The Canadian Rockies
This was a trip that I took with my mom and sister and finishing PA school. It was about an 8 day trip in the Canadian Rockies. Definitely a different kind of trip and amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone. We did this with a tour company which was helpful in terms of transportation from place to place as we covered a lot of ground. This trip also holds a special memory for me because it is where I found out I got hired for my first job as a physician assistant!
Day 1: We flew into Calgary and met up with the rest of our tour group. We then travelled to Kananaskis Country to go to a ranch for dinner. We learned line dancing, how the ranch operates, and had some wonderful entertainment. Our hotel, Crosswaters Resort had a Nordic Spa that we took full advantage of.
Day 2: The morning started with a helicopter tour of the gorgeous landscapes including the famous Three Sisters Peaks. The rest of the morning was spent on the tour bus driving up to Yoho National Park where we toured around Emerald Lake. Most of the lakes up in Canada have a blue color to them, this lake as the name suggest, had a stunning shade of green to it. Finally, we departed to where we would be staying…Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. This elegant chateau overlooked the Victoria Glacier as well as Banff National Park.
Day 3: We set out to see the instagram famous Moraine Lake. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip as I have been wanting to see this lake for years. The morning was pretty chilly and it actually ended up snowing on our hike . . .in June! Dinner was spent at the elegant Lake Louise chateau restaurant.
Day 4: Our group set out early along scenic Icefields Parkway to head up to Jasper Park which was about a two hour ride, but incredibly gorgeous the whole time. We arrived at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in the afternoon. This lodge was rustic, along the lake, and the lands were breathtaking. I started my time at Jasper Park Lodge on a run through the woods and ran into some elk which was an amazing experience.
Day 5: My mom, sister, and I spent this day exploring Jasper National Park. We starting our morning with a fairly difficult hike which along the way we saw elk and mountain sheep. The afternoon was spent horseback and learning about the Lodge grounds and maintenance that goes along with caring for the national park.
Day 6: As our group heading back to Banff National Park, we stopped for the afternoon at the Athabasca Glacier. We drove up on the glacier via an Ice Explorer and tried fresh glacier water! This was also a very educational experience as the staff their explained the challenges this habitat faces with global warming.
Day 7: The last day in Banff National Park my sister and I spent the morning on a hike. The evening was spent at The Banff Centre a world-renowned performing arts center. This was special for me because we had a beautiful performance from a cellist and violinist. Playing the violin myself, I always enjoy watching others play.