A poll: what's your favorite time to visit Rockies?
 

Trying to figure out when to go to the Canadian Rockies ...<BR>do you have a favorite time? <BR><BR>Our options are:<BR> late May/early June<BR> late June/early July<BR> late Sept/early Oct <BR><BR>Pro's &amp; con's of each? <BR>Please share your thoughts &amp; tips for the timing of such a trip. Thanks!!! :-) <BR>

Early Sept after labour day. Crowds drop by 2/3, freezing nights, but low risk of real snow.

If you are limited to the time frames described, then I would vote for late June/early July. I was there last year in early July and many of the lakes above 5,500 feet were still had considerable ice on them.<BR><BR>Lake McArthur in particular was still 80% covered with ice, but it was starting to break up. The visual effect was startling.<BR><BR>The drawback is that many of the trails are still very muddy. <BR><BR>Otherwise, I agree fully with icithecat's comments. Late September finds the weather changing, and it can be cold even during the day, particular above 5,000 feet.<BR> <BR><BR>

Thank you for the feedback! Sounds like the ice breaking up was a neat feature? (not a negative) <BR><BR>Lakes not as blue, perhaps, but still interesting then? Anybody ever been in late May?

I've been in late May - there was still a lot of ice but we were able to hike all the trails we were interested in - a bit of mud, but not bad (that was a particularly late thaw that year).<BR><BR>

if those are your choices, and you don't mind a bit of chill, i'd choose late september. crowds of the summer can make the experience not as enjoyable for me so i'd avoid july.

I thought seeing the ice on Lake McArthur was a neat feature. I don't live where I can see that routinely. Having seen Lake McArthur in early September when the lake surface is a navy blue, seeing that surface in white etched with lines of black was unusual to me.<BR>The ice sheets had gaps of open water between them, but the surface was still about 80% ice covered. <BR>Lakes at lower altitudes, or lakes with a southern exposure at the same altitude were covered with much less ice. Moraine lake was virtually ice free.<BR><BR>

Bob, you first mentioned...if those were my *only* choices, you'd choose the late June option. However, if you *did* have some other option, what would be your favorite time? I think from reading your old postings, it's generally August? Can't remember. Thanks!