The name and unusual nature of one driving trail was the appeal during an epic two-week summer Canadian Rockies’ adventure.
That “Meadows in the Sky” scenic drive is a 32-mile-long round-trip allowing cars to slowly scale almost 4,500 feet of the impressive Mount Revelstoke in British Columbia. It surely ranks among the world’s best – and very different - drives.
A selection of stops enroute delivered views which were simply spectacular – with info boards detailing fascinating stories and insights about the forests of cedar, spruce and fir trees and the lush landscapes below and beyond as far as the eye can see.
As we wound our way upwards, navigating somewhat scary hairpin bends the air became crystal clear and the views even more stunning.
At the top we walked around well-signed trails heading to the historic fire tower crowning the summit. Yet again our eyes were treated to awesome views over some of Canada’s most impressive landscapes, enhanced by the day’s clear blue skies and sunshine.
Our road trip which covered 1,000 miles from Vancouver to Calgary was one which just kept delivering better and more striking panoramic sights. Journeys from one destination to the next were peppered with rugged mountains and shimmering lake vistas which were truly breath-taking.
We’d selected Revelstoke as a stopping point mainly because a planned visit to Jasper was scrubbed due to devastating wildfires ripping through that resort in August.
Revelstoke is a smallish, compact town nestling between the Monashee and Selkirk Mountain ranges with less than 9000 residents but with heaps of charm. Its importance as a railway centre drew in visitors in the past and now its ski appeal as well as a major national park attract tourists all year round. Life centres on a few blocks of great restaurants, shops and cafes and the welcome was warm and friendly. We stayed in a well-appointed self-catering apartment in the heart of the town with easy access to all our needs when not exploring.
For me Whistler in Canada always conjured up skiing and winter sports, reminding me of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The area’s peaks including the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains attract around three million plus visitors a year.
What was most interesting to me is the split of visitors - 45% in the winter months and 55% in summer. Spending time in and around Whistler I can appreciate why the summer appeal is stronger.
Reaching Whistler from Vancouver saw us navigate a chunk of the famous Sea to Sky Highway, a gorgeous drive including 26 miles alongside Howe Sound, an ocean fjord. We’d been advised to take our time, soaking up the scenery and enjoy a few of the amazing stopping points with waterfalls, hiking trails and picnic spots. We also had a brief lunch stop in the town of Squamish, which is surrounded by mountains like the Stawamus Chief, a massive monolith in granite.
The tourist centre of Whistler itself is ultra-commercialised but totally functional. Most of the buildings are relatively new, designed to withstand the harsh winter where, according to locals, six feet snowdrifts and worse must be endured.
That’s all fine for winter sports lovers. I’ve always been a fair-weather traveller so September and a comfortable 26ºc of blue skies and sunshine were bigger draws.
The adjacent peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb were linked in 1997 by a 2.7-mile, peak to peak gondola and in just over ten minutes you can summit swap. Not only does that short but high-impact trip offer a whole different perspective view wise, but the trails around Blackcomb’s summit were also among my favourites.
Our trip covered some of the most beautiful lakes in that part of Canada. Lake Louise with its turquoise-coloured glacier waters is in a class of its own in the beauty stakes and a clear winner for me. Originally named Ho-run-num-nay - Lake of Little Fishes - by the indigenous Stoney Nakoda people, the lake was renamed in the late 19th century after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter. Enthused by its beauty we took the trails hiking up both the neighbouring Big and Little Beehives to get eye-popping grandstand vistas over the lake.
Over at the Yoho National Park, Emerald Lake is defined by and named after its water colour and was another favourite. The surrounding landscape was picture-postcard stuff. My eyes were being truly spoiled by the natural beauty.
The bustling mountain town of Banff is gateway to the country’s first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nestling among towering peaks, it’s a welcoming hub. Its iconic Banff Springs Hotel – often referred to as the ‘Castle in the Rockies’ – was built in the late 19th century and is a real symbol of the grandeur of the Canadian Pacific Railway’s heydays. The town is a popular haven for culture and arts lovers too and it was clear from our short stay that a myriad activities are scheduled throughout a summer season.
We topped and tailed the tour with two city stays - firstly in Vancouver which boasts more parks than any other global city. We spent several days exploring its largest – Stanley Park, 10% bigger than New York’s Central Park, and complete with a statue honouring Rabbie Burns. The city also hosts the largest non-interrupted seafront walkway in the world and the views that delivers are impressive. Our hotel offered free hire of e-bikes which allowed us to explore the massive network of safe cycle-lanes giving us even more insight into this amazing city which always scores high on the global table of most liveable cities. I can see why…
Our final stop was the cosmopolitan and vibrant city of Calgary where we swapped the majestic mountains for soaring skyscrapers.
Calgary’s rapid growth and status emerged because of its role at the centre of Canada’s oil industry and today hosts many of the country’s biggest corporate HQs alongside a thriving film production centre.
Next year marks the 150th anniversary of its founding and in and around downtown Stephen Avenue it’s easy to capture the essence of some of the great buildings of yesteryear. The historic street is a major tourist attraction and a buzzy centre for social gathering, nightlife and restaurants.
My benchmark of the success of any trip is often the tally of photos snapped along the way. I was certainly snap-happy with Canada 2024 delivering no less than 741 – each a visual memory of the incredible beauty of the Rockies and their environs and each delivering a smile when that moment is relived.
Fact Box
Flights to Vancouver and back from Calgary were with British Airways/American Airlines. An access pass giving vehicle and passengers entry to Canada’s 48 national parks and park reserves is required. Best value option, even for our 14-day trip, is an annual pass at around £110. See parks.canada.ca
Accommodation on our trip was organised via booking.com as follows…
- Vancouver – The Listel Hotel in the heart of the downtown ‘hood.
- Whistler – Summit Lodge Hotel, ideally located on Main Street in Whistler Village.
- Revelstoke – the aptly named In the Heart of it All apartment.
- Banff – Rundlestone Lodge Hotel which offers guests complimentary travel on transit buses to and from nearby downtown.
- Calgary – Homewood Suites by Hilton in the central area with great value parking options and access to a public transport network.
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