Jasper to BC by train and then ?
 

Engaging in preliminary planning for next summer (2020). Family has a reunion scheduled in Rocky Mountain National Park end of June. My thought is that after the reunion, we would fly from Denver to Calgary (probably on Frontier?), spend 2-3 days in Jasper and then use Canadian Via Rail sleeper car service to Vancouver. Likely to be 5 of us, 2 daughters, wife and 1 BF. From Vancouver we'd like to find a remote / wilderness site that is NOT the extreme tourist (extreme expense) destination. Or perhaps, we'd train somewhere other than Vancouver to spend maybe 5 days in the Canadian Rockies or coastal BC. Perhaps travel the last segment by float plane? Any suggestions, especially for the "remote destination" or for any other part of the trip, greatly appreciated.

You could also take the Skeena to the port of Prince Rupert. It's not a sleeper, but makes a night stop at Prince George and you get to see the whole route by daylight.


https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...-rail-journeys


From Prince Rupert you could sail down via the Inside Passage on BC Ferries to Bella Bella and on to Bella Coola(Rent a 4x4 for a couple ofgdays to explore the valley, you may even see a grizzly if you're lucky) than fly back to Vancouver. Here is a photo report from a trip like that(it's in German, but the photos tell more than words):

https://www.drehscheibe-online.de/fo...994180,8994180

Hi Jlub,
Maybe check out the west coast of Vancouver Island? Tofino down through Ucluelet is very special. You'd be there in high season, mind you, and that'd be uncheap. Another outstanding yet lesser-known locale would be Lk. O'Hara in BC's Yoho park---need to book visits ahead of time there.
Bon chance.
I am done. The end.

Hi zebec,
I don't think "uncheap" is really a word? But I like it, maybe it should be. Actually the west coast of Vancouver island is a great suggestion, except for it brings back some sad memories of our friends that lived in Nanaimo who took us to visit Pacific Rim NP and Tofino. I will have to look into Yoho NP, as I've see bits of articles about it recently. Perhaps we would actually spend time in Jasper and Yoho and then train to Vancouver and then fly home (to SF Bay Area).

BDKR,
Your suggestion is also a great idea and certainly been on my list of ideas. I do sort of have a romantic notion of the overnight sleeper run from Jasper to Vancouver, but yes, the Inside Passage definitely beckons!

Have you ever travelled by a night train?

I love night trains and the romantic aspect is certainly there, sometimes I sleep well, sometimes not, but to be honest most people can't sleep well or at all , in sleepers. There's no wonder they go out of fashion when there are a lot cheaper and faster options,

On the Canadian you get one day of amazing scenery, a potentially sleepless night in the sleeper and a wasted day in Vancouver because you'll pőrobbaly be too tired to do much on that day.

On the Skeena you get 2 days of amazing scenery, with a goood night'sleep in a real bed in a reeal hotel that doesn't move.

I slept very well on Via Rail, which I thought had some of the world's better sleeper trains. The food was very good, too, and of course the scenery was great.

I traveled in the other direction, Vancouver to jasper: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...ils-to-jasper/

The Fraser River is very beautiful and if they want to raft go for it. I lived in Northern BC for many years but loved going south and following the river.

Thanks for the ideas, leaning towards training to Prince Rupert and seeing the Inside Passage per BDKR. Would love to spend time on the Fraser River and we do like rafting but I think the Fraser is a class 4 or 4+ which is too adventurous for this old guy!

I travelled the same way on the night train. I 've loved trains since I was a kid.

Instead of flying to Calgary, consider flying to Edmonton which has a station that the ViaRail Canadian stops at. If you fly to Calgary, you would end up riding a bus to get to Jasper.
I have ridden the Canadian both ways between Vancouver and Jasper and eastward to Winnipeg. On the Canadian I have always ridden and slept in coach seats.
There are ten HI hostels in the Canadian Rockies. Most of them have outhouses and solar power. I have stayed several times at the nicer HI hostel near the north end of the Icefield Parkway.
There are several car rental agencies within walking distance of the Jasper train station. In the east end of the train station is a desk for the Brewster tour bus company.
The first time I went to that hostel in early November 2001, the train arrived many hours late in Jasper. On the taxi ride out to the hostel about 3AM, I saw the best Northern Lights of my life.
The desk clerk left a flashlight and a map to my bed for when I got there. They didn't charge me for that night. Everyone else in the hostel slept through a great Northern Light show.

Hi tomfuller, Always good tips from you, we will look into Edmonton instead of Calgary. Now that we're "of that age", we're not sure about hostels, especially without indoor private plumbing. We'd probably opt for a more expensive accommodation. We would love to see the Northern Lights if we were so lucky. Thanks!

Thanks thursdaysd, Looks cozy and very reasonably priced. As we get closer and determine how many of us will be on what part of the trip, we'll keep it in mind.