Road trip through the Rockies advice thread

[choxorn]

Hmm I can't help overall because I've never traveled around there, but I do have family in Seattle and my best advice in that regard would be "don't stay long". Seattle has some cool sights worth maybe checking out but overall my impression of it is that it's a pretty depressing city to hang out in.

It's only depressing if you come here in the middle of the winter when the weather is horrible. It's much better to be here if you come in the summer, like he is, when it's actually sunny most of the time.

There's not much here that others haven't already suggested, but I'll add in Mt. Baker and St. Helens if you haven't already seen enough mountains. While you're in the city itself, the Space Needle is worth considering if you like the view, although the food is ridiculously expensive. There's some other things in the city worth visiting, but most of the things you'd want to see around here are the aforementioned national parks, rivers, and mountains.

 

[emzie]

In Seattle? Drive to Forks, meet a vampire!

 

[Maniacal]

For BC, I haven't been east past Kamloops in well over a decade so I don't remember any spots there, but past Kamloops towards Victoria there are some pretty neat places.

If you stick with this route over the Coquihalla Highway (which is a nice, mountainous drive) Lac le Jeune is great stop for a picnic although it does get busy in the summer. However, there is absolutely nothing in or around Merritt to look at little alone stop for.

You could also take the route west from Kamloops to Ashcroft then south to Lytton and down the Fraser River valley/canyon which is also really cool.

One place that is really nice to go to is Manning Park, which is east of Hope. Its a really beautiful valley and park, there are canoe rentals and a really amazing viewpoints on top of a mountain (which you can drive up to, there are also hiking trails there too). You might want to reserve a camping site ahead of time at the Lightning Lake campground (its right on the lakeside, although most of the sites are a bit father back. The other campgrounds are nice too, just less convenient when you have your own canoe).

No idea what the Tsawwassen-Victoria route is like but it looks good since it goes through a lot of islands. I've always taken either Tsawwassen or Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo and the Horseshoe Bay route is the nicer (and shorter) of the two.

If you had the time (although I guess you might not) its totally worth going out to Tofino and Pacific Rim National Park on the west side of Vancouver Island, as well as Malcom Island WAY up Vancouver Island. And Mount Washington in the Comox Valley has great hiking, mountain biking, and frisbee golf (or they used to have frisbee golf).

The ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles is nice too, I went on that one several years ago (long before those vampire books tainted the area).

 

[Orange Seeds]

What's this Jasper/Mount Robson route you're talking about? Could you map it for me?

I don't know how to map it without using paint, but basically continue North from Banff to Jasper along the 93 and then turn south on the 5 and then return to the mapped OP route at Kamloops. Mt. Robson is basically across the provincial border from Jasper and is on the same highway.

The ferry to Victoria from Horseshoe bay takes the same route as the ferry from Tswwassen through Active Pass, but the drive to Horseshoe Bay is much, much better than the drive to Tswwassen. If you're not worried about exiting the highway you should exit Highway 1 at Hastings and drive downtown then go over the Lions Gate. It's quite the cross section of Metro-Vancouver: Surrey, Burnaby, East Hastings, the Westend, Stanley Park, West Van, Sea to Sky Highway, ferry. I think there are few drives like it and most people miss out because they continue on Highway 1 over the Ironworkers.

EDIT: There is also some very good and very cheap food downtown especially if you like Sushi.

It also occurs to me that Horseshoe Bay doesn't service Victoria. I was confusing it with Nanaimo. Bother terminals go to Nanaimo. Only Tswwassen goes to to Victoria. No matter, this just makes it less of a reroute to go to Tofino.

 

[warpus]

Whoah, $260 is ridiculous unless it's like a week long and has hundreds of bands or musicians playing. The one I linked is about $200, I think? The other festival I'm attending in West Virginia is only about $140 if you got the tickets early enough.

I found the forest rave my friend was talking about

$260, 4 nights, 6 stages, and more than 200 artists. all sold out though

I just read a bit about it, it's a family run thing in the forest, no corporate sponsorship, voted "best large event" by International Breakspoll Awards, whatever that is... tons of interesting musicians.. camping.. seems pretty cool, would be neat to check out for a night, if we can get in somehow

 

[warpus]

SEEMS YOU HAVE TIME NOW!

Honestly, it's less than an 8 hour drive from Glacier National Park. See both. It's a big caldera with amazing pristine scenery. Wolves, bison, elk. I mean, you'll be driving and have to stop because there's just a big ol' bison in the road. It's awesome. One of the few truly preserved places left in North America, at least that's easily accessible by car. You can meet my mom too! Just don't date her

I'm thinking more and more that we might have to limit our trip to Canada only. We'd get to Victoria via Banff and Kelowna.. and then go back via Kamloops, Mt. Robson, and Jasper. That seems to cover everything cool in Canada, even our own "Glacier National Park"

Yellowstone and America's version of Glacier National Park will just have to wait until another trip. It seems like I'd need more time to really appreciate them properly anyway.

If you do find the time to hit Yellowstone (which i also highly recommend), the route you'd likely take is the beartooth pass. Charles Kuralt called it the most beautiful drive in America. It's only open a few months a year and looks spectacular.

I really hope I can somehow remember all this years from now when I'm doing a Yellowstone/GNP trip..

If you stick with this route over the Coquihalla Highway (which is a nice, mountainous drive) Lac le Jeune is great stop for a picnic although it does get busy in the summer. However, there is absolutely nothing in or around Merritt to look at little alone stop for.

You could also take the route west from Kamloops to Ashcroft then south to Lytton and down the Fraser River valley/canyon which is also really cool.

One place that is really nice to go to is Manning Park, which is east of Hope. Its a really beautiful valley and park, there are canoe rentals and a really amazing viewpoints on top of a mountain (which you can drive up to, there are also hiking trails there too). You might want to reserve a camping site ahead of time at the Lightning Lake campground (its right on the lakeside, although most of the sites are a bit father back. The other campgrounds are nice too, just less convenient when you have your own canoe).

No idea what the Tsawwassen-Victoria route is like but it looks good since it goes through a lot of islands. I've always taken either Tsawwassen or Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo and the Horseshoe Bay route is the nicer (and shorter) of the two.

If you had the time (although I guess you might not) its totally worth going out to Tofino and Pacific Rim National Park on the west side of Vancouver Island, as well as Malcom Island WAY up Vancouver Island. And Mount Washington in the Comox Valley has great hiking, mountain biking, and frisbee golf (or they used to have frisbee golf).

The ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles is nice too, I went on that one several years ago (long before those vampire books tainted the area).

Coquihalla highway already came up earlier in the thread (as highway 5 or whatever) so it seems like the "go back via Jasper" idea is a good one.

That's a lot of great tips I will be able to look up on a map later, thanks a lot dude

I don't know how to map it without using paint, but basically continue North from Banff to Jasper along the 93 and then turn south on the 5 and then return to the mapped OP route at Kamloops. Mt. Robson is basically across the provincial border from Jasper and is on the same highway.

That's it.. Mt. Robson Provincial Park HAS to be a part of this trip.. There's no other way.

(i just looked again at a map)

The ferry to Victoria from Horseshoe bay takes the same route as the ferry from Tswwassen through Active Pass, but the drive to Horseshoe Bay is much, much better than the drive to Tswwassen. If you're not worried about exiting the highway you should exit Highway 1 at Hastings and drive downtown then go over the Lions Gate. It's quite the cross section of Metro-Vancouver: Surrey, Burnaby, East Hastings, the Westend, Stanley Park, West Van, Sea to Sky Highway, ferry. I think there are few drives like it and most people miss out because they continue on Highway 1 over the Ironworkers.

EDIT: There is also some very good and very cheap food downtown especially if you like Sushi.

It also occurs to me that Horseshoe Bay doesn't service Victoria. I was confusing it with Nanaimo. Bother terminals go to Nanaimo. Only Tswwassen goes to to Victoria. No matter, this just makes it less of a reroute to go to Tofino.

I love sushi! There are places that are cheap and have sushi.. and are good?

 

[emzie]

I'm thinking more and more that we might have to limit our trip to Canada only. We'd get to Victoria via Banff and Kelowna.. and then go back via Kamloops, Mt. Robson, and Jasper. That seems to cover everything cool in Canada, even our own "Glacier National Park"

Yellowstone and America's version of Glacier National Park will just have to wait until another trip. It seems like I'd need more time to really appreciate them properly anyway.



I really hope I can somehow remember all this years from now when I'm doing a Yellowstone/GNP trip..

GOOD. I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO MEET MY MOM.

you could always head up north into the Yukon / NWT!

 

[warpus]

This hike is on my two do list, but I imagine you won't have the time:

I am really interested in this hike now. I found this map.

Seems to be hard to find more information about the types of hikes you can do, though. Maybe you know a bit more about it?

Is it possible to do this hike from the Jasper park side? The map cuts off but it seems like a day hike from Jasper park to Berg lake.. maybe?

If you start from the trailhead (south) how far would you have to go to get to see some of those cool sights? Seems like at least 2 days, right? What do you do once you reach Berg Lake, is my question. Surely you don't hike all the way back the way you came from..?

 

[Save_Ferris]

Hit up Yellowstone, it's an amazing place.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Bl...dEgw0-Q&mra=dpe&mrsp=3&sz=6&via=1,2,3&t=h&z=6

This. Not too far out of the way, actually. Avoid the geysers and try to watch for bears or deer.

 

[warpus]

@Orange Seeds

I have a friend in Edmonton who says that it's possible to do the Berg Lake hike in "1 night"

You start at the trailhead, walk 22km to the Berg Lake campsite, camp out, next day hike back to the trailhead.

I have convinced my travelling buddy to do this with me All because of that one pic. I WILL GO TO THERE

 

[Orange Seeds]

I think the trail that continues into Jasper is the Moose River Route which I know little about. Here are some links in my bookmarks about it:

Larger Map
Info on Moose River from Min of Environ

The trails that branch off the Berg lake trail on your map are mostly a couple of hours long and go to other viewpoints. I've heard Snowbird Pass is spectacular.

I use Clubtread for hiking resources. This page might be useful:
http://www.clubtread.com/routes/ByPark.aspx?Park=131

 

[Orange Seeds]

@Orange Seeds

I have a friend in Edmonton who says that it's possible to do the Berg Lake hike in "1 night"

You start at the trailhead, walk 22km to the Berg Lake campsite, camp out, next day hike back to the trailhead.

I have convinced my travelling buddy to do this with me All because of that one pic. I WILL GO TO THERE

Awesome! I hope it's amazing as it looks. I can't wait until I find the time for this hike.

 

[warpus]

GOOD. I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO MEET MY MOM.

you could always head up north into the Yukon / NWT!

I do want to go there one day, actually. One of my friends went last year and she brought back some amazing pictures.. It's too far for this trip though..

I think the trail that continues into Jasper is the Moose River Route which I know little about. Here are some links in my bookmarks about it:

I've been chatting about this with a friend from Edmonton who apparently has been planning to do this hike as well. She says that you can do this trail from the Jasper side, but it's a 100km hike.. heh.. so that's out.

The trails that branch off the Berg lake trail on your map are mostly a couple of hours long and go to other viewpoints. I've heard Snowbird Pass is spectacular.

I use Clubtread for hiking resources. This page might be useful:
http://www.clubtread.com/routes/ByPark.aspx?Park=131

Dunno if we'll have time for side trips, but maybe if we made this into a 2 night long thing we will. As for clubtread, I THINK I even created an account on that site 2 weeks ago.. heh.. will have to check.. thanks.

Awesome! I hope it's amazing as it looks. I can't wait until I find the time for this hike.

She seems to have done research into this in the past.. and yeah.. 22km one way, 22km back.. 22km is a lot to walk in one day, but if you're only going for 1 night you don't need to bring a lot of stuff. for 2 nights, same thing, basically. I wonder how safe it will be to leave our car at the trailhead though.

 

[RedFred]

I have lived in Edmonton and Nelson and hiked extensively in the Rockies and Kootenays. The multi-day hikes are better than day trips in my opinion. Skyline in Jasper Park, Rockwall in Kootenay Park west of Banff Park, Great Divide hike which goes through several parks/wilderness areas. The Valhallas in the West Kootenays are not too be missed and you should also visit some hot springs there.

Agree with the poster who suggested heading across island to Tofino/Long Beach/Uclulet. Did an amazing guided week long ocean kayaking trip last summer out of there.

 

[warpus]

I have lived in Edmonton and Nelson and hiked extensively in the Rockies and Kootenays. The multi-day hikes are better than day trips in my opinion. Skyline in Jasper Park, Rockwall in Kootenay Park west of Banff Park, Great Divide hike which goes through several parks/wilderness areas. The Valhallas in the West Kootenays are not too be missed and you should also visit some hot springs there.

Agree with the poster who suggested heading across island to Tofino/Long Beach/Uclulet. Did an amazing guided week long ocean kayaking trip last summer out of there.

Thanks, I will do research on all these hikes. I might be able to squeeze some of this stuff in, who knows.

My friend really wants to stop by some hotsprings, which ones exactly do you have in mind? She found some in the very south of BC, which we are planning on visiting on our way back to Calgary - by taking a route that's very close to the border. If there's better hot springs I wanna know about them

edit: Are you talking about the radium hot springs?

 

[Orange Seeds]

I unfortunately don't know names and locations in that region since I went hotspring hopping on my way north to Tuktuyuktuk, but my advice is to find the natural hotsprings. Many springs have been transformed into tiled and roofed pools; that sucks. Find the ones where you sit in the mossy, slimy, rocky natural springs. It made the experience much more memorable.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

When you're in Calgary, face north and wave at me! I'm just 90 miles up the QEII (Ralph Klein renamed Highway 2 after Queen Elizabeth II a few years back).

The last time I was in the Rockies, I did a bit of hiking around Lake Minnewanka. It's incredibly peaceful there, although you do need to be careful of the bears. If you have time to explore around Emerald Lake/The Natural Bridge, it's an amazing sight.

And when you see The Three Sisters... my grandmother did a lot of various paintings of those mountains. I'm so glad she did, so I can remember how beautiful that area was before all the commercial activity proliferated.

Three Valley Gap is one of my favorite places in BC. The scenery is beautiful, and the feeling that a Prairie-born and raised person gets there... is creepily claustrophobic. I remember that I kept glancing at the mountain beside the highway, since I couldn't shake the feeling that it was going to fall over any minute. I wondered how the people who lived and worked there coped, but I suppose they wonder the same thing about people who live all the time under the vast Prairie skies.

Dang, I envy you this chance for such a wonderful trip!

 

[RedFred]

Both Radium and Fairmont Hot Springs are overdeveloped in my opinion. Not much different than a big heated pool. Even Nakusp has really changed. The the hot spring "caves" & pool in Ainsworth are my personal favourite of places you can easily get to.

If you take the Crowsnest pass across the Rockies instead of the Kickinghorse or Rodgers you will travel near Nelson which is near Ainsworth.

As noted by Orange Seeds there are undeveloped hot springs throughout BC. They tend to be in less accessable locations (which is why they have not been developed). Given your time constraints I don't think I can recommend any. Possibly Hot Springs Cove if you do make it to Tofino/Uclulet.

 

[ZeletDude]

Northern Idaho is really nice, Yellowstone/Jackson Hole Wyoming is really nice too.

 

[SG-17]

Keep an eye out for any Sasquatches.