Canadian Rockies & Glacier NP
We first experienced the Canadian Rockies 15 years ago. This Tauck guided tour of the Canadian Rockies appealed to us because we wanted to get reacquainted with the magnificent Canadian Rockies and also visit Glacier National Park (NP) in Montana for the first time.
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. Before the introduction of horses, buffalo were harvested by the Blackfoot for more than 5,000 years. Several buffalo runners dressed up as coyotes or wolves drove the buffalo herd from a nearby grazing area into a funneled path lined on both sides by shouting and yelling tribal members, who also were dressed up as coyotes and wolves. At full gallop, the buffalo would fall off a 36 foot cliff, rendering them dead or immobile at the bottom. Carcasses were processed for food, bone tools and hides at a nearby camp near fresh water. The site was in use at least 6,000 years ago, and the bone deposits are 39 feet deep.
Waterton Lakes NP. The union of Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and Glacier National Park in the United States form the Waterton Glacier International Peace Park. The Prince of Wales hotel overlooks the Upper Waterton Lake, near the Canada-U.S. border. The American Great Northern Railway built the hotel between 1926 and 1927 to lure American tourists north of the border during the prohibition era. The Price of Wales Hotel enjoys the distinction of being the sole establishment among Canada's grand railway hotels to have been built by an American, as opposed to a Canadian, railway company.
Glacier NP: Many Glacier Hotel. The Many Glacier Hotel, which has 215 rustic rooms, is a historic hotel located in the northeastern part of Glacier National Park, Montana, on the east shore of Swiftcurrent Lake. Having a Swiss alpine theme, the four-story building was began in 1914 and completed the following year. This hotel was considered the "Gem of the West" in a series hotels and chalets in the park established by the Great Northern Railway promoting the Rocky Mountain areas as the "American Alps.” In its early days only the rich and famous could afford to stay at the parks' hotels and chalets.
Glacier NP: Red Buses. The 17-passenger red buses are used to transport park visitors at Glacier National Park. The vehicles were originally manufactured and delivered to the park in the 1930's by the now-defunct White Motor Company. They were rebuilt in year 2000 by the Ford Motor company, who returned the 33 refurbished vehicles back to the park. Today, our red buses are taking us from Many Glacier Hotel to Lake McDonald Lodge located in the southwestern region of Glacier by way of the Going-to-the-Sun road. This narrow 2-lane road is the only one that crosses the park passing over the Continental Divide.
Glacier NP: Lake McDonald Lodge. Lake McDonald Lodge was built between 1913 and 1914. This lodge is located on the northern shore of beautiful Lake McDonald. It has 100 rustic guest rooms split between a main lodge, a row of duplex-style cabins, and a two-story 1950's era motor inn.
Lake Louise. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is on the eastern shore of Lake Louise near Banff, Alberta. The original Chateau was gradually built up at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Today the hotel is a modern luxurious facility because hotels and lodges in Canadian parks are owned and operated by private business leasing the property from the government. As a comparison, lodges and hotels in U.S. national parks are owned by the federal government and operated by private concessioners.
All About Bears: Steve Greenwood, our bus driver, spotted a black bear on our way to Jasper. Thankfully, due to the lack of traffic, Steve expertly backed up the bus so we could see the youngster through the windows. Our Tauck guide Alexx Syegh lectured us about how to act if we confronted a bear in the woods. In fact, Alexx gave us a bell to wear on our shoe to make noise as we walked in the woods to let the bear know that we are coming and let it gracefully move away from us. Also Alexx suggested that we carry pepper spray in case of a close encounter. He explained the physical and behavioral differences between black and grizzly bears. This government warning sign recommends that outdoorsman should be able to distinguish between black bear and grizzly bear feces. I quote from the sign "Black bear feces is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear shit has bells in it and smells like pepper."
Jasper Park Lodge. The current main building of the Jasper Park Lodge replaced the original structure built in 1922 and destroyed by fire in 1952. In 2010, the main lodge underwent remodeling to bring it up to contemporary standards. Various duplex cabins contain 446 guest rooms. Unfortunately, the cabins need to be updated.
Columbia Icefield. The Columbia Icefield is a surviving remnant of the thick ice mass that once mantled most of western Canada's mountains. It is the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies.
The Athabasca Glacier. The Athabasca is the most-visited glacier on the North American continent. Situated across from the Icefield Centre, the glacier flows down the valley like a frozen, slow-moving river. Because of a warming climate, the Athabasca Glacier has been receding or melting for the last 125 years. Losing half its volume and retreating more than one mile, the shrinking glacier has left a moonscape of rocky moraines in its wake.
Especially designed for glacial travel, Massive Brewster Ice Explorers took us on a remarkable excursion onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. The 80 minute journey was lead by an experienced driver-guide, who shared a wealth of fascinating information about glaciers, icefields and their impact on our environment. Mid-point in the tour, we safely disembarked the vehicle and stood on this powerful ancient ice. As we did 15 years ago on this glacier, we toasted our experience with scotch and cold glacier water.
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is an iconic beauty amidst snow-capped peaks, enchanting lakes and pristine wilderness. It was originally built in the late 19th century and rebuilt in the first quarter of the 20th century. The majestic “Castle in the Rockies,” located in the heart of Alberta in Canada's Banff National Park has been providing legendary hospitality and unsurpassed dining experiences to guests at the luxury hotel for 125 years.
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