Page 36 - Explore - Autumn/Winter 2019

ROCKY

MOUNTAIN

HIGH

f you go for a home-made ice cream at The roads in southern with a spectacular journey north towards
Thomasina’s Bakery & Café in Princeton, British Jasper along the Icefields Parkway. Several
IColumbia, you’re in for a treat. Thomasina’s British Columbia are excellent stops (with waterfalls) included
is in a building that was once the town’s first excellent with good Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls (with a
silent movie theatre, complete with a pianist to rewarding view of a moose walking along in a
provide the music. Princeton was a pit stop on signage and the scenery river), before we arrived at Jasper for a Skytram
our 416-km first-day’s journey from Vancouver aerial tramway ride up the mountain. From here
to the city of Penticton in the Okanagan Valley in the Okanagan Valley you look down on the town and many turquoise
where we stayed overnight. We were a group of is wonderful as the route and purple lakes.
six so we rented an eight-seater GMC Yukon SUV
from Avis because we needed extra space for follows several very The Rockies are incredible.
our suitcases and day packs. The vehicle turned long lakes. It’s easy to think you are
out to be exactly the right size for us and offered
plenty of comfort. somewhere in the Swiss
Back on the road through the Rockies we
We found several other good places to break stopped at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Alps and even in the months
up the day’s drive, including a lovely spot with if there is one thing you shouldn’t miss there it’s
just-flowering rhododendrons on a ten-minute the high-speed gondola ride 3,413 metres up the when the snow has gone it
walking trail. The roads in southern British mountain. It takes you to superb views of the is still a beautiful place
Columbia are excellent with good signage and surrounding mountains and glaciers and there is
the scenery in the Okanagan Valley is wonderful a very nice 5-star restaurant called Eagles Eye, to visit.
as the route follows several very long lakes. The offering the highest dining (at 2,346 metres)
Valley is renowned for its fruit and wineries but in Canada. The Rockies are incredible. It’s easy to think you
we were a little early for the fruit season. are somewhere in the Swiss Alps, especially with
Heading further east, we were advised to visit the many ski resort hotels and lodges jammed in
Save-On-Foods is a good supermarket chain in Lake Louise before 9am to avoid the crowds and between the ski slopes, and even in the months
Western Canada and we stocked up the next thank goodness we did. On a stunning blue-sky when the snow has gone it is still a beautiful
day for a three-day stay on a houseboat on day the famous reflections in the water were place to visit. A few final tips... Plan your
Shuswap Lake near Salmon Arm on the western brilliant. Even at that hour there were already itinerary carefully as there are large distances
edge of the Canadian Rockies. Houseboating is hundreds of people but we managed to grab between towns and accommodation is always
very popular in this area and our nine-person some shots without people in them. A visit the in high demand. Allow plenty of time for stops,
boat was well equipped including the most day before to Emerald Lake was equally as good have driver changes during the day if possible,
important pieces of equipment: a barbecue, and in our eyes, with fewer people. and remember to keep an eye on your fuel. Oh,
a hot tub on the roof. We also found it simple to The resort town of Banff is absolutely crowded and make sure you stop for ice creams.
steer and moor the boat. A two-hour walk up a and we would advise anyone planning to make
river one day showed us a series of magnificent this journey to go early in June and avoid July
waterfalls. We kept making noises in case of and August. The next day saw another early start
bears and carried bear spray as a precaution.

34 HELLOWORLD TRAVEL : EXPLORE : AUTUMN/WINTER EDITION