Canadian Rockies May 2016
05-24-2016, 04:39 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Canadian Rockies May 2016
OK, here's another travelogue with photos. The +1 bought a new zoom lens for our Nikon D70S before we left and got some incredible shots. We both took so many it will be a few days before I can go through them all.
As I posted elsewhere, our bus/train trip with the Rocky Mountaineer from Calgary to Seattle (via Lake Louise, Banff, Kamloops and Vancouver) was one for a lifetime. Just amazing in every way - scenery, food, service, etc. If any of you have the time and money to take one, you won't regret it. Met interesting people from England, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, the US and other countries. We had crystal clear rushing mountain streams or lakes alongside the bus/train for the whole week. And we had sunny weather almost everywhere, which was totally unexpected. One cool thing they have up there are animal bridges and underpasses along the mountain highways to prevent accidents. The bridges are beautiful stone arches. They are located in known crossing spots.
We stayed at Fairmont hotels for the most part, and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has one of the most spectacular settings in the world. IMO much better than the more well known Banff Springs Fairmont. The view from our room at one end of the lake of glacier/snow covered 11K ft mountains rising at the other end was surreal. So many highlights, it's hard to recall all of them. Right up there are the helicopter tour, where we flew over a mountain and saw big-horned sheep; all the other critter sightings - black bears, elk, a coyote, mule deer, regular deer, bald eagles, osprey, and a grizzly bear (although not in the wild); riding the train through the Spiral Tunnels; a salmon hatchery; Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain Skyride in Vancouver; Ballard Locks in Seattle; and seeing a couple hundred bald eagles on the beach (with their young) in about two miles along the coast between Vancouver and Seattle.
As I posted elsewhere, our bus/train trip with the Rocky Mountaineer from Calgary to Seattle (via Lake Louise, Banff, Kamloops and Vancouver) was one for a lifetime. Just amazing in every way - scenery, food, service, etc. If any of you have the time and money to take one, you won't regret it. Met interesting people from England, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, the US and other countries. We had crystal clear rushing mountain streams or lakes alongside the bus/train for the whole week. And we had sunny weather almost everywhere, which was totally unexpected. One cool thing they have up there are animal bridges and underpasses along the mountain highways to prevent accidents. The bridges are beautiful stone arches. They are located in known crossing spots.
We stayed at Fairmont hotels for the most part, and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has one of the most spectacular settings in the world. IMO much better than the more well known Banff Springs Fairmont. The view from our room at one end of the lake of glacier/snow covered 11K ft mountains rising at the other end was surreal. So many highlights, it's hard to recall all of them. Right up there are the helicopter tour, where we flew over a mountain and saw big-horned sheep; all the other critter sightings - black bears, elk, a coyote, mule deer, regular deer, bald eagles, osprey, and a grizzly bear (although not in the wild); riding the train through the Spiral Tunnels; a salmon hatchery; Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain Skyride in Vancouver; Ballard Locks in Seattle; and seeing a couple hundred bald eagles on the beach (with their young) in about two miles along the coast between Vancouver and Seattle.
05-24-2016, 04:39 AM
#2
Thread Starter
Here's the first photo - the +1 took this one at Lake Louise where a squirrel was playing hide and seek with him around a tree.
The next few lake pics are Lake Louise. An amazingly beautiful place!!
These next two are the Natural Bridge. We had crystal clear rushing water like this next to the bus/train for the whole trip.
The next few lake pics are Lake Louise. An amazingly beautiful place!!
These next two are the Natural Bridge. We had crystal clear rushing water like this next to the bus/train for the whole trip.
05-24-2016, 04:40 AM
#3
Thread Starter
The Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver was scary because it moved so much. But I made it across and back.
This is a famous troll under a bridge in Seattle. There is a Volkswagen Beetle under his hand.
Ballard Locks in Seattle. Fascinating to watch all the boats go through them.
The building on the right is a salmon fish ladder to make it easier for them to go upriver. The gushing water pipes are salmon release valves.
05-24-2016, 04:40 AM
#4
Thread Starter
The +1's pics...the squirrel above is his, also. All the rest above are mine. I took about 350 pics.
05-24-2016, 04:41 AM
#5
Thread Starter
05-24-2016, 04:41 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Trending Topics
05-24-2016, 07:09 AM
#8
We really enjoyed our trip to Calgary, Banff, and Jasper a few years ago. Spectacular beauty. We stayed at the Fairmont Banff Springs, but only visited the Fairmont Lake Louise for lunch.
05-24-2016, 07:19 AM
#9
Thread Starter
^ Some people stayed at the Banff Springs, but we were at the Rimrock Resort. Banff Springs is interesting in terms of its architecture but I liked the Rimrock better. Not as big and a bit more secluded.