Western Canada Road Trip Planning

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Message TimE P beers 8459 º places 409 º 10:03 Mon 1/16/2017 Do you have google map link to your drive? We can give recommendations based on that. As mentioned drumheller is worth a look. A bit out of the way, but stop at fallen timber meadery might be good. Jasper to Edmonton do a pit stop in Edson. Nice little gully and camping area near the highway. Then head over the Bench creek. Call before going and make sure You have decent tires, and ideally all wheel drive. Field is a depressing town when cloudy, but surrounding area is amazing with awesome hikes. Sounds like a good trip Tim
Message jercraigs P beers 14908 º places 1052 º 12:03 Mon 1/16/2017 Main appeal for Field is proximity to Yoho / Seems cheaper than staying near Lake Louise. I’m hoping to get a day use bus pass for Lake O’Hara. I think we are likely skipping Edmonton this trip. I was there for work two years ago and there seems to be lots to fill our time in the Calgary to Jasper corridor. Probably skipping Cypress Hills to cut the schedule down by a day. See Google Map for planned route. Main goal is to see the parks, hike, see the sites etc. with beer being a secondary factor. I was mostly routing between Parks and major sites until recently, and I have only just started adding beer places/attractions to the map. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rYsGCE31Y2rspmV9f_ECciVTXPg&usp=sharing
Message jercraigs P beers 14908 º places 1052 º 12:03 Mon 1/16/2017 Originally posted by VertBaconStrips http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/huts/stanley-mitchell-hut/ ^Takkakaw Falls! http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/huts/bow-hut/ ^Bow Hut would be beyond the highlight of any trip. Access is not that bad if you can push out a 5hr hike with beer. I do this shit. Nothing will beat getting out of your car for a night on foot. Is that 5 hours return or one way?

Message dresden beers 1581 º places 119 º 21:29 Mon 1/16/2017 In addition to Rebellion and Bushwakker in Regina you could add Malty National as a nice stop for beer/coffee, and there is a new brewery brewing out of O’hanlon’s on Scarth Street called Pile of Bones Brewing, but i have not tried anything from them yet. Anything else with "brewing" in their name can safely be skipped.
Message DuffMan beers 10981 º places 349 º 21:42 Mon 1/16/2017 Hi Jeremy-- sorry I’m late chiming in on this! I know youve already said you’re likely going to skip the Cypress Hills, but I’ll make an offer anyway! We have plenty of room here in Medicine Hat for your family to stay over if you’re on a budget. I’m one of the owners of Hells Basement Brewery, so I’d give you a tour and you could bang off a bunch of ticks. Plus I’d open up my beer fridge and cellar to you, we could share a bunch and I’d send you away with a bunch more for your travels. Another brewery just opened up here last month, so we could hit that too. The Trans Canada highway is low on traffic and wiiiide open down here, so travel is very easy. I totally understand if it doesn’t fit your itinerary, but I want to make you feel very welcome!
Message VertBaconStrips beers 2445 º places 4 º 00:45 Tue 1/17/2017 Originally posted by jercraigs Originally posted by VertBaconStrips http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/huts/stanley-mitchell-hut/ ^Takkakaw Falls! http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/huts/bow-hut/ ^Bow Hut would be beyond the highlight of any trip. Access is not that bad if you can push out a 5hr hike with beer. I do this shit. Nothing will beat getting out of your car for a night on foot. Is that 5 hours return or one way? One way :) But staying up at the hut is very much worth it. Hike out in the mornz. Yea, I know this idea is a bit different.
Message TimE P beers 8459 º places 409 º 02:35 Tue 1/17/2017 Originally posted by jercraigs Main appeal for Field is proximity to Yoho / Seems cheaper than staying near Lake Louise. I’m hoping to get a day use bus pass for Lake O’Hara. I think we are likely skipping Edmonton this trip. I was there for work two years ago and there seems to be lots to fill our time in the Calgary to Jasper corridor. Probably skipping Cypress Hills to cut the schedule down by a day. See Google Map for planned route. Main goal is to see the parks, hike, see the sites etc. with beer being a secondary factor. I was mostly routing between Parks and major sites until recently, and I have only just started adding beer places/attractions to the map. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rYsGCE31Y2rspmV9f_ECciVTXPg&usp=sharing Any guidebook will tell you something similar, but Johnson Canyon Takkakaw Falls Colombia Ice Fields - take the full tour as it is worth it once in your life. Hike up to the Teahouse (and beyond) at Lake Louise. Alternatively, Saddleback pass is a grunt, but the view from the top is awesome. https://www.banfflakelouise.com/hiking/lake-louise-area-trails Hike up Sulphur mountain and take the Gondola down (it was free to go down before, not sure now) Sit outside at the Banff Springs Hotel and soak in the atmosphere. One must do that combines food, beer and awesome scenery is https://www.ratebeer.com/p/iron-goat-canmore/64712/ - sit on the very top patio. Reserve it if necessary. Bear in mind that things will start to get packed around this time (maybe not crazy packed), liked it was a 2hr wait to get into Jasper Brewing in July and we couldn’t even stand in the bar as it was at capacity. It is also rainy season (well no one wants to call it that, but it is) in AB around this time, so expect volatile weather - bring rain gear as you will definitely hit showers at some point. If you want to do some really hardcore hiking, like 7-8hr+ I can give some additional advice, but most people don’t want to go that hardcore. Tim

Message jercraigs P beers 14908 º places 1052 º 15:21 Tue 1/17/2017 Thanks again! Some great info! We actually did Sulphur Mountain on our last trip - Day trip from Calgary with a quick visit to Lake Louise, climbed Sulphur Mountain and the hot springs there, and dinner in Banff. Hike wise we are probably looking at 4-6hr hikes at most knowing that they will take us closer to 7 or 8 because we are slow! :) Will post some thoughts on hikes after I take a closer look.
Message VertBaconStrips beers 2445 º places 4 º 00:06 Wed 1/18/2017 Sentinel Pass near Louise. You’ll want to be there. There are minimum people per group limits but theres always peeps leaving. Very easy hook up with other peeps. Johnson Canyon as mentioned is nice as well. I’d highly suggest Lake O’Hara buuuut the reservation lines opened a couple of days ago and may already be fully booked. There is a reason that this is one of the top attractions in Canadian parks - check out some pics and make a call to the parks reservation office in the morning just to see. If you are camping Castle Mountain is your spot - first come first serve basis. Tunnel Mountain camp is the ultimate shit hole that is available in the Rockies. Marble Canyon is a quick visit is you go through the Kootenays. Paint pots is also a very unique stop with almost zero ele gain.
Message jercraigs P beers 14908 º places 1052 º 20:21 Mon 2/13/2017 Flights booked finally! Most accommodations booked too. Plan is: Calgary Jasper NP Field/Yoho Lake Louise Calgary Royal Tyrell & Drumheller Dinosaur PP Medicine Hat Grasslands NP Regina Riding Mountain NP Winnipeg Looking forward to it! Now I just have to wait until June lol