The Canadian Rockies: Yoho & Kootenay National Parks

The Canadian Rockies - British Columbia's Yoho & Kootenay National Parks

Brenda Koller

Hunter Publishing, Inc.

HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC.

comments@hunterpublishing.com

www.hunterpublishing.com

Ulysses Travel Publications

4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec

Canada H2W 2M5

tel. 514-843-9882, ext. 2232; fax 514-843-9448

The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington

Oxford, OX44 9EJ England

tel. 01865-361122; fax 01865-361133

© Hunter Publishing, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and companies disclaim any responsibility for injury, harm, or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume and hereby disclaim, liability for loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions are the result of negligence, accident or any other cause.

Introduction

My Travel Philosophy

How I’ve Organized The Book

Human History

Geology

Glaciers

Glacial Lakes

Hoodoos

Hot Springs

Life Zones

Montane

Subalpine

Alpine

Plants

Weather and Seasons

Wildlife

Wildlife Encounters

Seton Watching

Wildlife Viewing

Bighorn Sheep

Mountain Goat

White-tailed Deer

Mule Deer

Elk

Moose

Black Bear

Grizzly Bear

Coyote

Columbian Ground Squirrel

Red Squirrel

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Least Chipmunk

Pika

Hoary Marmot

Beaver

Animal Tracks

Birding

National and Provincial Parks

National Park Regulations

Visitor Information Centres

Getting There and Getting Around

By Road

Motorhome Rentals

By Bus

By Air

By Rail

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Private Accommodations

Hostelling

Camping

Photography Tips

What to Bring

Adventures Rockies-Style

Playing it Safe

Backcountry Wardens

Adventuring with Children

Tour Operators

Sports and Camping Equipment Rentals

Adventures On Water

Lake Boating

Canoeing

Swimming

Fishing

Whitewater Rafting

Adventures On Horseback

Adventures on Foot

Hiking

A Wilderness Code of Ethics

Insect Pests

Backpacking

What To Bring on a Hike

Climbing Gear

Day Hike

Backpacking

Duct Tape

Inukshuks

Mountain Biking

Bicycle Touring

Winter Adventures

Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding

Cross-country Skiing

Outdoor Ice-Skating

Travel – General

Travelling with Dogs

When In Canada

Public Holidays – British Columbia and Alberta

Time Zones

The Language

Money Matters

Metric Matters

Telephone Calls

Alcohol and Tobacco

Information Sources

History

Getting There & Getting Around

By Road

Distances from Field

The Great Divide

Bus Service

By Rail

Special Events

Townsite

Mount Stephen

Friends of Yoho National Park

Shopping

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Rental Cottages & Apartments

Camping

Campsites in Yoho  

Privately operated camping near Yoho National Park

Backcountry Camping

Hostelling

Tour Operators

Horseback Riding

Whitewater Rafting

Lake Boating and Fishing

Wildlife

Adventures

Mountain Biking

Drives, Sights, Activities & Hikes

Trans Canada Highway

The Spiral Tunnels

Leanchoil Hoodoos

Wapta Falls

Yoho Valley

Upper Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint

Meeting of the Waters Viewpoint

Takakkaw Falls

Iceline

Rocky Mountain Travel Reflections – Fire and Ice

Emerald Lake Road

The Natural Bridge

Emerald Lake

Rocky Mountain Travel Reflections – Taking the Plunge 

Lake O’Hara 

Rocky Mountain Travel Reflections – Yoho Friends 

Winter Adventures

Alpine Skiing

Nordic Skiing

Outdoor Ice Skating

Scenic Must-See’s

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

To Do List

Ottertail Fire Road to Goodsir Pass

Lake O’Hara

Useful Information

Information Sources

Kootenay National Park

History

Getting There & Getting Around

By Road

Distances from the village of Radium Hot Springs 

Bus Service

Car Rentals

Taxis

By Air

Special Events

Village of Radium Hot Springs

Invermere – Small-town Charm

Friends of Kootenay National Park

Attractions

Rocky Mountain Travel Reflections – Sunset at Fairmont

Shopping

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Mount Assiniboine 

Camping

Campsites in Kootenay National Park

Marble Canyon

Dolly Varden (Winter)

McLeod Meadows

Redstreak

Campgrounds in the Columbia Valley

Dry Gulch Provincial Campground

The Canyon RV Resort on Sinclair Creek

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

Backcountry Camping

Hostelling

Wildlife

Adventures

Tour Operators

Horseback Riding

Whitewater Rafting

Boating and Fishing

Mountain Biking & Bicycle Touring

Drives, Sights, Activities & Hikes

Continental Divide, Vermilion Pass and the Fireweed Trail

Stanley Glacier

Marble Canyon

Paint Pots

Sinclair Canyon

Picnicking Along The Parkway

Winter Adventures

Skiing

Scenic Must-See’s

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

To Do List

Backpack to The Rockwall

Useful Information

Information Sources

Glossary of Terms

Bibliography/Recommended Reading

Spiral tunnel, Yoho National Park

Introduction

What is it about the mountains that lure us in so captivatingly, leave us with a sense of awe and well being, and call us to return time again? Wilderness is the hallmark of Canada and the Rocky Mountains are one of its defining features. Canada is well known the world over for its cherished national and provincial parks and the Rocky Mountain Parks are the most famous of these protected areas.

The Rocky Mountains are a contiguous chain of mountains that stretch from the British Columbia/Yukon border all the way to New Mexico. The provinces of British Columbia and Alberta share the Canadian Rockies with the Continental Divide (the Great Divide) serving as the provincial boundary, a natural divide running along the highest peaks. The western boundary is a great long valley called the Rocky Mountain Trench and to the east are the Interior Plains. Divisions crosswise include: the northern Canadian Rockies, north of the Peace River; Central Canadian Rockies, from the Peace River to the Crowsnest Pass; and southern Canadian Rockies, south of the Crowsnest Pass to the international border.

Alberta’s Jasper National Park, the most northerly mountain national park and the ever-popular Banff National Park, the first national park in Canada, along with British Columbia’s amazing Yoho and Kootenay National Parks together cover 20,280 square kilometres (7,800 square miles) – one of the largest areas of mountain parkland in the entire world. In 1985, these four contiguous national parks (together with the provincial parks of Hamber, Mount Robson and Mount Assiniboine) were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

In his classic book In the Heart of the Canadian Rockies(London: MacMillan & Co. Ltd., 1906), mountaineer James Outram (1864-1925) compares the splendour of Switzerland’s mountains with the United States and concludes that the wonderous glacial fields, the massing of majestic ranges, the striking individuality of each great peak, the forest areas, green pasture lands, clear lakes, and peaceful valleys, are nowhere found harmoniously blended on the western continent until the traveler visits that section of the Rocky Mountains which lies within the wide domain of Canada.

The Canadian Rockies are one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. About four million people annually visit Canada’s Rocky Mountain Parks to experience the essence of Canada’s natural and cultural Rocky Mountain heritage. The parks offer a mind-boggling array of year-round choices for the visitor with more and more people venturing off the highways and roads to partake in the landscape and discover some of the most stunning scenery the world has to offer. Easily accessible adventures include walking, hiking and backpacking; mountain biking and bicycle touring; fishing, boating and rafting; horseback riding; skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing; and so much more. Then of course, there’s wildlife viewing. Visitors to the Canadian Rockies have the opportunity to see some of North America’s most spectacular animals including 69 different species of mammals. And where else but in the Canadian Rockies can you spend your morning hiking into spectacular wilderness areas and by afternoon enjoy high tea in the civilized surroundings of a grand hotel.

I have lived beside the Canadian Rockies all of my life and have been travelling to visit the Rockies since I was a child. Much has changed over the years. Along with park development and increased visitation has come environmental awareness and education. Each visit adds an array of new experiences and knowledge that reinforce my passion for the Rockies. I hope that you have the opportunity to experience some of the incredible sights and activities in this guidebook that I’m thrilled to share with you. I’m confident that you will treasure your Canadian Rockies’ experiences for a lifetime, as I do.

"Go, at any cost, and live among the mountains, forgetting that there is anything else in life . . ." Mary Jobe, an intrepid Rocky Mountain adventurer, ca 1912.

My Travel Philosophy

There’s so much you can prepare before you even pack a bag or make a single travel arrangement. By reading this guide you may already be gearing up for a trip to the Canadian Rockies. There’s much written material available about the Rockies and with the popularity of the internet, scads of information is available at your fingertips. So I’ve included plenty of web addresses as well as suggestions for fascinating further reading. The more you know before you depart, the more enjoyable and safe your trip will be.

In his article The Mental Training of a Traveller (The Geographical Journal, February, 1915), British historian and statesman Viscount James Bryce (1838-1922) gives some good advice that is just as relevant today as it was back then:

If a man enters the finest picture-gallery in Europe knowing nothing at all about the painters, whose work is there stored, their dates, the schools they belonged to, or the subjects they painted, he will derive very little benefit, and will carry away a most confused impression; but a little preliminary study will enable him to appreciate and enjoy pictures in a way which will be profitable all the rest of his life. So it is when we enter the vast gallery of Nature. If we start to travel with a certain amount of preliminary knowledge, our travels repay us more and more at every step. The three things we ought to carry with us in order to learn and to profit are these: first of all, we ought to know what to look for; secondly, how to observe; and thirdly, how to reflect upon the things we do observe.

There are two ways to arrange your Rocky Mountain visit. You can contact a booking agent, advise them as to when and where you plan to travel, and they can arrange the rest for you: transportation, accommodation, tours and the like. There is usually no fee charged to the traveller for this service and it might save you time, but really you learn very little of your destination in the process. Also, you will be committed to a pre-arranged itinerary. There’s nothing wrong with this, but personally I prefer independent travel for a number of reasons. Firstly, I want to research my destination so that I can learn about the place I’m going to visit and making all of the arrangements is a learning process. Also, after I arrive at my destination I like the flexibility of changing my plans, something that isn’t always possible if you’re on a prearranged schedule.

Every tourist destination has its canned attractions, some of which can be quite enjoyable and some of which are best avoided - the Rockies are no exception. I’m pretty good at spotting and avoiding tourist traps – overpriced establishments that offer little and charge a lot. Chain stores and chain restaurants I can frequent at home but I try to avoid them there, too. I’m partial to family operated businesses as they have a vested interest in treating their customers well and will often go the extra mile. I embrace places off the beaten path, places a little out of the ordinary, places that many tourists pass by, either because they haven’t taken the time to find out about them or because they’re simply happy amongst the hoards at the customary attractions. Realistically, if you’re visiting the Rockies during the peak months of July or August, you’re going to have to put up with some crowds. But there are still some places in the Rockies that few visitors know about and you may well end up with some very satisfying solitude.

Most of the activities in this guidebook can be accomplished independently, but I would like to add a word of caution: if you are not an experienced boater, hiker or backcountry camper and if you are at all hesitant about heading out on the trails, you should sign up for a tour or hire a guide. There are