Northern Majesty

Written by Donna McCrohan Rosenthal

Just a few Hours North

Climb aboard VIA Rail or the Rocky Mountaineer—a swaying, scenic journey through riparian sanctuaries, forests, and canyons, occasionally traversed by bear, elk, and moose. What? In Kern County? Not quite. But by plane from Bakersfield to Los Angeles (then three hours by air to Vancouver, Canada) or San Francisco (two hours), the unforgettable magic carpet ride is well within reach. In fact, you can fly to Western Canada in about the time it takes to drive to Las Vegas.

Just imagine. Western Canada and the Rockies. Harbors and trestle bridges. Sea birds and majestic raptors. Wolves and bighorn sheep. Waterfalls and ice-capped peaks. Lakes and rivers from silver to cobalt, reflecting vistas as vibrantly sharp as the originals. Blazing sunrises and starry night skies. Golden leaves in the autumn and wildflowers in the spring—spikes of white and lavender, billows of yellow, splashes of red, orange, and deep purple. Low and lower clouds, ribbons of clouds, streaks of clouds—with mountains of variegated hues towering over them.

The train’s motion can put you to sleep, yet you want to catch a last glimpse of the sherbet-colored sunset, and to hang onto every precious minute.

You feel privileged to be there. Many of these spots you can’t reach by car, but even if you could, consider the best way to see them. Concentrating on traffic from behind the wheel—or sitting, sipping, and snapping photos? “Men at work. Fines doubled” or “Please have more hors d’oeuvre”?

The Trains

You can hardly single out one panorama or another and call it the most beautiful on earth, because they all compete for the title.

VIA Rail, Canada’s passenger rail service, has several extraordinary routes. The showcase “Canadian” joins Vancouver (in British Columbia) with Jasper and Edmonton (in Alberta) and beyond. The VIA Rail winter-only “Snow Train” into Jasper caters to skiing enthusiasts with an on-board Marmot Ambassador who can arrange for lift tickets, lessons, and rental equipment.

VIA Rail’s “Skeena” travels farther north, almost approaching the Alaska border, between Prince Rupert and Jasper, and stopping overnight in Prince George in either direction. The glorious two-day 725-mile daylight excursion crosses the Pacific Northwest through fjord country and vast stands of giant cedars and hemlocks, passing whole buildings on barges, foaming green rapids cutting through sheer gorges, and the highest summit in the Western Rockies, Mt. Robson. The “Skeena” offers premium Totem class from mid-May to mid-October, with regional cuisine brought to your seat plus other enhancements, as well as economy class year-round.

The Rocky Mountaineer, the largest privately-owned passenger rail service in North America, welcomed its one-millionth guest in 2008. It operates on three different routes between Vancouver or Whistler and the Canadian Rockies destinations of Jasper, Banff, and Calgary. Like VIA Rail, it delivers you into the heart of enchanted terrain that steals your breath away.

A short three-hour trip, the Rocky Mountaineer’s “Whistler Mountaineer” runs between North Vancouver and the ski hamlet of Whistler, one of the sites of the 2010 Winter Olympics. During some months, the spawning salmon in the river attract bears, coyotes, and a huge eagle population, adding to the enjoyment of the experience. The longer, splendidly visual Rocky Mountaineer’s “Kicking Horse/Yellowhead Route” connects Vancouver to Kamloops, Jasper, and Banff through old-growth woods and the emerald waters of glacial lakes.

Rocky Mountaineer’s jaw-dropping marvelous “Fraser Discovery Route” from Vancouver to Jasper with an overnight stop in Quesnel, penetrates some of the same territory as VIA Rail’s Canadian, from coastal rain forest to arid desert with sage brush and rattlesnakes, but heads north toward Prince George. Exploring seldom-seen landscapes, it traces the path prospectors followed during the Gold Rush.

Wealth of Choices

You might start by deciding on a route, but then what? Some services provide meals at your seat while others have dining cars; some travel day and night while others, daylight only. If you spend the night on the train, do you prefer a comfortable coach seat, or a sleeping car? Amenities come in all shapes and sizes, regular and deluxe.

Both VIA Rail and the Rocky Mountaineer have premier classes, and spectacular domed observation cars with gigantic windows perfectly suited for sighting bears and appreciating the amazing scope of the surroundings. They also both boast promotions and packages, for example VIA Rail invites children to travel free with paying adults and seniors can bring a friend for free. The Rocky Mountaineer often gives Early Booking Bonuses, and has about 70 vacation deals. Check the websites or phone (viarail.ca; 888-VIA-RAIL and rockymountaineer.com; 877-460-3200) to weigh your options. Be sure to address the key questions: what does the fare include? Meals? Roomette or fold-down seats or hotels en route?

Next, pick your flights. Study what’s out there. For example, Air Canada has complimentary on-demand movies, TV programming, and music at every seat, no fees for booking over the phone, and no check-in fees for up to two bags.

Then break out a map. Notice that Prince Rupert sits on an ocean bay on the edge of the Canadian wilderness, Jasper rests snugly in the Canadian Rockies, and so on. Know where you’re going.

What to do on Foot

To avoid the worst mistake most vacationers make, remember that you’ll begin and end in a city that probably deserves your attention, and on some trains, you’ll need to book your own mid-route hotel. Rather than wandering aimlessly around, research your itinerary in advance and perhaps permit yourself an extra day or two for galleries, spas, hot springs, outdoor sports, museums, historic restorations, and First Nations exhibits. Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta, dazzle with favorites such as the Athabasca Falls, Columbia Icefield, and Athabasca Glacier nearby. UNESCO declared Banff National Park a World Heritage Site in 1984.

Calgary, Alberta, draws millions each year with its shopping, theatre, galleries, symphony, ballet, concerts, festivals, and elaborate park and pathway systems.

The Cariboo Chilcotin, BC, region between Prince George and Whistler speaks from Canada’s very soul, with the restored gold rush boom town of Barkerville, the Xat’sull Heritage Village, and Kumsheen Rafting Resort noted for accommodations in tepees or cabin tents and power rafting over rapids with names like Rattlesnake, Devil’s Gorge, and the Fluffy Bunny of Death.

Edmonton, Alberta, famous for having the world’s biggest shopping mall, further distinguishes itself as the Festival City with a string of exuberant events from the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival to the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival.

Jasper, Alberta, and the Jasper National Park excel in the realms of fishing, canoeing, hiking, biking, and wild rafting. The Aerial Tramway climbs to an alpine observation deck that overlooks six mountain ranges. At the Jasper Inn, 90 rooms have kitchens and fireplaces, and its “Cruise & Snooze Family Package” pairs lodging with a boat cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island, an adventure voted the “Best Boat Tour in Canada” by Reader’s Digest.

Prince George, BC, charms visitors with Fort George Park, Exploration Park, the Native Art Gallery, Two Rivers Art Gallery, shopping on Specialty Avenue, the Prince George Railway & Forestry Industry Museum, the Aquatic Centre with a wave-pool, and the WinterLights Celebration.

Prince Rupert, BC, spills over with opportunities to learn more about Canada’s infinite variety from its Museum of Northern B.C., Kwinitsa Railway Museum, Firehall Museum, Sunken Gardens, Historic Downtown, and North Pacific Cannery to the Pike Island Archaeological Site and a rainforest with Spanish moss. From the Butze Rapids Trail outside of Prince Rupert, you can witness the phenomenon of reversing tidal rapids.

Vancouver, BC, and its environs reward as many hours or days as you care to invest there. The best of the old meets the best of the new with shopping, culture, an ocean promenade, Stanley Park, Granville Island, and exceptional restaurants. The grand Fairmont Hotel Vancouver rolls out its finest for humans and pets. Its pet menu features doggy “bison meatloaf” and salmon stew for cats. The Fairmont Waterfront has a third-floor terrace garden with a Pacific view. Both Fairmonts have resident dogs for guests to walk. The Listel Hotel embodies the essence of Vancouver with the guest rooms on gallery floors designed by art galleries, live jazz nightly in O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar, and an assortment of museum packages.

The Canada Line light rail, recently completed to support Vancouver’s role in the 2010 Winter Olympics, links it with the airport, as well as Richmond—and from there, an easy transfer to Steveston (once the busiest port in the world), home of the Britannia Shipyard National Historic Site and the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site. Ft. Langley, 45 minutes from Vancouver, recreates the era of fur and salmon trading and the Hudson Bay Company, and has an interactive gold-panning station.

Whistler, BC, revels in extreme sports—skiing, bungee jumping, mountain biking, and more—and many rooms are ski-lodge duplexes with loft beds and kitchenettes. The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre examines First Nations heritage with fascinating displays, a film, and guided tour.

What to Expect

Count on delays. It is simply not realistic to assume every plane and train will arrive and depart promptly, particularly if your flight connects through frequently foggy San Francisco. Allow for changing time zones. Factor in that you’ll have the most sun during summer months. Figure on generally cooler weather and pack accordingly. Bring your passport.

Prepare carefully for an elegant, indulgent holiday of a lifetime.

Article appeared in our 26-4 Issue - October 2009