Hardwired

Alberta

Canada 2015: Lake Louise, AB

Apr 12, 2018 | , ,

Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station

We had a lot on our agenda for day two in Lake Louise, so we were on the road early, driving to the Banff Gondola for a cableway ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. As far as picture taking went, I was a bit concerned about the overcast morning, but we were really after the experience more than a photo op. Michael, from the Rocky Mountaineer crew, had suggested that we take the gondola ride, so we had squeezed this event into our original schedule, which made the day a bit hectic but well worth the adventure.

Not long after we hopped off the gondola and made our way to the rooftop observation deck, the weather cleared considerably and we spent well over an hour snapping photos—from there and from the wooden boardwalks that led to the mountain summit. On the walk back to catch our gondola down the mountain, it began to snow, but even as we dangled on the cable and swayed in a stiff breeze, I was able to take a few shots through the glass bottom of our gondola car. Read more: https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/banff-gondola/webcams/#/0

I called the day “my adrenaline rush,” for after the gondola ride, we drove to the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre to board a bus to the Glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored observation platform 918 feet over the Sunwapta Valley—a knee-quivering experience, but with fabulous views.

Before our return trip to Lake Louise, we stopped at Weeping Wall, a waterfall fed by a spring high in the mountains. In winter, the entire cliff face freezes to form a wall of blue ice.

Having had only a light breakfast and skipping lunch altogether, we were famished. We had reservations at the Post Hotel Lake Louise. A shade early for dinner, we enjoyed a glass of wine in the Sir Norman Lounge.

For starters, we shared an order of the Sautéed Deep Sea Scallops with Chef’s Asian Sauce and an order of the Atlantic Lobster Risotto with Salsify. For my main, I chose the Pan-Seared Miso Marinated Fillet of BC Black Cod with a ginger white wine sauce, Chinese broccoli, and roasted fingerling potatoes. David ordered the Whole Roasted Northwest Territories Caribou Striploin with Saskatoon berry cream sauce, creamy savoy cabbage, and Schupfnoodles. Pleasantly full, we ordered light desserts—homemade vanilla and rum raisin ice cream. Overall, a five-star dining experience.

 

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Canada 2015: Quesnel, BC, to Jasper, AB

Mar 1, 2018 | , ,

Early in the morning, we reboarded the Rocky Mountaineer for the ride from Quesnel to Jasper.

I planned to spend most of the day outside on the downstairs observation deck of our railcar, snapping photos, but it began to rain as we left the rail station and chugged past the lumberyards. Michael, one of our onboard crew and also a professional photographer, told me we still had a lot of climbing to do and the best shots were yet to come. He suggested that I go down to the dining car for breakfast, so I took his advice http://michaelbednar.com

The inclement weather followed us from Quesnel to Prince George as the train charted a course close to the Fraser River. The weather improved as we rolled into the quaint village of McBride, BC, and cleared as we crossed provinces—from British Columbia into Alberta. As we drew near the town of Jasper, we spotted a black bear minding his own business and not the least bit interested in the passing train, although the passengers burst into an uproar of “Bear, bear, bear.” And the cameras came out in a flash. Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun. I was too slow on the draw and missed my shot, but I would get my chance later in the trip.

We disembarked in Jasper and boarded a bus to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Those passengers continuing on the train the next day were booked into the main building of the lodge. We planned to stay two nights in Jasper and had reserved a bungalow near the lake. When we checked in with reception, they advised us to stay clear of the roaming elk, as many females had young with them. In fact, we had to dodge three on the way to the room and wait while another moved away from the front door before we could unlock the bungalow. They were a pleasure to see.

We had reservations at the Moose’s Nook Northern Grill in the lodge, but it was closing as we arrived at the host’s desk. She apologized, but we really weren’t up for a big dinner, as we had certainly been well fed on the train. We sat in the Emerald Lounge, ordered a bottle of wine, and snacked on substantial appetizers as we sat near a roaring fire.

Pardon the glass glare on some of the photos taken aboard the train. Unavoidable, unfortunately.

 

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Canada 2015: Vancouver to Whistler, BC

Feb 1, 2018 | , ,

Flying over the snowcapped Rocky Mountains.

For years, a train ride through the Canadian Rockies has been on our bucket list. What reignited this interest was a comment from Diane, who we met at the Hermitage in Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand, in 2014. As I gazed out the windows of the Old Mountaineers’ Cafe, Diane said, “Do you find these mountain peaks impressive?” I replied that I certainly did. She shot back with “Have you seen your Rockies?” I said I had but only certain sections of the range. “The Rockies, now they are impressive,” she informed me.

Diane’s comment revived our desire to see this entire majestic mountain range. We would start with the Canadian Rockies and eventually make our way south. The Rocky Mountains stretch from British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and into northern New Mexico in the United States—for a total of three thousand miles. I’ve seen a portion of the Colorado Rockies, and I’m quite familiar with the southernmost range, which is the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico.

When we returned to the US after our Down Under trip, we began to map out plans for our Canadian rail tour, and the following May (2015) we flew from DFW to Vancouver, BC. On previous stays we booked bed and breakfasts throughout the city, but this time, curious about the Fairmont hotel chain, Dave decided to reserve a Fairmont whenever they were available.

We arrived in Vancouver late on a Friday afternoon, took a leisurely stroll along the wharf, and returned to the Fairmont Waterfront to dress for dinner at Miku Vancouver. We sat on the patio, a tad chilly, but the waitstaff immediately brought a blanket to drape over my legs, and I turned my attention to ordering sushi and hot sake.

After dinner, we took a tour of the Fairmont’s rooftop herb garden and watched the beekeepers tend to the hives, pleased to see Executive Chef Karan Suri’s sustainable creation. And while I am all in favor of minimizing our carbon footprint on the earth, the Fairmont’s sustainability program threw a small wrench into my “good night’s sleep.”

Around midnight, when we were sound asleep, our smoke detector blasted us awake. I went to the window and saw no lights on in the hotel, and the lights in our room weren’t operable. We called the front desk and they asked us if we had read the hotel notice left in our room. Bottom line, we never found a letter in our room stating that for conservation purposes, the electrical system would be shut off and only emergency lighting provided for the rest of the night. Neither one of us had a problem with this. We just wished we had been notified beforehand, such as at check-in. To add to the fitful night, we were dozing off again, after lying awake for three hours, when the electricity came back on and once again our smoke detector blared to life.

Bleary-eyed at 5:00 a.m., we packed to catch our taxi to the railway station. At checkout, the front desk manager apologized profusely for housekeeping not leaving the letter. We suggested that they tell their guests upon check-in rather than rely on a notice being left in the room. Having the smoke detector wake us from a sound sleep, twice, was certainly disruptive.

A bit surprised that the manager did not comp us in any way for a lousy night’s sleep, we hopped into a cab, only to discover that the driver had no idea where the rail station was located. While he was contacting dispatch, David dug out his cell phone and gave the cabbie directions.

“This isn’t starting out well,” I mumbled as I stood on the railway platform shivering in the blustery early morning, waiting for the train—the Rocky Mountaineer Whistler Sea to Sky Climb—to take us from Vancover to the resort town of Whistler. Our seats were at the very front of the train and on the upper deck, giving us a panoramic view of the vivid blue sky overhead and nothing but snowcapped mountains all around us.

Three hours later, we arrived in Whistler and boarded a bus to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Upon check-in, the front desk clerk informed us that management had upgraded our room to a luxury one-bedroom mountain-view suite and apologized for the previous night at the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver. He wished us a pleasant stay in Whistler, albeit a short one.

We unpacked and walked into town for a light lunch at Brew House and then spent the rest of the day wandering the shops. On the way back to our suite, we stopped at Marketplace Shopping Centre for wine and made a second stop at La Cantina for tacos. We ate on the small balcony off our room, watching the sun sink over the mountains and Whistler Village. By the way, the tacos were delicious.

 

 

 

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