Tag: Travel
Jasper, Alberta – The End of the Ski World
If there is a place in Alberta that I would go back to time after time after time, it would be Jasper. Jasper is a special place. Every bit as beautiful as Banff, without the commercialization. It is 4 hours west of Edmonton on the Yellowhead Highway.
Check out this view from the top of the Tramway.
Beautiful. There is nothing like standing on top of a mountain.
Then there is the skiing. Marmot is a good hill and I think it is the farthest north hill in Canada. I do know that the spring skiing is excellent, and goes late into April.
And lots of other attractions, including the power of Moligne Canyon. This canyon winds it way through the face of a mountain and is latticed with walkways that bring you into the heart of the canyon. I loved this walk and look forward to doing it again at some point.
Links
Banff Springs Hotel
This stately palace is a jewel. Banff is a favourite spot of ours, being only a bit over an hour from home. I love the way the city turns to prairie, then foothill and suddenly one is in the mountains and all within 45 minutes of driving. Surprisingly, to me anyway, we have never stayed here. We will have to make a point of changing that. Banff, in itself, is very commercialized. If you like to shop, then you will love this place. Having said that, if you like to ski, eat or commune with nature, you will love it here as well. I don’t wish to completely compartmentalize this as a shoppers paradise only. We have eaten at several places, but our favourite is the Grizzly House Restaurant . Food is good, but the atmosphere is wild. Phoning the next table is a fun thing to do, not to mention the 600 degree block of granite put in front of you to cook your supper fondue style. Be careful, it can get pretty drunk out by the end of the meal.
Links
http://www.fairmont.com/banffsprings/
Athabasca Falls, Jasper, Alberta
- The power of water is shown in this photo of Athabasca Falls. We lived in Edmonton in the early 90’s and loved visiting Jasper National Park with our sons. There is much to see and enjoy in a very mature, minimal tourist environment.
Royal Tyrrell Museum – Drumheller
Everyone loves Dinosaurs
Especially the youngsters. This museum, 90 minutes NE of Calgary in Drumheller Alberta is amazing. The area around Drumheller is a treasure trove of fossils. The Red Deer River has carved out a valley that has exposed multiple sets of bones and fossils and is one of the more active dig sites in the world. The scenery is amazing with hoodoos and layers of time exposed to the elements.
Links
http://www.dinosaurvalley.com/
