Jasper/Banff National Parks

I've been told by SWMBO to take a vacation later this summer (August/
September). I'm looking at Jasper/Banff up in the Canadian rockies.
Anybody have any experience fishing or general outdoors stuff not to
miss there?

Thanks,
- Ken

wrote:

I've been told by SWMBO to take a vacation later this summer (August/
September). I'm looking at Jasper/Banff up in the Canadian rockies.
Anybody have any experience fishing or general outdoors stuff not to
miss there?

That's a great time of year to be in the Canadian Rockies. If it
were up to me I'd stay in Canmore rather than Banff, as Canmore is
somewhat less-developed than Banff, but the whole area is gorgeous.

The Bow River runs right through town in Canmore, and though I
wouldn't expect it to be quite the big fish factory it is down towards
Calgary, you should still have a shot at some decent fishing in that
area. There any hundreds of streams and trails along the Bow Valley
Parkway (Highway 1-A, I believe) and any number of them would be worth
your while. But along the way you'll get to see mountain goats, elk,
bear, Castle Mountain, Lake Louise, Mount Rundle, etc., etc.

As you get closer to Jasper you'll be on the Icefields Parkway which
just so happens to take you right past a huge glacier (Columbia
Icefield) that is easily accessible. Plus you'll see Athabasca Falls,
Sunwapta Falls, etc. You'll be driving along the Athabasca River much
of the way. The Athabsaca is a glacial river and the silt clouds it so
that it's probably not your best chance for fishing, but there are
supposed to be some bull trout and grayling in it.

You might want to check out the FlyFish Alberta website
(http://www.flyfishalberta.com/boards/) for more info, and Barry
Mitchell's _Alberta Fishing Guide_ (I think that's the title) is an
annual magazine that covers an amazing number of rivers and creeks with
general description of what to expect to find size and species-wise for
any given stretch of water.

I haven't had the chance to spend much time on the water in that
area, but the scenery is worth the trip by itself. It's basically all
parkland, and you'll have trails everywhere you look. Plus, depending
on how the summer is, and exactly when you're there, you'll get to see
the aspens in their peak (or near peak) colors.

You're sure to have whether you fish or not.


Chuck Vance (not with the Canadian Bureau of Tourism, but a fan
of that area)

janikk@...

I've been told by SWMBO to take a vacation later this summer (August/
September). I'm looking at Jasper/Banff up in the Canadian rockies.
Anybody have any experience fishing or general outdoors stuff not to
miss there?

Thanks,
- Ken

Michelle and I honeymooned there.

As far as general outdoors stuff, do not miss the Icefields Parkway. Runs
from Banff to Jasper (and back, I s'pose...) A truly wonderful experience.
When we did this drive, we got stopped by elk herds, sheep flocks, and a few
moose randomly crossing the road. Had to stop for about 30 minutes at one of
the elk herd crossings -- they decided to camp out on the road for a bit. If
you're going from Banff to Jasper, start early and make dinner reservations
at the Num-Ti-Jah (http://www.num-ti-jah.com/). Great hunting lodge kind of
place. Do the drive, enjoy the breathtaking views, and have dinner on the
way back. They have a "Fireside Dining" menu that is a hell of a lotta fun.
Plan on this being an all-day project, at least. There are many little
scenic stops along the roadway, and missing one is a sin. Bring lots of film
or an extra memory card. I cannot imagine a more beautiful drive.

Have dinner at the Post Hotel in Lake Louise. The venison chops were too
good for words. The wine list is 25,000 bottles long. (no typo --
http://www.posthotel.com/winecellar.html) Have the Creme Brulee for dessert.
All others pale in comparison.

Have dinner at the Station restuarant, also in Lake Louise. A wonderful
experience in a converted railroad station. The salmon was the best I've
had.

Take the cable car ride up to Sulphur Mountain
(http://www.banffgondola.com/default.asp). Yeah, tourist-trappy, but the
views at the top are primo. Small trails to wander, also.

Check out Canmore, with the Olympic Nordic Center and the Three Sisters area
is worth a half day or so.

Banff proper is a bit of a tourist town -- sorta like the various ski towns
out west. Depending on your tastes, that may or may not appeal to you.
Great little lunch and dinner places, but mostly focused on boutique-type
shopping.

As far as fishing, well, we got married in January, so....

I did get to spend about three hours with a hotel-provided guide tossing
streamers in the Bow River. Didn't catch a damned thing. Didn't care.

In article ,
says...

I've been told by SWMBO to take a vacation later this summer (August/
September). I'm looking at Jasper/Banff up in the Canadian rockies.
Anybody have any experience fishing or general outdoors stuff not to
miss there?

None of the responses to my query have shown up on my newsreader yet,
but I saw them when I went to look for them on Deja/GoogleNews.

Just wanted to say thank you to all who replied.
Thanks,
- Ken