Editor’s note: This currently unfinished article is the launch of a new series of itinerary and master guide articles which will contain links to separate articles pertaining to a particular destination as part of an effort to better organize The Gate. They will also double as an impetus for the remainder of unwritten articles to be written. Each itinerary and master guide article is a work in progress and will be completed once all of the articles have been written and posted.
Some of the most majestic scenery in the world is found in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, which straddles the border between the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia — as well as some indigenous animals who became my new friends.
Rocky Mountains of Canada: Itinerary and Master Guide
A total of seven days were spent in the Rocky Mountains of Canada — or, if you prefer, the Canadian Rockies — and I was there when admission to the national parks was temporarily suspended due to the celebration of 150 years of Canada.
Day 1 — Arrival and Lodging
Depart Atlanta at 3:57 in the afternoon on flight 514 for Chicago and arrive in Calgary on flight 621 at 10:26 in the evening.
Hilton Garden Inn Calgary Airport
Two queen beds non-smoking $142.58
Free airport shuttle
Day 2 — Car Rental and Banff National Park
Hertz Calgary — Horizon Auto Centre
3318 32nd Street Northeast — open 8:00AM-5:30PM. Reserved with Discover card
Where I save hundreds of dollars on renting a car.
Compact car — unlimited kilometers $78.11 Canadian.
34 minute walk: right on Pegasus Road to right on Barlow Trail — to left on 37 Avenue Northeast — to right on 32 Street Northeast.
Mall
Food and pickle Doritos.
Bighorn Number 8 off Highway 1A on left past the town of Exshaw
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon: An Introduction
The Lower Falls of Johnston Canyon
The Upper Falls of Johnston Canyon
Leaving Johnston Canyon
Off Highway 1A 30 minutes from Vermillion Lakes. Two hour hike — lower and upper falls. Located one hour and 48 minutes and 161 kilometers from Hilton Garden Inn Calgary Airport.
Silverton Falls
A Quiet Moment at Silverton Falls in Banff National Park
Park at the Rockbound Lake trail head parking lot off Highway 1A before Castle Junction — seven minutes west of Johnston Canyon — a short distance SE of the Castle Junction highway intersection 31 kms west of Banff. Banff National Park. View of Castle Mountain by gas station.
Signposts describing mountains
Vermillion Lakes
Scenic Vermillion Lakes in Banff National Park
West of Banff between Mount Norquay to the north and Cave and Basin National Historic Site to the south. View of Mount Rundle 1 and Mount Inglismaldie off in the distance.
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
South of Mount Norquay — end of the day? Trains.
DID NOT GO ON Lantern tour at 7:00 or 8:00 in the evening — 40 minutes, $10.80 per person.
- Discovery Boardwalk Trail Walk along the 0.4 km Discovery Boardwalk Trail above the bathing pavilion to see the cave vent and the location of the former Hotel. View the two smaller springs bubbling from the mountainside and the pools filled with pink bacteria, white and green algae, small fish, and insects.
- Marsh Boardwalk Trail (?) Explore the 0.5 km Marsh Boardwalk Trail below the building to find out more about the natural history of this area. Look for the fish and bird life that live in the wetlands below.
- Sundance Trail DID NOT DO 7.4 km round trip. Enjoy a safe walk along these trails by watching for wildlife and giving them the space they need.
- Marsh Loop DID NOT DO This 2.5 km Marsh Loop provides brilliant views of the mountains, and good winter birding opportunities. A series of boardwalk trails allow you to explore the unique environment of the thermal springs.
Double Rainbow — M has photographs.
Hampton Inn & Suites By Hilton Calgary- University Northwest
Two queen beds non-smoking $112.49
2231 Banff Trail — Free airport shuttle
Day 3 — Canmore and More Banff National Park
Canmore
Three Sisters Parkway — Highway 742 — to Grassi Lakes and View of Canmore
Hike at Grassi Lakes: 1.5 Hours. Waterfall view from parking lot.
Texas Gate
What is a Texas Gate — and Why Are They in Canada in National Parks?
Emerald Lake
In Yoho National Park near town of Field in British Columbia 38.8 kilometers and 36 minutes from lake Louise on Trans Canada Highway 1 and right on Emerald Lake Road. Canoe rental: $45 per hour. Natural Bridge is on the way.
Hamilton Falls
A
Spiral Tunnel
B
Quick stop at border between provinces.
D
Moraine Lake
Drive 1.5 hours and 14 kilometers each way from Lake Louise.
Mount Norquay
Breathtaking View of Banff From Mount Norquay
Sightseeing chairlift — $89.95 for three people plus GST
Delta Hotels Banff Royal Canadian Lodge
Unimpressed With My First Stay at Delta Hotels & Resorts
459 Banff Avenue
Two queen beds, non-smoking $339.10 plus $15 parking = US$264.06
Day 4 — Icefields Parkway and Jasper National Park
Lake Louise
Morant’s Curve
A Stop at Morant’s Curve in Banff National Park
Drive 21 minutes and 21.2 kilometers from the Rockbound Lake trail head off Highway 1A; or drive two hours and 188 kilometers from Hampton Inn & Suites By Hilton Calgary- University Northwest on Trans Canada Highway.
Started on Icefields Parkway
Crow Foot Glacier
Obnoxious crow.
Bow Lake and Bow Glacier
The Beauty — and Disappointment — of Bow Glacier and Bow Lake
Drive one hour northwest and 38.7 kilometers on Icefields Parkway
Bow Summit and Peyto Lake
Spectacular Views of Peyto Glacier and Peyto Lake
Drive 38 minutes and 7.1 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway
Waterfowl Lakes
Drive two hours and 16.3 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway
Mistaya Canyon
Drive 1.5 hours and 15.2 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway. Park on the west side of the highway; then 10 minutes on an old logging road to a bridge over Mistaya River.
First Black bear spotted.
Waterfalls and curve on Icefields Parkway. Lookout. Mountains, river and bridge.
Mule deer near Hinton.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hinton
The Worst View From a Hotel Room I Have Ever Seen?
462 Smith Street
Take Yellowhead Highway northeast to Felaber Road — left a few feet to Smith Street — left to hotel.
Reward night. Two queen beds non-smoking 25,000 points
Day 5 — More Jasper National Park
Maligne Lake and Medicine Lake
Maligne Lake Was Maligned By Pouring Rain
Drive 58 minutes and 37.8 kilometers southeast on Maligne Lake Road. Medicine Lake is along the way.
Moose.
Maligne Canyon
Drive 21 minutes and 18.5 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway; then right on Trans Canada Highway 16 or Yellowhead Highway north for six kilometers; then right on Maligne Lake Road. The Poboktan Creek Trail may be decommissioned. View of Jasper.
Valley of the Five Lakes
Can You Find the Red Chairs in This Photograph?
Drive 16 minutes and 22 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway. Red chair.
Jasper while checking in to Mount Robson cabin.
Mount Robson Lodge
The Best View From a Room I Have Ever Seen?
A Canadian Hummingbird — Just Because
Highway 16, V0E 2Z0 Mount Robson, Canada, Mount Robson — Telephone 250-566-4821
Take Highway 16 west 67.6 miles from the British Columbia border to Farnsworth Road — turn left and drive 126 meters.
Booking.com
One bedroom cottage non-smoking $190.97 or US$142
Credit card not charged. Check in by 9:00 in the evening; out at 11:00 in the morning.
Receive US$40.00 after the stay is complete.
Day 6 — Mount Robson Park
Stop at Mount Robson Park sign and Visitor’s Center
Another black bear sighting.
Berg Lake Trail
Just north of Mount Robson. Do not have to do the entire trail. Hiked 21 kilometers round trip.
Overlander Falls
Overlander Falls is Good For a Quick Tranquil Break
Not impressive.
Jasper.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hinton
462 Smith Street
Take Yellowhead Highway northeast to Felaber Road — left a few feet to Smith Street — left to hotel.
Two queen beds non-smoking $168.68
Day 7 — Glaciers and Mountain Goats
Athabasca Falls
Drive 20 minutes and 24.5 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway.
Lookout by the river for view of mountains.
Stutfield Glacier
Stutfield Glacier at Columbia Icefield
Columbia Icefield — Athabasca Glacier
Drinking Incredible Water on Athabasca Glacier
Drive one hour and 56.9 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway.
Glacier Skywalk — Athabasca Glacier
Life on the Edge: The Glacier Skywalk
Drive 17 minutes and 8.2 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway. Best to visit before 1:00 in the afternoon or after 3:00 in the afternoon. $32 per person. Book in advance: $28.80 per person. Free guided morning tours with ticket purchase at 10:15 or 10:45 in the morning.
Bighorn sheep. Bus driver mentioned mountain goats.
Tangle Creek Falls
Tangle Creek Falls is So Easy to Visit
Drive 2 minutes and 1.2 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway. Can be walked in 15 minutes.
Brown bear sighting.
Sunwapta Falls
Sunwapta Falls is Worth a Quick Visit
Drive 35 minutes and 41.9 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway.
Goat and Glaciers
Mountain goats.
Return to Columbia Icefield — Athabasca Glacier
Hiked trail.
Return to Calgary. Hinton to Calgary is five hours and 15 minutes to the Hilton Garden Inn Calgary Airport via Highways 16, 22, 624, 20, 11 and 2; or ten hours and six minutes through Icefields Parkway.
Hilton Garden Inn Calgary Airport
Highway 2 to McKnight Boulevard exit 261 — east 2.5 kilometers to McCall Way, left turn one block to Pegasus Road — right to hotel.
Two queen beds non-smoking $142.58
2335 Pegasus Road — Free airport shuttle
Day 8 — Departure From Calgary
Return car to Hertz
Depart Calgary at 12:25 for Toronto on WestJet; and arrive at 10:12 in the evening on Delta.
Final Boarding Call
This was my itinerary for the Rocky Mountains of Canada and will serve as the master guide for the articles pertaining to the Rocky Mountains of Canada which are posted to The Gate.
Please click here for the currently unfinished itinerary and master guide for Easter Island, which is still a work in progress.
As the itinerary and master guide series of articles is a new project which I have taken on for easier access to information, your thoughts and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.
All photographs ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
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Jasper SkyTram
DID NOT DO Drive 12 minutes and 11 kilometers northwest on Icefields Parkway — including left turn on Whistlers Road for four kilometers up the mountain. $44.95 per person plus five percent GST equals $141.59 total. Open 9:00 in the morning through 8:00 in the evening. Allow two hours. Shuttle service available four times per day from Mount Robson.
Portal Lake and Yellowhead Pass
DID NOT DO In British Columbia on the way to Mount Robson. Portal Lake is on the north side of Yellowhead Highway; Yellowhead Pass is on the south side 850 meters west.
