Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 08:51:59 -0600
Reply-To: Kevin McLean <Kevin_McLean@MORROWENV.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kevin McLean <Kevin_McLean@MORROWENV.COM>
Subject: Re: RoadHaus - BC, Canada" Must See's" requested
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> currently passing thru Golden, BC / Canada headed for Lake Louise,
Banff Nat Prk, Jasper Nat Prk, Wells Gray Park and Quesnel.
> any suggested "Must Sees" along that route
You could spend a life time in this area and still not see everything.
There are miles and miles of backroads around Golden that are worth
exploring, especially with a Syncro. The local 4x4ers should be able to
come up with some good suggestions.
The tourist information buildings in Field, BC and Lake Louise, AB are
great sources of information. If you want to keep it to van-accessible
spots then Emerald Lake, the Natural Bridge, and definitely Takakaw Falls
(all near Field), the Chateau Lake Louise, Moraine Lake (near Lake
Louise), and the Banff townsite (including the Cave and Basin hot springs)
are all worth visiting.
There is a gondola ride at Lake Louise that provides some very good views
(maybe a grizzly if you're lucky). If you have the time, take a shuttle
bus up to the Sunshine Meadows, you won't regret it. <
http://www.canadiannatureguides.com/subpages/sunshine.htm> The drive up
to Jasper along the Icefields Parkway is spectacular. Be sure to stop at
the Icefields Centre and take a SnoCoach tour up onto the Athabasca
Glacier <http://www.brewster.ca/attractions/icefield.asp>.
If you want to get out of the van for a while there are hikes that range
from a few hours to a few weeks long. Let me know and I can provide more
details on some hikes.
This time of year I usually find the Parks too crowded and spend most of
my time along the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies, just east of Banff. As
long as you avoid the rednecks and their monster trucks, the
Ghost-Waiparous is a beautiful area to explore and camp <
http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/regions/southwest/ghost/> <
http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alberta/parks/planning/gateway/searchgeo.asp
>, and, as long as the weather holds, that's where I'll be this weekend!
Okay, I've wasted enough bandwidth so I'll summarize: I'd hit the tourist
info, see the tourist spots in the Parks, do some short day hikes, head
east out Banff along Hwy 1A, then drive north along the Forestry Trunk
Road (Hwy. 40), then west on Hwy. 11 to get to the Saskatchewan River
Crossings and the Icefield Parkway, and then continue north to Jasper.
Kevin McLean
Calgary, AB
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