Canadian Rockies vs. Alaska
Mar 10th, 2006, 04:58 AM
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Canadian Rockies vs. Alaska
We have been enjoying several hiking vacations, the best being hiking at Lake Louise/Jasper.
I have been researching travelling to Alaska in 2007 and wonder if anyone on the board here has visited both places and how you compare the two.
We usually try to find a new destination but we had a short visit to the Canadian Rockies, pretty bad weather, and still fell in love with it. We will definitely return to the area. We weren't able to do any of the Moraine Lake hikes. We will also make arrangements to hike Lake O'Hara.
We can take 2 weeks to visit Alaska but planning that trip is definitely more difficult--so hard to narrow down what we want to see. The scenery however looks spectacular.
Would appreciate any thoughts you might have comparing the two areas.
I have been researching travelling to Alaska in 2007 and wonder if anyone on the board here has visited both places and how you compare the two.
We usually try to find a new destination but we had a short visit to the Canadian Rockies, pretty bad weather, and still fell in love with it. We will definitely return to the area. We weren't able to do any of the Moraine Lake hikes. We will also make arrangements to hike Lake O'Hara.
We can take 2 weeks to visit Alaska but planning that trip is definitely more difficult--so hard to narrow down what we want to see. The scenery however looks spectacular.
Would appreciate any thoughts you might have comparing the two areas.
Mar 10th, 2006, 05:52 AM
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This question is like trying to pick which is your favorite child. I don't believe there is a more dramatically scenic area anywhere in North America than the area around Jasper and the Icefields Parkway. There are also more opportunities to see a profusion of wildlife in that area than any other I have been in
Alaska, on the otherhand, has a wider variety of drop-dead gorgeous scenery spread over a wider area, especially in the areas around Denali, Elias-Wrangell Park, and the Kenai Peninsula. There are many other very scenic areas in Alaska as well but they are not on or near the road system and take more planning and expense to reach.
If it were me, since you say you have already seen the Jasper area, I'd pick Alaska for this trip. Again, it is a personal preference but I'd plan on spending 3 or 4 days in the Denali/Talkeetna area and spend the rest of the trip exploring the Kenai Peninsula and the Elias-Wrangell Park area.
Have a wonderful trip.
Alaska, on the otherhand, has a wider variety of drop-dead gorgeous scenery spread over a wider area, especially in the areas around Denali, Elias-Wrangell Park, and the Kenai Peninsula. There are many other very scenic areas in Alaska as well but they are not on or near the road system and take more planning and expense to reach.
If it were me, since you say you have already seen the Jasper area, I'd pick Alaska for this trip. Again, it is a personal preference but I'd plan on spending 3 or 4 days in the Denali/Talkeetna area and spend the rest of the trip exploring the Kenai Peninsula and the Elias-Wrangell Park area.
Have a wonderful trip.
Mar 10th, 2006, 11:59 AM
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A wonderful thing abt Alaska, of course, is getting there. The one time we went, we unfortunately flew from Seattle-- but we were able to see the "passage" very well, even from high up; I thought it was one (maybe THE one) of the most magical, splendid sights I've ever seen. Have been meaning to do the ship up, just haven't gotten around to it. Frineds who have, flipped.
Mar 13th, 2006, 11:51 PM
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If you have a strong focus on hiking, then I would recommend Jasper NP and Banff NP. There are so mmany well marked hiking trails within these Parks, that you can hike for several months (Jasper NP offers 1400 km of marked trails).
Alaska does not offer to many areas with establsihed hiking trails. You have to find your own way very often (Denali NP).
Alaska offers better bear viewing possibilities. It is very rare to see a grizzly bear within the canadian rockies.
Alaska does not offer to many areas with establsihed hiking trails. You have to find your own way very often (Denali NP).
Alaska offers better bear viewing possibilities. It is very rare to see a grizzly bear within the canadian rockies.
