ICEFIELDS PARKWAY TO LAKE LOUISE/BANFF

BY JANET STEINBERG

Seldom does a drive between two hotels, approximately 150-miles apart from one another, become a highlight of one’s journey.  However, the drive between the Jasper Park Lodge and Chateau Lake Louise did just that.  

Our spectacular Canadian Rockies journey followed some of the same mountain paths that were forged by explorers, traders, prospectors, and the First Nations people, who crossed this challenging terrain on foot, horseback, and rafts. 

On this historic route, that took us through some of the most rugged and awe-inspiring landscapes in North America, we passed lush valleys and towering peaks; photographed glistening lakes, cascading waterfalls, and regional wildlife; and walked on icy glaciers descending from the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies.

JASPER: MOUNTAIN MAGNIFICENCE AND HOSPITALITY

BY JANET STEINBERG

Welcome to Jasper in the Canadian Province of Alberta.  This picturesque town is nestled within Jasper National Park, one of the largest wilderness areas in North America.  Jasper National Park, the largest of Canada’s mountain parks, has been designated  an United Nations World Heritage site.

In the early 1800s, the explorer and mapmaker David Thompson created a way station for fur traders.  This was Jasper’s first permanent habitation.  The 4200-square mile Jasper National Park was formed in 1907 and, with the arrival of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1911, the town of Jasper was formally established.

The Jasper Park Lodge, a true “Grand Canadian Lodge Experience” was built on 903 acres of pristine forest in Jasper National Park.  This village of cozy cedar chalets and heritage log cabins is situated along the emerald shores of Lac (Lake) Beauvert.  

JASPER PARK LODGE