway, BC has this interesting combination of climates. There are rainforest areas and then there are semi-desert areas, sometimes only a few miles apart.
Since Calgary is to the east of the Rockies, it is in their rain shadow, and it usually gets relatively little precipitation. There is a four-lane, divided highway between Calgary and Banff National Park, and you can almost always drive it. That makes Calgary one of the most reliable entry points for the Canadian Rockies. I mention that in case you choose to fly from Vancouver to Calgary instead of driving.
Edmonton also is to the east of the Rockies. Although Edmonton is further from the mountains (4 hours rather than Calgary's 2 hour), I believe the road from Jasper to Edmonton usually is in fairly good shape. It has been on the few occasions that I've driven it in winter. However, I travel that road less often than the one from Calgary to Banff, so I would feel more comfortable leaving that commentary to someone else.
Banff's average daytime high temperature in January is -5 deg C. Its average night time low is -15 deg C. However, in the last 70 years, Banff has experienced a daytime temperature as high as +12 deg C in January and a night time temperature as low as -51 deg C.
The "What To Pack" page of my website covers, well, what to pack:
http://groups.msn.com/CalgaryandCana...urwebpage.msnw
Here is a website about winter driving in the Canadian Rockies and the type of emergency equipment you should have in your vehicle:
http://www.canadianrockies.net/howto...rivingfaq.html
One of your questions that I have not answered is the wisdom of driving from Vancouver to the Rockies via Whistler. I don't know how well travelled the road from Whistler to Kamloops is in winter and what the prevailing road conditions are in winter. That is another question that I would like to defer to someone else.
Other than that, you may find additional questions answered if you fossick around my website. However, if you more questions arise, feel free to come back here and ask away.
Apr 30th, 2006, 04:04 PM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wow, Judy Thankyou so much for all of your information. I'm sure I will be referring to it many times.
We will definately be doing snowboarding but am also very interested in other activities such as the dog sledding and ice walking, so I'll be seeking out those activities while we are there.
I'm planning to be fairly flexible with our travel so if the weather is bad or a road closes we'll just go a different way.
Regarding accommodation- I don't want to prebook all of our accommodation so that we can allow for not having a rigid schedule and having to be at a certain place/hotel on a certain date. Do you think that we can find last minute or day-before accommodation easily in January? I am thinking that it isn't peak travel time in the area? Do you think we would be able to find accommodation in the $100-$150 price range?
Do you think we will see any wildlife at that time?
Sorry for all of the annoying questions, it's been difficult to find info on that time of year!
We will definately be doing snowboarding but am also very interested in other activities such as the dog sledding and ice walking, so I'll be seeking out those activities while we are there.
I'm planning to be fairly flexible with our travel so if the weather is bad or a road closes we'll just go a different way.
Regarding accommodation- I don't want to prebook all of our accommodation so that we can allow for not having a rigid schedule and having to be at a certain place/hotel on a certain date. Do you think that we can find last minute or day-before accommodation easily in January? I am thinking that it isn't peak travel time in the area? Do you think we would be able to find accommodation in the $100-$150 price range?
Do you think we will see any wildlife at that time?
Sorry for all of the annoying questions, it's been difficult to find info on that time of year!
Apr 30th, 2006, 04:55 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One point to be made that I don't recall seeing mentioned yet is that in January, the daylight hours are very, very short. The sun sets at 4:30pm, for example. As a result, you really have to wake up and be out on the road when the sun rises in order to get the most out of the limited daylight hours.
In the summer (ie: June-September), however, the opposite occurs and we have really long daylight hours, where it's still light out around after 9pm!
In the summer (ie: June-September), however, the opposite occurs and we have really long daylight hours, where it's still light out around after 9pm!
Apr 30th, 2006, 06:26 PM
#8
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,501
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>>>>>>Wow, Judy Thankyou so much for all of your information.<<<<<<
You're welcome.
>>>>>>I'm planning to be fairly flexible with our travel so if the weather is bad or a road closes we'll just go a different way.<<<<<<
Hmmm, it may not be so simple. If you were to get held up by a blizzard or another impediment along the way, and depending on where you were when that happened, you might need to drive hundreds of kilometres to get around the obstacle.
>>>>>>Do you think that we can find last minute or day-before accommodation easily in January?<<<<<<
Yes.
>>>>>>Do you think we would be able to find accommodation in the $100-$150 price range?<<<<<<
Yes.
>>>>>>Do you think we will see any wildlife at that time?<<<<<<
Yes. You won't see bears, because they'll be going through their dormant period. However, you may see other animals (moose, elk, mountain sheep, perhaps coyotes and maybe even wolves).
Carmanah has made a good point about daylight hours. On January 1st, sunrise in Calgary is at 8.40 a.m. and sunset is at 4.40 p.m. You can find sunrise and sunset times for other dates and other cities at this website:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/
You're welcome.
>>>>>>I'm planning to be fairly flexible with our travel so if the weather is bad or a road closes we'll just go a different way.<<<<<<
Hmmm, it may not be so simple. If you were to get held up by a blizzard or another impediment along the way, and depending on where you were when that happened, you might need to drive hundreds of kilometres to get around the obstacle.
>>>>>>Do you think that we can find last minute or day-before accommodation easily in January?<<<<<<
Yes.
>>>>>>Do you think we would be able to find accommodation in the $100-$150 price range?<<<<<<
Yes.
>>>>>>Do you think we will see any wildlife at that time?<<<<<<
Yes. You won't see bears, because they'll be going through their dormant period. However, you may see other animals (moose, elk, mountain sheep, perhaps coyotes and maybe even wolves).
Carmanah has made a good point about daylight hours. On January 1st, sunrise in Calgary is at 8.40 a.m. and sunset is at 4.40 p.m. You can find sunrise and sunset times for other dates and other cities at this website:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/
