By Amanda May
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

Yoga is a fantastic way to build strength, flexibility and confidence, all the while increasing circulation, your sense of well being and relaxation.

Warrior One pose high in the picturesque Canadian Rockies on an Eco Yoga Adventures retreat. (Eco Yoga Adventures)

There are several places to practice yoga with others in the Canadian Rockies, be it in a studio or out in the wilderness on a retreat. Read below for a few ideas of where you can practice on your visit to the Canadian Rockies.

Rocky Mountain Yoga
Rocky Mountain Yoga is a studio in the town of Banff that offers Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga, Yin and Yin/Yang yoga styles. They have daily classes as well as some specialty workshops.

This spring, workshops include a Chakra Yoga-Healing Intensive 1-day workshop and 3 days of workshops with Vancouver-based Anusara-inspired yoga teacher Trisha Wilson.

The studio is located in the Bison Courtyard in downtown Banff. Check Rocky Mountain Yoga or call (403) 762-5686 for more information.

The Banff Centre
The Banff Centre in Banff National Park also offers Flow and Vinyasa yoga classes. According to the center, you will leave class feeling radiant, strong, calm, and centered. What could be better?

Retreats with Eco Yoga Adventures combine yoga with hiking in Banff National Park. (Eco Yoga Adventures)

Visitors to the area can drop into classes, which are designed to accommodate people of all fitness levels. The drop in rate is $10 per class, or a 10-class punch card for $90. Mats are provided.

The centre also has a climbing gym, pool, and an extensive arts program. At the centre, you’ll be right in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, yet just a few blocks from downtown Banff. Visit The Banff Centre or call (403) 762-6100 for more information.

Eco Yoga Adventures
Eco Yoga Adventures is a Banff company that organizes retreats that mix yoga and meditation with hiking in breathtaking Banff National Park. Experience your inner nature while appreciating the outdoors on a whole new level with one of their programs like Eco Yoga, Heli-Yoga or Walking Meditation. Trips can be reserved for small groups (3-6 people) from June to September. Visit Eco Yoga Adventures or call 403-678-0101 for more information.

Om!

Exploring the Mountain Tops in Banff National Park

Challenge your climbing skills in Banff National Park.

By Caroline Shin
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

BANFF, Alberta (Rockies.com) – Banff National Park includes a huge section of the Canadian Rockies range from the crest of the Continental Divide along the British Columbia – Alberta border on the west and nearly to the edge of the prairies on the east. This tremendous Canadian mountainous terrain makes for excellent rock climbing in Banff National Park.

Local climbers distinguish between the higher, often glaciated alpine ranges along the continental divide, and the slightly lower, drier ranges to the east. The Trans Canada Highway provides the main east-west route through Banff National Park with access to the town and service centers of Banff and Lake Louise. A park highway, which parallels the main Divide Range from Lake Louise to Jasper, offers some of the most spectacular Canadian alpine peaks and glaciers on the continent.

Popular Mountain Climbing Sites in Banff National Park

Moderate-Level Climbing in Banff:

Cascade Mountain and Mt. Rundle: near the city of Banff and Mt. Fairview in the Lake Louise area, popular for scrambling.

Mts. Edith and Cory: each located close to the road near Banff for roped rock climbs and attractive peaks, popular for scrambling.

Moderate to Difficult Level Climbing in Banff:

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: the High summits around these areas provide some of the most popular alpine climbing areas in North America. They contain everything from moderate scrambles to the most serious alpine faces. Extensive trails provide excellent access. This is a good area in which to focus an initial summer climbing trip to the Canadian Rockies.

Castle Mountain: west of Banff offers a number of steep rock routes on gritty dolomitic limestone.

Mt. Louis: has challenging multipitch limestone rock climbs and a spectacular, spire-like summit.

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Biking in Banff, Alberta – The Ideal Sightseeing Experience

Mountain biking covers more ground while still keeping you in the great outdoors of Banff National Park.

By Michele Kadison
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

BANFF, Alberta (Rockies.com) – If you are planning to take your vacation in Banff, Alberta, take my advice and plan on participating in a guided Canadian bike tour. There is no better way to explore the beautiful town of Banff and all the wonderful areas that surround it than on two wheels.

With distances too far for walking and too close for a vehicle, biking around Banff is the perfect way to explore the surrounding Canadian wilderness in ways that would be almost impossible by foot or in a car. With the fresh mountain air in your lungs, the freedom to stop any where you like, as well as the incomparable exercise you will get, biking is the way to go!

I went to Banff in the spring, having been in the process of planning my trip for over a year. I knew that I could not miss taking a bicycling excursion. So I booked a guided bike tour and I must say, it turned into the vacation of a lifetime.

I started out with a short tour in and around Banff, Alberta itself, taking in the magnificent scenery and filling my lungs with fresh, Canadian Rockies air.

This city girl was in ‘breathing heaven’! Besides the exhilaration of being fully oxygenated, I was all a-glow from this initial introduction to what must be one of the most beautiful areas on the planet.

We rode along the Vermillion Lakes to see the amazing bird life – I even spotted an eagle – and then on to Bow Falls, which was the only hill we encountered that day.

The view from Bow Falls provides a magnificent panorama of the surrounding natural Canadian beauty, and I remembered reading that this point was made famous in the movie “River of No Return” with Marilyn Monroe. Very glamorous!

We then spun around to the other side of the Bow River to “Surprise Corner” where there was a wonderful view of the Banff Springs Hotel.

The next day I took the Sundance Canyon Bike and Hike excursion. This took us past the Cave & Basin National Historic Site and along the Bow River to Sundance Canyon. We put the bikes aside for a while to hike for about one kilometer through the canyon, past the beaver ponds and into the beautiful, thick forest that makes this place so utterly precious.

We stopped on the way back for a picnic along the river, basking in the Canadian Rocky Mountain sun.

The Lake Minnewanka loop is both scenic and challenging.

The last excursion I signed up for was the Lake Minnewanka Loop, a 16 kilometer ride that begins along a serene back road and leads up to the largest lake in the Canadian Rockies. We went past Bankhead, a ghost town that provided a stunning contrast against the sensation of such living nature, and on to Two Jack Lake.

Our guide suggested that we push on to Johnson Lake, making the moderate ride a bit more challenging. Our group was up for it, and so on we went, and it was truly worth the trek. I was using all of the gears on my bike, hoping my body wouldn’t pay for it the next day, and found myself in utter ecstasy at each turn that brought yet another spectacular Canadian view.

Needless to say, we stopped often to explore and take pictures. Not to bring a camera is a crime, you will want to have a reminder of this biking trip once you return home. After a lovely picnic lakeside, we turned back, leisurely biking our way back to home base, realizing that we still had the rest of the day to enjoy!

On my last day in the area my friend and I decided to take our own mountain bike excursion. We boarded the bus at 8:30AM at the Ski Hub in downtown Banff, our bicycles in tow, and arrived at the base of the Sunshine Ski Area. From here we took our time riding back to Banff, first along the paved road, which is an easy downhill ride of seven kilometers.

The valley sits at the bottom and we continued along Healy Creek Road, an amazing Canadian mountain bike trail that took us to the Cave & Basin National Historic Site. We went back to Sundance Canyon, where we had visited the other day, to stretch our legs by hiking a bit.

Feeling the sun on our faces and the wind in our hair, we felt like we ruled the world! Back to our bikes, we explored, hopping on and off for the rest of the day until we arrived back at home base. Truly a trip to remember

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The Inside Scoop on Banff, Alberta’s Best Hiking

Lace up those boots and set off into Banff National Park for some great hiking.

By Al Boludo
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

BANFF, Alberta (Rockies.com) – Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada covers a 6,641 square kilometer (2,564 square mile) area of unparalleled mountain scenery in the heart of the magnificent Canadian Rockies. Besides glaciers, icefields, some of the tallest peaks and most beautiful lakes in the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park has a trail system that covers 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).

To get some idea of how a hiker might tackle these Canadian Rocky Mountain trails, we spoke to two local experts, Gordon Stermann, a 30-year resident of Banff, Alberta and owner of White Mountain Adventures, and Bud Ettinger, owner of Back of Beyond Adventure Company since 1993.

Taking it easy

Stermann has a couple hikes he recommends that are both easy and rewarding.

“If you were to ask anybody in the Banff area about Sunshine Meadows, they’d say you had to go,” he says. “From Sunshine Meadows, you’ll get views of Mount Assiniboine, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, you’ll cross the continental divide, see three different mountain lakes and wild flowers like crazy.”

Stermann notes that the trail is easy and accessible to any level of hiker, and that his company operates a shuttle that will cut off a significant portion of the hike, allowing you to spend more time at the top.

For first timers, Stermann also suggests hitting the Lake Louise area, just four kilometers out of the town of Lake Louise, which, he notes, is a busy place “for a very, very good reason.”

One hike to check out there is the Lake Louise Lakeshore trail, which starts in front of Chateau Lake Louise. It is just four kilometers total with little to no elevation gain and makes for a quick one hour round trip. The trail is easy to walk for just about anyone, yet offers amazing views of the lake and surrounding peaks, plus access to several longer trails.

Get gruesome

Hike to amazing heights in Banff National Park.

For people willing and able to do a more difficult trip, Ettinger strongly recommends hiking Cory Pass, noting, “It’s a fairly gruesome hike.”

According to Parks Canada, in fact, this is “One of the most difficult hikes in Banff National Park,” and is recommended “for strong hikers with good route finding skills.”

Cory Pass is a 13 kilometer loop, with an elevation gain of 915 meters, and takes about six hours round trip.

It’s all worth it, according to Ettinger, “You go through a very high pass, where you can see the whole basin back behind you.”

“When you drop back down the other side, it’s true wilderness,” he adds. “You’ll see sheep for sure, and it’s great bear country.”

The hike starts from Fireside Picnic Area at the eastern end of the Bow Valley Parkway. From there you follow a one kilometer access road from the parkway to the picnic area. You return from Cory Pass by making a loop around Mount Edith and descending the Edith Pass trail. Check a trail guide for detailed directions.

Make like Santa Claus

For experienced hikers, Stermann recommends hiking Mount Yamnuska, a mountain just east of Canmore, which is technically outside of the Banff National Park, but hey, it’s a great hike, so we’ve included it.

“It’s a very steep face, but it’s relatively easy if you go around back,” he says.

The hike involves scaling a small chimney (which is a cut in the rock that is a narrow chute, like a small chimney with one wall missing).

From there you hike to a wire that you hold as you walk past a steep ledge. Then, you scramble up to the peak, which affords some of the most amazing views of the Canadian Rocky Mountain valley. Finally, it’s back down along a trail below a 1,000 foot cliff, to a scree field that you can slide down. The whole trip takes about four to six hours, Stermann says.

Because this hike is difficult and involves some climbing/scrambling, we recommend getting a guide or talking to Parks Canada before attempting it.

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Bring all your gear to enjoy the fishing in Banff National Park.

Fishing  & Fish-watching Recommendations in Banff National Park

By Michele Kadison
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

BANFF, Alberta (Rockies.com) – You know the worst day of fishing beats the best day of work and the worst day of fishing in Banff National Park beats just about everything else, too.

When you cast your line into one of Banff’s myriad waterways, you’ll be doing it amidst some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet. If you’re looking for a calm, tranquil, relaxing vacation … well, come fishing in Banff; it practically defines the concept of “relaxing.”

But be aware: there are a few rules you must follow:

1. GET YOUR PERMIT FIRST. It’s easy to get, and you absolutely must have one before you can fish in the park. You can get one at any of Banff’s information centers, hot pools or campground kiosks. They’re even sold in some local retail outlets. You can buy one for a single day or, if you’re lucky enough to be able to come back at will, you can get an annual permit. Plus, the permit is also valid in the nearby national parks of Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho.

2. HELP PRESERVE BANFF. When you come to Banff, you are coming to one of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s not easy to maintain that. Do your part. Obey all fishing regulations. If you see a tagged fish, report it. If there’s a creel or user survey, take part. And when park officials ask for public opinion, weigh in. Every little bit helps.

3. YOUR SAFETY IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. There probably isn’t a more relaxing activity in the world than fishing – at least, not one you can do while you’re awake! But it IS outdoors, and like all outdoor activities, it comes with its own attendant dangers. Please keep in mind the following:

- If you’re going to go out on a boat, be sure to have all of the required safety equipment.

- Remember, you’re in the mountains (as if you could forget!) That means the weather can turn at any time, no matter what time of year it is. It gets cold, and precipitation is always a possibility. Bring plenty of warm clothing and weather gear.

- Bears are beautiful animals. They’re not to be taken lightly, however. They are to be found in the Canadian Rockies, so be alert.

Of course, you don’t have to have bait and a hook to enjoy Banff’s aquatic wildlife. All you really need is a taste for adventure and the right equipment.

Instead of trying to catch the fish; just come watch them.

If you come at the right time of year, you might be able to see fish spawning in the waters near Banff.

First off, just like birdwatchers, bring binoculars. You’re going to want to get those lovely up-close views without actually wading into the water. Additionally, a pair of polarized sunglasses is highly recommended. The glare from the water can be blinding.

Next, do your homework. Know where to look when you’re out there. If you’re by an inlet or outlet of an alpine lake in June, keep an eye out for spawning cutthroat trout. If you’re out on the Bow River, pay close attention to the bottom. You could see a resting bull trout. You might also catch a glimpse of a school of mountain whitefish in the current.

Dive, dive, dive! Okay, you’re not in a submarine. But don’t be put off by the deeper waters. Divers in Lake Minnewanka, for example, claim to have seen a lake trout in the depths that could rival or even surpass the 43-pounder caught in the lake in 1889.

Having said that, if you’re standing near the surface of the water, keep back a bit. You don’t want your shadow cast over the lake as you could easily startle away the very fish you’re trying to see. And don’t throw rocks or other objects into the water to catch their attention. Be a polite guest.

For best results, look for fish in the hours around dawn and dusk. The light is more diffuse and the waters are calmer. In spring and fall, you might see fish spawning.

New to fish-watching in Banff? Here are four places you could start:

Cave and Basin Marsh: There’s a viewing platform for you here. Lots of tropical fish to see.

Beaver Pond, west end of 3rd Vermilion Lake: Come by in October; brook trout spawn in the shallow water close to the road.

Johnson Lake: Cross the bridge over the stream that flows in Muskrat Bay; it’s a very good place to watch fish. Rainbow trout spawn in the shallows in the spring; brook trout spawn there in the fall.

Forty Mile Creek: Take the Fenland Trail in the fall and you may see whitefish spawning.

So whether you’re in Banff to catch the fish or just watch them, if you follow the rules and use common sense, you’ll be in for a vacation you’ll never forget.

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Riding the Rails through Banff National Park

Take the train for scenic Banff views you can't reach by car.

In the modern age, it’s easy to get to Banff National Park – you can rent a car and drive the highway, ride a bus, hire a taxi or even hire a tourism agency to arrange it all for you.

Those are all fine choices. But the oldest way of reaching the park still holds a special attraction for many travelers.

There’s nothing like the train.

Rocky Mountaineer and VIA rail tours offer the traveler unparalleled views of the Canadian Rockies – not to mention the comfort of the train in which you are riding, or the first-class dining available to you as you go. There are several packages offered;  from budget-friendly to world-class extravagance. Along the way, you can stay at any of Banff’s resorts, or at other stops in the mountain tour.

Cars are fantastic things, and the highways in Banff are replete with stunning views. But ride the train, and you will see things you never would by car. And you get to see them while riding in the elegant comfort of a railroad car.

You can even link your rail vacation with a luxury Alaskan cruise. See the wonders of the northern world along a railroad line and from the deck of a cruise ship – a wondrous vacation without ever having to get behind the wheel.

For Rocky Mountaineer Rail services, call 1-877-460-3200 or log on to www.rockymountaineer.com.

For VIA Rail, call 1-888-842-7245 or log to www.viarail.ca.

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Getting to Banff

By Michele Kadison
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

BANFF, Alberta (Rockies.com) – Banff National Park is located 110 kilometers (70 miles) west of Calgary – and it’s easy to get there.

Arriving to Banff National Park is an easy commute from any location in the Canadian Rockies.

First off, you can simply drive it – it’s only an hour and a half along Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway. If you’re staying in the town of Banff, or anywhere else within the park, you’ll need a national park pass. You can purchase it at the gate for $9 per day per person, or $18 per car with 2-7 people in it.

Bus service is available from Calgary Inernational Airport and from downtown Calgary to the town of Banff, to the town of Lake Louise 58 kilometers west of Banff, and even to the town of Jasper, which is in Jasper National Park, to the immediate north of Banff. Taxi service is also available in Banff and Lake Louise, and many tour companies offer transportation service to the area.

Sundog Transportation and Tours the Rockies.com official airport and shuttle service for Banff National Park from Calgary International Airport.

Here are some driving distances in the Banff area:

Lake Louise: 45 minutes via #1 Hwy (west).

Lake Louise: 1 hour via #1A Bow Valley Parkway (west).

Jasper: 304 hours via #1 Hwy & #93 (north).

Columbia Icefields: 2 hours via #1 Hwy & #93 (north).

Calgary: 1.5 hours via #1 Hwy (east).

Vancouver: 10-12 hours via #1 Hwy (west).

Edmonton: 4.5 hours via #1 Hwy (east) & #2 Hwy (north).

Distances from the Town of Banff to:

Calgary – 128 km

Canmore – 26 km

Edmonton – 401 km

Golden – 134 km

Halifax – 5,121 km

Jasper – 287 km

Lake Louise – 58 km

Montreal – 3,872 km

New York – 4,448 km

Quebec City – 4,142 km

Radium – 134 km

San Francisco – 2,050 km

Toronto – 3,563 km

Vancouver – 850 km

Whitehorse – 2,514 km

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The town of Banff is nestled between snowy mountain peaks.

An Introduction to Banff National Park

By Michele Kadison
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

BANFF, Alberta (Rockies.com) – Welcome to Banff National Park – home to thriving wildlife, flowered meadows, huge icefields and some of the most sweeping vistas to be seen anywhere in the world.

Not bad for something that began as a little reserve around hot springs.

Banff encompasses 6,641 square kilometers (2,654 square miles) of terrain in the Canadian Rockies – and you will be hard-pressed to find more beautiful terrain anywhere else. From the pristine waters of Lake Louise to the staggering glacial views along the Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park has it all.

Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest park (and second only to Yellowstone National Park for oldest in North America). In 1885, Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald set aside 26 square kilometers around hot springs found in what would become Banff because of competing claims over who owned them. The Rocky Mountains Parks Act of 1887 expanded the park to 674 square kilometers and designated it Rocky Mountains Park – and thus Canada’s first national park was born.

The park was an instant hit with wealthy European travelers – and their North American counterparts – who rode the transcontinental railroad that runs through the park. The park’s size was expanded several times in the first half of the 20th century, with today’s borders being set in 1949.

Today, Banff National Park is the most visited tourist destination in Alberta, averaging nearly four million visitors per year. It’s been estimated that tourism contributes C$6 billion annually to Canada’s economy.

If you’re looking for magnificent mountain views, beautiful meadows, skiing, fishing, wildlife adventures or just a relaxing vacation, Banff National Park is the place to be.

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The view of Banff from Sulphur Mountain offers a breathtaking panorama.

What to see and how to see it

By James Snow
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

BANFF, Alberta (Rockies.com) – Ever since the wonders of the Banff area were first discovered, people have been flocking here to experience for themselves the natural wonders and breathtaking scenery.

But for those visiting Banff, the challenge is how to get around, and how to see all the highlights – especially if you have limited time and/or you don’t have your own car.

Fortunately for people like us, there are the Brewster coach tours. Brewster has been guiding people through the Canadian Rockies ever since the Canadian Pacific Railways decided, “if we can’t export the mountains, we’ll have to import the tourists.”

Discover Banff

Taking the Discover Banff tour with Brewster is the easiest way to take in the sights and learn too.

The good thing about The Discover Banff tour with Brewster is their drivers will pick you up at your hotel (or at their depot in town), take you on a three-hour guided tour of the highlights, and then drop you off at your hotel in time for lunch.

The only downside is that you really don’t get to spend a whole lot of time at any one place. It’s kind of like a buffet brunch – you get to sample a little bit of everything.

If you really want the full-meal deal, you can rent a car or hire a taxi and go to these places individually. But going on the tour is probably the best introduction.

Banff Gondola

The upper terminal of the Banff Gondola offers a 360-degree view of Banff and the surrounding valleys.

The high point of this tour (literally) has to be the Banff Gondola ride at Sulphur Mountain. Sulphur Mountain is where Banff National Park was conceived. Workers on the Canadian Pacific Railway discovered natural hotsprings and before you could say “resort spa” the whole area had become Canada’s first national park.

An eight-minute ride on the Gondola takes you to the upper terminal, near the summit of Sulphur Mountain. From there – 2,281 metres (7,486 ft) above sea level – you can can get a panoramic view of the mountain ranges around Banff.

You can shop at the gift shop or snack at the summit restaurant, where you can relax and enjoy the 360 degree view.

But if you have the time, you should take a walk along the Banff Skywalk – a one km stroll along a boardwalk, where you really will have your head in the clouds and your feet on the ground!

Lake Minnewanka, near the town of Banff, gets its name from a Native word meaning "Spirit Waters."

Emerald Lakes and Famous Falls

Of course, this mountaintop experience is not the only breathtaking view around Banff.

Two of the most picturesque spots in the Rockies are to be found on two small lakes near the town: Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewaka are both shining examples of glacier-fed waters that turn from emerald green to aquamarine when the sun dances on the surface.

You will also drive along a ridge above the Bow River to get a picture-postcard photo of the world-famous Banff Springs Hotel – the grand palace built by the Canadian Pacific Railway to lure faraway visitors to a holiday of luxury in the wilderness.

But for us, a favourite spot was Bow Falls – a small but rugged cascade on the Bow River, really.

These waterfalls may not be as big or massive as Niagara Falls, but Banff’s most famous waterfalls do have something in common with their more-famous cousin: They were both visited by Marilyn Monroe.

Bow Falls, near Banff, was made famous in the movie River of No Return with Marilyn Monroe.

Marilyn spent many days here filming a scene from her 1954 Western, River of No Return with Robert Mitchum.

So women who get their photos taken here can say they have at least one thing in common with Hollywood’s most-famous blonde. And guys can dream of being a ruggedly handsome movie star who got to be with Marilyn.