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doorgunner · 04-20-2007, 06:06 PM

This is a very informative thread, thanks everyone, saving me a lotta research. DG

safari57 · 04-20-2007, 09:15 PM

It has been a while since I've been through there, probably three or four years and even longer since I've camped there, but I seem to recall a lot of Elk, some black bear, lots of deer, sheep and goats at various points, and the occasional moose out in the small water areas. My uncle was the maintenance person at Moraine Lake in the fifties and we did a bunch of camping that way then, and again through the seventies and eighties, but the responsibilities of a cabin, work, and moving a long ways away just made it too hard to get there often. It is the playground for the fine folks from the prairies and Banff itself is a huge tourist draw from all over the globe. I've stayed at the Château Lake Louise in the past and it is a beautiful old hotel to go for a lunch or dinner. Be prepared for the potential for unusual weather. I've been there on the first of July and gotten up to snow but it wasn't really cold - zero or there abouts, but it is fairly high up. Wait a couple of hours and it's all gone and back to mountain summer weather.

Be prepared for a gasoline price hit. A US gal is the approximate equivalent of 3.78 litre, and right now on the coast at least we are paying about 1.20 per litre. Good thing your dollar is worth more than the Canadian dollar. I live just north of the border and my wife works about five minutes from it so she's able to zip down for gas in WA and we save quite a chunk. But for budgeting purposes I thought you may wish to be aware.

It's a beautiful area. Very tourist oriented, but still very natural in most parts. You will love it.

Barry

luckydc · 04-21-2007, 05:18 AM

Thanks, Barry. I had thought of the price of gas. I was headed to Nova Scotia and beyond in September of '05, but changed my mind as gas was reaching $3.50 a gallon right after Katria hit.

I figure with savings on lodging and food (the beauty of bringing the house with you) I"ll be all right. I looked into staying at the Chateau Lake Louise, but one night there equals a week of camping with full hook-ups!

yukionna · 04-21-2007, 05:40 AM

I have never camped there but did go skiing at Sunshine Village one year. We also spent time sight seeing in Banff. I believe the trams are open year round at Sunshine Village and if you like hiking, it would be a scenic location to visit.

pmclemore · 04-21-2007, 06:41 PM

I also want to put in a plug for other destinations going to or from the Canadian Rockies. When we left Lake Louise, we skirted Calgary and resupplied groceries. Then we stopped off at Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump; a world heritage site. We arrived at Waterton Lakes NP by mid afternoon. Stay at the in-town campground if you can - great village to walk around and enjoy the flavor. The Prince of Wales is a place to see. Pic is from the back of the hotel. We kayaked on Waterton and Cameron Lakes. Take the boat ride to Goat Haunt- which is back over the US border.

From there we went to Glacier NP (Montana) and stayed at Many Glacier CG. Great kayaking on Swift Current Lake. By the way, we lost a very nice tenderloin of prime Alberta beef at the US border. Mad cow, we presume. Still bummed about that. Next we camped at Two Medicine just to get on its lake. Good decision.

Enjoy your trip.

Pat

safari57 · 04-21-2007, 07:33 PM

Waterton and Glacier are gorgeous places. Both can get a tad cramped mid summer. Waterton can also get pretty windy. We lived east of there about an hour or so for 30 years and spent lots of time there and at Glacier and loved them both.

We've had so much rain and snow in the mountains this year that forest fires should be less of an issue than the past few years, but make sure you ask along the way if there's any issues with that - it can move a herd of campers from one area to another pretty quickly and make what is normally a not too busy week in a campground instead a hunt for a spot.

If you haven't yet gone to Tourism BC's website you may wish to do so. Also, with Homeland Security in place make sure you bring proper I.D. to get back into the States. You'll have to check to see what they require but I believe for now it's a drivers license and birth certificate or perhaps it's two pieces of legitimate photo ID. Perhaps one of the others who have crossed recently can provide that info????

And you can't bring firearms into Canada. They get real stinky about that. I don't know what others have done in this situation but if you do carry one perhaps one of the others can provide advice on what they do/did in this situation.

As mentioned earlier, Kananaskis is a beautiful area just east of Banff. It's right where the foothills slam into the Rockies and there's some incredible scenery. You can take that road I think all the way down south to the Crowsnest pass area. And the Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump is west of Fort Macleod and east of the Crowsnest Pass (45 minutes I think) if you get the chance as mentioned it's impressive (if you are into that sort of thing).

Barry

Darol Ingalls · 04-21-2007, 09:45 PM

Condo - - , Thanks for the photo of Joe B***** however it's spelled. He was the little guy with the umbrella and raincloud in Lil' Abner. I have great affinity for him because every time I go traveling it's uphill, against the wind, and raining! Darol

safari57 · 04-23-2007, 09:04 AM

I thought you might get a kick out of the attached photo. I would hope you don't see this kind of weather, but the critters are out there and a lot of them. So many they have to build them their own way to get over the human traffic.

Barry

Relentless · 04-23-2007, 09:37 AM

I live right next to the Canadian border. The only sure ID is a passport. If you don't have one I would get one for everyone in your party. Going into Canada with a firearm is a big problem. If you try it and get caught you go directly to jail.

John

bikrmikey · 04-23-2007, 11:03 AM

For current info go to - Tips for Travelers to Canada

Note the requirements for air and land travel are different today.

What is required and what gets checked are two different things. You better have what is required. I have gone in and out of Canada multiple times with only a drivers license or no ID check. Went in Canada, with my Airstream and dog, last year and had three questions at the border 1. Where do you live, 2. Do you have any firearms 3. What do you have with you. And was waived on through. No ID check, no vet paper check took about 15 seconds, plus 20 or 30 minutes in line. Went on to Alaska and upon reentering got a long list of varied questions, was asked for photo ID and proof of citizenship (passport or birth cert). Just had my driver license ready, passport was in the trailer. Oh man that upset the border guard, gave me a lecture about not being prepared, asked why I wasn't prepared, related my previous border experince, he got more upset (I was polite really) had me pull in to secondary. He explained proof of citizenship had been required for his entire 30 years and a drivers license did not meet the citizenship requirement. I got the passport out in secondary trusck and trailer searched and was on my way. This was the first time I needed more than a driver license. About 20 minutes for that crossing.

I got beef and other food yanked entering the US. Look at the restricted items list before crossing either way.

safari57 · 04-23-2007, 11:28 AM

Yep, it's kinda sad that two countries, both with the same people, the same almost everything, can make crossing a line difficult one time and a breeze many others in a row. I suspect it's more how that border guard has been getting treated by other travelers before he/she gets to you, and how they think you are responding to the questions. At all times I've been extremely polite, attentive, unwavering in my answers, and still had to do the secondary check probably about once every 50 crosses so not a bad average. We do cross the border often living just north of it a few minutes.

One other occasion my wife packed the trailer and heading south they asked if we had any veggies on board to which I answered the always true nope. Secondary search and low and behold while my wife was packing the trailer she was snacking on some fresh peas and she'd left the bag with six peas still in it on the counter by mistake. Boy, did they ream her out. I was watching as she was about to explain and was told very clearly to keep her mouth shut or she could be fined. Pretty silly stuff but ...............after all was said and done they had a boo at the trailer, made some complimentary comments, and we were on our way to a weekend of fun camping. My wife still gets teased by our group about the great pea caper and her attempt to smuggle. I suspect I'm reaching the end of my freedom to tell others about how for the first time I saw my wife speechless - and I think it's going to hurt me big time if I don't shut up soon.

We never attempt to take any meat, fruit or veggie product over the line, including canned goods. Either way. It seems each country thinks the other country allows it's people to eat diseased food. Keep in mind that this also means pet food. If it has meat in it you may not be able to bring it across and the internet site noted in the prior posts will give you an idea.

But the above and others comments all noted, it's not that bad, really. Most people blast through (with generally some kind of line up at the border either way so avoid peak times) and it is well worth the potential for a little bit of hassle.

Barry