r/travel • u/AutoModerator • Jan 16 '20
Advice r/travel Region of the Week: 'Canadian Rockies'
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Unhelpful: Read my blog here!!!
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u/swollencornholio Airplane! Jan 16 '20
Banff Winter Trip Report
We stayed downtown Banff for 4 nights, had 3 full days at Moose Lodge, which is not cheap but comparative to a lot of resorts with spas in skiing areas in North America it isn't bad. There's also an awesome hot tub on the roof. We rented a car to get around. If you have not been to Banff in the winter you'll quickly learn it's drastically different than the summer in regards to attractions. Icefields Parkway is not plowed regularly during the winter for instance which makes an interesting and sometimes scary drive. Generally Banff is snowy and balls-frozen-to-your-leg cold. Temps were between -25° C (-10 °F) and -7 °C (20°F) when we were there. You get used to it pretty quickly wearing lot's of clothes. I would recommend long johns, scarves, hats and gloves for any hike.
Skiing/Snowboarding
The main attraction in the winter is skiing which I participated in at Sunshine Village, a quick trip from downtown. There are free shuttles to each of the big 3 resorts from downtown Banff if you are coming in by train or bus. We were told Family weekend is the worst weekend to go and crowds are terrible but they were max 5 minute wait for a lift. Majority of the lifts were ski up and on. Insanely different kind of "crowded" than what I'm used to in Tahoe and Colorado. I did not make it to Lake Louise skiing area but locals told me it's the best back country skiing of the 3 resorts. Unfortunately there wasn't much powder so Sunshine was more appealing to us at that moment. Sunshine has loads of runs and the runs were decently long.
Hikes
Outside of skiing there are several hikes, snow shoe and cross country ski trails. As always check the trail conditions before going. Note that several require avalanche packs, training or to be accompanied by someone with training. I did two winter hikes the days I did not ski:
Johnston Canyon Winter Walk - 2.4km one way, hiking time with stop for photographs is 1.5-2 hours. 120m elevation change.
Online I did not find much about the drive to the Canyon in the winter. From downtown Banff in the winter the best way to get to Johnston Canyon with a car is via the Trans-Canada 1 highway and exit at Castle Junction to get to the 1A highway. The 1A highway is not regularly plowed so taking it from Banff can be tedious. It looked to have 1 foot of pack at the turnoff nearest Banff. It was fine from Castle Junction to Johnston Canyon driving close to the speed limit. There are loads of rocks on the ground to keep the snow down and increase the grip of the road. Not entirely sure how to get to Johnston Canyon via public transit in the winter however there were several tour groups.
The hike is very well marked and a very popular site during winter. You see people from all walks of life on the hike. We decided to go without crampons which you can find for about $25 USD on Amazon or easily rent in town at Snowtips-Bactrax for $15 CAD. We saw several people with Crampons but imo is only really necessary for a couple of super 5-10 foot ice patches that we navigated no problem. Probably 50-75% of the hike is lined with iron fences and catwalks through the canyon. The Lower Falls is about a 20 minute hike in. In the winter the best part of the Lower Falls was seeing the water fall creating pulsing like waves around the hole where it dumped. The Upper Falls is a bit more tedious of a hike but makes the whole hike well worth it imo. I would be pretty disappointed only seeing the Lower Falls. The upper falls turns into a HUGE wall of ice. The wall is lined by ice climbers taking their stab at the face the wall. There are two viewpoints up at the top and bottom of the waterfall. It's worth checking both out but the bottom is the real payoff imo. The hike back to the cars ended up taking 30 minutes.
Lake Louise to Mirror Lake via Lake Agnes Trail - 2.7 km one way, snow shoe time with stop for photographs is around 2 hours not including the walk to the trailhead from Lake Louise parking.
We rented snow shoes in Banff for this hike, none of us had snow shoe'd before. We navigated to the trailhead by walking over the frozen Lake Louise. On the trail we saw a couple of people hiking with crampons which I would recommend at minimum. We also saw a couple people without them that looked a bit miserable sliding around without snow shoes or Crampons. We talked to them and they were shocked when we told them they were only about half way to Mirror Lake. The hike ends at Lake Agnes and the famous Tea House however the Tea House is not open during the winter and the portion from Mirror Lake to Lake Agnes requires an avalanche pack and training. I want to say people do it without either but I don't think it's worth the risk. I would either get the training or hire a guide if you wish to go to Lake Agnes. The trail itself is pretty vertical as the climb is 400m with only one major switchback. The towering beehive is a pretty unique site in the winter.
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u/meangrnfreakmachine Jan 18 '20
Local here! Feel free to PM me any questions :)
Advice
- during the summer months (May-Aug) they have a $10 bus between Calgary and Banff called On-It
- Calgary and Eastern part of the Rockies gets chinooks, which means it could be -25 and then +1 the next day which is super nice
- White Swan hot springs are really beautiful and natural. Highly recommend. The hot springs in Banff and Radium aren’t natural
- the Rockies have really beautiful little mountain towns scattered everywhere, not just the standard Banff + Lake Louise. I’d also recommend Fernie and Revelstoke especially for skiing and hiking
- hotels in Banff can be really pricey, but the HI Hostel also has basic cabins for like $100 which is a great deal for the area
- DO NOT TRY TO PET THE WILD ANIMALS. I can’t count how many stories I’ve heard of tourists stopping on the side of the highway to get out and look at grizzly bears, and parents even try to put their children onto elk and deer!!! Don’t be these people!
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u/foodbytes Jan 22 '20
years ago I did a hot springing holiday around there. We visited as many natural hot springs in AB and BC as we could in 10 days. But we always came back to Ram Creek. The White Swan hot springs, actually Lussier Hot Springs, is nice as long as people don't move the rocks around. Ram Creek hot sprngs is just off the forestry road between Premier Lake and White Swan Lake. OMG we'd stay in the springs until dawn and watch the fog lift and sun come up from the valleys all around and light up the mountains. Nothing better in the world.
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u/goatsheadsoup22 Jan 19 '20
Am I the only one who preferred Jasper to Banff? We stayed in Banff for four days but one of those we woke up early and drove through the ice fields parkway to jasper. It took almost five hours because we got stuck waiting for them to clear a rockslide. In jasper we did Whistler’s Gondola (we were able to see Mount Robson from the top that day) then netted over to Lake Maligne and did the spirit island tour. Was a long day and I wish I had more time there, so much less crowded
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u/Cyph3rXX7 Jan 20 '20
No, I totally agree with you. Banff is too tourist-busy. Jasper is still quite a tourist spot but not as jam packed as Banff. I live about an hour away from the Canadian Rockies (about 2 hours from Banff). I practically live in the mountains during the summer weekends. I will hands down say the Icefields Parkway all the way up to Jasper is the most beautiful area you can possibly be on the Alberta side of the Rockies. Jasper National Park also has significantly better marked trails than Banff National Park.
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u/Canadian-Roadtripper Jan 22 '20
I agree with you! Two years ago, we travelled across Canada and spent two nights in Jasper as well as two nights in Banff. I felt more connected to Jasper naturally as Banff was busier. The ice fields parkway is by far the best road trip we have done. We now live in Calgary, and I’m excited to get back to Jasper again.
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u/skincareaddiction987 Jan 19 '20
Local here! I live nearby and visit Banff multiple times per year, as both day trips and overnights.
Here are my top tips for Banff and Lake Louise:
For Moraine Lake/Lake Louise, go earlier than you think you need to. Leave by 4am if you're staying in Banff, or 5 if you're in Lake Louise. The parking lot is tiny and will fill up by 5:30 am. Most tips online will tell you to go for 6 but from the last two times I went, I found that even at 5:30 I was struggling to find parking.
On the note of parking, rent a car if you plan to visit multiple places. Banff is pretty walkable and they have good public transit and shuttles, but if you want to do anything off the beaten path or want to escape the crowds, you'll need a car.
Hikes/things to do: Canmore and Kananaskis have great hikes that not very many tourists do. Most of the people hiking in this area are Calgarians, so on the weekdays the trails are much less busy. Ha Ling Peak in Canmore is really popular, and Prairie View in Kananaskis and Prairie Mountain in Bragg Creek are also great hikes, but can get busy on weekends when the weather is nice.
Don't miss the Lake Agnes hike at Lake Louise - you hike up to a cute tea house on a lake where you can get coffee and snacks. They have no electricity and only accept cash. It's not a hard hike, it's also dog friendly and some people ride horses up it which I've never done but it looks cool!
The hot springs in Banff are kinda overrated in my opinion - it's neat that it's natural hot water but it literally is just a big open air pool so if you're expecting it to look natural you'll be disappointed. Long lines to get in as well.
If hiking isn't your thing or you're traveling with young children/elderly, definitely go up the Banff gondola if the skies are clear for a gorgeous 360 view of the area! At the top of the mountain there are some walking paths and a restaurant/gift shop/museum. It's kind of expensive, but definitely worth it. You can hike up as well and take the gondola down for free but it's pretty strenuous from what I've heard (I've only been up by gondola).
Food and Drink: If you want to party it up, Dancing Sasquatch is a pretty fun club in a very weird spot through a gift shop. The time machine drink is deadly! Otherwise rose and crown has live music a lot, and Samesun hostel has a bar if you're looking to meet other young travelers.
For food, most places are fine but I have to say that the food at Park Distillery is terrible, I wouldn't recommend anyone to eat there. My usuals are Tooloulous, Maple Leaf grill, Elk and Oarsman, or Rose and Crown. If you're not from Canada you'll have to try some poutine!
Also because I just really love sweets, I always visit one of the candy stores when I'm around to pick up some fudge and other treats. Would recommend getting a Beavertail as well!
Hotels: Elk + Ave is really nice and if you go in shoulder season pretty affordable. I've also stayed at a couple of the inns around Banff that are all pretty much the same, acceptable but nothing fancy. Banff Springs, Rimrock, or Chateau Lake Louise are for the ballers among us who want a really fancy stay with beautiful views. If a hostel is more your style, Samesun hostel is a good place to meet people since they have a bar and host lots of fun events.
On a final note, don't be surprised if you meet way more Aussies and Brits than Canadians... The area is very popular with working holiday visa holders!
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u/earwaxsandwiches Jan 19 '20
Thinking of going to Banff for about a week in March. Any idea if this is advisable? Are trails open? Would I be better suited waiting for warmer months?
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u/btherese77 Jan 21 '20
Still plenty of snow, ski hills will all be open but so will snow shoe trails and lakes to skate on. Depends what your goal is but March is.m a beautiful time to visit because the days are getting longer but there is still plenty of sparkling snow out.
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u/swollencornholio Airplane! Jan 21 '20
Snow shoe trails will be and you might get better weather than Jan and Feb. But some of the standard sights you would see can be much more difficult to get to. Like Moraine Lake will be a 15 km treck (round trip) through the snow and will need an avalanche pack. Lake Agnes is also will need an avalanche pack and the tea house will be closed.
A lot of those sites don't fully open until late May/early June.
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u/Cyph3rXX7 Jan 20 '20
Calgarian here. I apologize for the formatting in advance...I am writing on mobile. I spend majority of my summer weekends in the mountains. It’s honestly like my second home. Banff is definitely a very picturesque town so if you’ve never been, definitely check it out.
But if you are visiting for a week+ I recommend going up the Icefields Parkway and visit Jasper if possible. This area is gorgeous and literally still takes my breath away every time I drive through it. There is a massive lake every few kilometres. I will also recommend that people skip Lake Louise all-together...just 20 mins further up the Icefields parkway is Bow Glacier Lake with Num Ti Jah lodge. You cannot get a better post card picture and significantly less tourists. If you walk pass the lodge, there is a well marked hike (with minimal elevation gain—yay!) to a massive glacier waterfall (yes, you get to see a lake, lodge, glacier and waterfall in one location)! This glacier basically feeds the Bow River that runs through Calgary. After the hike, i love putting out a blanket on the beach and sunbathe. The cool breeze feels amazing!
My favorite hike of all times is Wilcox Pass and i highly recommend it to anyone. At Wilcox summit, you overlook Columbia icefields. This trail is well kept and, if wildlife is your thing, you’ll see tons of big horn sheep.
I also feel like Kananaskis Country is super underrated. Upper & Lower Kananaskis Lakes are beautiful. Hikes in that area are beautiful too and not as busy as Banff and Lake Louise.
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u/Canadian-Roadtripper Jan 22 '20
I agree! We recently moved to Calgary from Ontario, and have done little road trips through Kananaskis country. Most of the time, we have the place to ourselves and it’s beautiful.
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u/dcp916 Jan 19 '20
Dedicate some time to Jasper as well, if for no other reason than to enjoy the amazing trip up the Icefields Parkway. Dedicate an entire day for this roadtrip - so many gorgeous vistas and and stopping points with cool things to do. In Jasper, the short drive to Maligne Lake and Maligne Canyon is really nice. A great hike in the area is the Valley of the Five Lakes.
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u/Quixotic_Illusion United States - 17 countries Jan 19 '20
Banff, Jasper, and Yoho are amazing! Can get crowded but nothing like Yellowstone last time I went. If you don't want to hunt for parking then I recommend getting a Token Transit pass and a multiday pass. It goes to most locations (didn't go to Moraine Lake without a surcharge). Like I said, it can be crowded and expensive but the weather in August was comfortable and mosquitoes weren't as bad as I expected. There was a wolf attack at one of the camps last year, so be aware that it's always a possibility that they will roam in your area. I saw more elk, goats, etc. than any other area in my life... and I've been to Washington, Montana, Nepal, etc.
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Jan 20 '20
I live 1.5hrs away and visit the Rockies quite a bit, specifically Banff. So I'll just throw out a restaurant and hotel recommendation. One restaurant I would recommend (and make resos, which you have to call in still), is Grizzly House. It's an exotic meats fondue place, and quite the unique experience. If you want to keep it a little more low key and cheap, try Magpie & Stump. It's a Western style Mexican restaurant, and is good bang for your buck. Also a great place to pre-drink before heading to one of the bars/clubs at night.
A hotel recommendation I would make for winter is banff aspen lodge. It's not one of the higher end/expensive hotels, but it has a really nice outdoor large hot tub. Great relaxation spot after a long day of skiing or hiking.
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u/notimetosleep8 Jan 22 '20
My family plans to visit the Canadian Rockies in two years. Our boys will be 14 and 12 when we make the trip. We will be driving there from the Seattle area. In addition to seeing the Canadian Rockies, are either Calgary or Edmonton worth spending a night or two in to see while we are near by?
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u/Canadian-Roadtripper Jan 22 '20
I have lived in Edmonton for about a month or so, and have been living in Calgary since October. I would say that Calgary has more to offer, with views still of Rockies. I found the only thing I enjoyed when staying in Edmonton was the West Edmonton Mall, but there is a lot of green space, hiking and beautiful views in Calgary.
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u/alsamb Living in the Great White North Jan 17 '20 edited Jan 17 '20
I haven't been to Banff in a few years but my friends lived there and we enjoyed a lot of great times! I was a student at the time (read: on a shoestring budget), so these are mostly cheaper activities.
Depending on the season, these are some of my favourite things to do:
Food and drink tips:
Banff is stunning, but I also love driving on the BC side of Banff. There are so many cute little towns with beautiful scenery. Check out Field, Revelstoke and Golden for many more outdoor activities. I've never been to them for a longer amount of time, but they're renowned for skiing, hiking, hot springs, etc. Enjoy your trip to what I think is one of the most beautiful places in the world!