ALBERTA ROCKIES Johnston Canyon, Perry Mack Photo
The Most 70
S N O W B I
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R V T R A V E L E R S
SPECTACULAR Journey in the World By Perry Mack
In another lifetime this journey would have made for epic storytelling or a world-renowned book regaling famous explorers. Its more common name is Hwy 93 North. But this doesn’t do justice to a route that travels along the spine of the continent. When I say ‘spine of the continent’, I mean the continental divide. Te range of mountains where on one side the water all flows west to the Pacific and when you look to the east, every drop makes its way thousands of kilometers to the Atlantic. Tis national treasure stretches
232km (144mi.) through the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site, offering access to a vast wilderness of pristine mountain lakes, ancient glaciers and broad
sweeping valleys. Some of Canada’s most famous predators call this land home including eagles, wolves, cougars, black bears and our beloved but fearsome grizzly bears. However, your camera lens is more likely to capture some of the majestic hoofed beasts including Big Horn Sheep, Elk, Moose, Mountain Goats and Caribou. Nevertheless, be bear aware. Tis is the road trip of a lifetime,
so grab your family, friends and neighbours because when you’re truly inspired by your experience, it’s always better when it’s shared. Te first leg of your journey covers the 54 km stretch from Banff to Lake Louise. You might want to start your trip by finding a spot at Tunnel Mountain Campground. Its central location in this first region makes it a great home base to explore from. Tere are over 1,000 sites including 321 full service seasonal sites for RV’s. You begin in the world-renowned alpine town of Banff. If you allow
enough time you can take in the museums, art galleries, stop at a few restaurants and naturally enjoy the shopping on Banff’s main street. Look up and you’ll see the majestic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel constructed in 1888 in the style of a Scottish baronial castle. As long as you’re not afraid of heights the Banff Gondola just outside of town will provide you with some of the most unforgettable views you’ll ever see. It feels like you’re at the roof of the world. Make sure your have extra memory cards and batteries for your camera. While technically not part of the
ice fields parkway, a short side trip west of Banff along the Bow Valley Parkway will take you to Johnston Canyon. Tis is an easy level hike that, in a very dramatic fashion, shows the power of rushing water over time. Here the river has cut down through the limestone rock, forming waterfalls and potholes and the famous Ink Pots.
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