Jean Wilcox

Planning our first trip to the Canadian Rockies and we would like some help on how to allocate our time. We paln on spending about 2 weeks in Banff Lake Louise, Jasper, Yoho, and maybe Kootnay. We know there is lots to see and do, so we plan on some driving tours and as many day hikes as possible. How many days should we plan on spending in each area? Any recommended hotels/cabins, etc? What are some of the "do not miss" hikes and drives? I think we will want to spend some nights 3-4 in Banff area, 3-4 at Lake Louise area, 3-4 in Jasper and some at Emerald Lake area. Does this sound right. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

Bob Brown

Hi Jean. I just wrote you a response which this blasted forum lost. I don't want to risk putting in the effort again and have it go down the tube to the bit bucket again. So email me directly at my terry address. I have been to that area 7 times and we are headed back in a few weeks. I will be happy to respond. <BR>Your time allocations are good; about what we did our first two trips. <BR>But I will be happy to expand my coverage. Just let me know directly so I don't loose my priceless postings to the Fodors Cookie Byte Monster. I thought that beast was locked up, but he is not. He is loose again.

Bob Brown

Hi Jean. I have visited the area several times and will return again in August. <BR>I really don't know how to start to answer your question. But let me say that I don't think you can go wrong as long as you do something!! You can not see it all and what you do see is beautiful. <BR> <BR>My own reaction of course is a function of my own set of biases. We like to hike and point our activity in that direction. So let me start with my list of favorites and you can take it from there. <BR> <BR>First, the Adventuresome Traveller Bookstore or Amazon should have a copy of the Canadian Rockies Trail Guide by Brian Patton and Bart Robinson. This book is very helpful and by in large amazingly accurate. It describes many hikes in the Banff area that I have not taken despite my many trips out there. <BR>I think that fact along gives you some indication of how much there is to see and do. <BR> <BR>Well, here goes on my list of favorites, but not necessarily rank ordered. I don't think I could rank them very well, but I will put a 1 or a 2 a 3 by them. <BR> <BR>Kootenay Park: Marble Canyon 2 <BR>Banff: Johnson Canyon 2 <BR>Lake Louise: Plain of 6 Glaciers 1+ <BR> with the Beehive trail extension as an option <BR>Lake Louise: Moraine Lake 1 <BR>Icefields <BR>Parkway: Falls of Beauty Creek 1 <BR> Panther Falls 1 <BR> Parker Ridge 2 <BR>Yoho: Iceline Trail 1 <BR> Lake O'Hara (bus ride <BR> need reservation) 1+ <BR>Jasper: Mount Edith Cavell and the Angel Glacier. <BR> <BR>Yoho is my favorite for several reasons. Lake O'Hara is a hiking center. About 5 great trails radiate out from Les Relais bus stop. You should reserve ahead of time and the ticket is pricey because the area is limited. It is NOT overwhelmed with tourists. But the trails to Lake McArthur, Opabin Lake, and Oesa Lake are great. There is an alpine scramble from Opabin around to Oesa that is an eye popper. The Iceline Trail is tremendous, but the opening climb is steep. Emerald Lake is pretty, with a circular trail around the lake. <BR> <BR>But, there is no substitute for a good trail guide to the area because there is so much to do. <BR> <BR>There are also beautiful waterfalls all over the place. Takkakaw Falls in Yoho are beautiful. The hotter the day the fuller the falls. Athabasca and Sunwapta Falls farther north in Jasper Park are very nice, but tourist-laden. <BR>At the Icefields Center on the Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Banff, you have the option to ride the Ice Buggy out onto the glacier itself. The trip is a little expensive, but we did it once on our first trip. It was interesting, but not something we have felt the urge to repeat. <BR> <BR>I would encourage you to take a slow drive up the Icefields Parkway, possibly staying overnight at a motel called The Crossing. The rooms are a little small, but less costly than Num ti Jah Lodge also along the Parkway. <BR> <BR>In Jasper, if you will contact Parks Canada, you can obtain a copy of the "parks approved" accommodations wherein you stay in rooms in a private home for considerably less than a conventional motel. Of the "conventionals" we like Jasper House Bungalows because we could get a room with a kitchen. But the price is over $100 C per night. <BR> <BR>Your time allocation is about right, except I would go more for the Yoho attractions because I like that park. <BR>This summer I already have my Lake O'Hara ticket and a reservation at Twin Falls Chalet -- a rustic backcountry place. We hike in on the Iceline trail which makes a 14K trek out of it. <BR>Even so, the Iceline Trail can be done in a day, even a full half day. It gives some of the best views you will have of the area. <BR> <BR>The one attraction I did not think was worth the price of the boat ride was Maligne Lake. Others disagree with me. <BR>We did enjoy taking the cable car up to the top of the Whistlers. Good views from there. <BR> <BR>I am open to further questions. So fire away. <BR>

Lynn

Luckily, Bob, your post came up--I've had that happen so many times here when I spend a lot of time putting effort into a post and it disappears, but the reappears (twice) on the reply page? I don't think they have all the kinks worked out yet. <BR> <BR>Anyway, Jean, I'm going to also give you a few things we liked on our Canadian Rockies tour to Calgary, Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff(from where we then took the Rocky Mountaineer trian to Vancouver). In Jasper, some things interesting to see/do are the Jasper Tramway which takes you to the top of Whistler Mt., Pyramid and Patricia Lakes and Maligne Canyon. We took a horseback trip rom Pyramid Stables which took us along the ridges for views of the town. At Lake Louise, obviously you will see the Lake, but you can stop in at the Chateau (and probably get this from other hotels as well) for a map of hiking trails of different distances which go up behind and above the lake. If you do hike here, I'll be interested in hearing if you found the "Teahouse" (a distination on one of the trails)--we never found it. Outside of LL, Peyto Lake is a nice pic spot, the Athabasca Glacier is another, and as Bob said, the Snocoach tour is something you'll probably want to do "once" since this is your first trip--can't say I'd feel the need to do it again, either, but it's unique. Athabasca Falls is a nice spot for a quick pic, too. We saw a lot of wildlife, especially en route and the most in town we saw was in Jasper. So, always have your camera ready for bear, big horn sheep, etc.

Bob Brown

I forgot about Maligne Canyon. It is interesting geologically and there is a well-marked route that can be followed. At Lake Louise, there is /was a tea house almost at the end of the Plain of Six Glaciers trail. The trail goes around the northern edge of the lake and follows past the rocks and onto the north lateral moraine of the glacier. The tea house as I recall is <BR>about 2.5 miles up the valley. Also, there is supposed to be a tea house up at the Beehive. But I let my son represent the family up there; I didn't have the energy. <BR>The Plain of Six Glaciers Trail is a good one because it leads to scenic splendor. It ends at the ice and the sheer mountain wall. To go farther requires ice climbing and/or rock climbing skills, which I do NOT possess. But we went as far as we could without endangering ourselves. All the way up we could hear the ice cracking and saw several ice plumes and mini water falls. What happens is that ice melts, pools up behind an ice barrier, and finally the melting ice gives way under the weight of the water. There is a loud crack and the water and ice cascade down the face of the cliff. <BR>It is not a hunk of ice breaking away, but rather water and a few pieces of ice. Don't worry, the trail is not close enough to endanger a hiker. It just adds to the enjoyment of the adventure. I do suggest that for hikes that take you up above 6,000 feet that you have rain gear. We have been caught in sleet storms and snow showers even in August. Once at Lake O'Hara we were walking around in 4 inches of fluffy snow. Very pretty. Sort of unusual for folks who live in Georgia. We pack along jackets, with a hood, that have a Gore-Tex lining. Regardless of where you go out there, you will see something nice. But with a few suggestions you can maximize your time and effort. I think all of us want more bang for the buck, so to speak.

lisa

Hi Jean. If I were you I think I'd spend one extra night in Banff and one fewer night in Lake Louise, but that's just me. Lake Louise is gorgeous but in my opinion there's not as much to see and do there as there is around Banff. Emerald Lake can be done as a day trip (we did); no need to stay there. But do hike all the way around the lake -- it is fascinating to see so many different ecosystems on different sides of the lake because of where the sun hits some areas and not others. My favorite places were Takakkaw Falls, Maligne Lake (did not do the boat tour), Emerald Lake, Peyto Lake, Moraine Lake, Athabasca Glacier. The town of Banff itself was a lot of fun I thought (I know lots of people find it too touristy; it may depend on when you're there). Lake Louise was lovely but so crowded that it was hard to enjoy -- even on some of the remote paths. The Post Hotel near Lake Louise was excellent. Make sure you hit some of the hot springs (they feel great, especially if you're sore after all that hiking like we were -- we liked the ones near Jasper). I liked the Icefields tour & would recommend it. Sunwapta Falls is underwhelming in my opinion and can be skipped (although we did stay in a hotel near there one night to break up the drive to Jasper and give us more time to stop and see things on the way). Do take the Jasper tramway and then do the hike all the way up to the top; the view is remarkable. The "hoodoos" near Banff are neat-looking and fun to photograph because of the shadows they cast, especially if you like black and white shots. But bring lots of color film; the wildflowers are incredible and the color of the lakes is impressive. Have a great time.

Karen

You might consider Kananaskiis(Canada skiis), not too far from Calgary. It is a little village built for the winter Olympics...three really nice inns and two gorgeous golf courses at the base of beautiful mountains.