Rocky Mountaineer--2019
J. T. Smith with Beth Shepard
2 Sep: After a lovely night at the Westin Bayshore Hotel, we were transported to the dedicated RM station and, after some preliminary welcoming activities, we--along with more than 800 other folks--were piped aboard the 25-car Rocky Mountaineer for the first leg of the journey, 285-miles to Kamloops, BC.
After a day of fantastic scenery following the Fraser and Thompson Rivers; two full, chef-prepared meals; and all the snacks and beverages we desired--it was time for an RON at our hotel in Kamloops.
3 Sep: The next day was basically a repeat of the first with different-but-equally-magnificent scenery as we got into the Canadian Rockies proper. Our destination for the day is the resort town of Banff, Alberta 300 miles to the east.
4-5 Sep: We spent 2 days in Banff taking tours of the Banff National Park and just enjoying the town and the fabulous Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, built in 1888.
6-7 Sep: From Banff, we traveled by motor coach to Lake Louise, Alberta. Along the way, we stopped at various spots within the Yoho National Park. While in Lake Louise, we spent some time just relaxing and walking near our lodging. One thing we did not do was to actually see the lake for which the town/resort is named. There were loads of other tourists in the area, and all transportation up to the lake area was completely full.
8-9 Sep: We traveled again by motor coach via the Icefields Parkway, with side excursions to see several very scenic lakes in the Yoho National Park, north to Jasper, Alberta. The day included a brief trip onto the Athabasca Glacier, which is currently receding about 200 ft each year and will be gone by 2070 or sooner.
10-11 Sep: After a restful day at the cozy Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (and a quick trip to town for a visit to a Tim Horton's for their sinfully delicious blueberry doughnuts), we again boarded the train for the return to Vancouver with overnight stops in the lovely little town of Quesnel, BC and Whistler, BC--basically a ski resort. These were the two longest days of the trip covering 322 miles and 311miles, respectively. The majority of those miles were again along the Fraser river valley where much of the gold-rush history was made.
Pulling into the station, we were met by a gathering of the local residents, including representatives from the Quesnel Car Club who brought a few of their nicely restored cars for our inspection. Quesnel has dubbed itself "The Home of the Rocky Mountaineer," an unofficial but well deserved title.
The next morning, we headed for the resort town of Whistler, BC. Descending along the Fraser River, we saw marked and rapid change from the forested vistas of lumber country to the stark, barren route traveled by the gold prospectors of days gone by.
12 Sep: We boarded the train again, after a half-day visiting Whistler (subdued by a drizzling rain), for the final 75-miles into North Vancouver and the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel where this wonderful experience came to a close.
