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travel / great places / cg recommends / kananaskis
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A Rocky Mountain Wedding
"YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED AT THE CALGARY ZOO?!"
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Hitting the slopes in the
Rockies' Sunshine Village |
In one statement, my friend Victoria had given
me a solid reason, her wedding, to finally head West to Calgary and
the Rockies — something I had wanted to do for years. She moved to
Calgary in 1998, leaving my boyfriend and me behind in Ottawa, and has
been trying to convince us ever since that one visit to Calgary would
be enough to persuade us to relocate permanently.
By the end of the trip, we were convinced that Calgary is a beautiful
and exciting city in which to live, and perfect for nature-lovers. I
also came to a stunning realization: you can indeed have an elegant
and distinguished wedding in a zoo.
My friend set her wedding date for February — a time with
lower airfares — since the busy summer tourist season can drive
cross-country flights as high as $800. With an Air Canada seat
sale, we bought our tickets for a bargain $339 return. We planned
on five days for sightseeing between Calgary and Banff, with
a full day of mountain skiing. Unfortunately, it was not long
enough to take in all the spectacular activities the area has
to offer.
The Canadian Rockies offer spectacular landscapes, filled with inspiring
scenery, wildlife, a multitude of recreational activities for all ages,
and numerous unique opportunities sometimes known only by locals. It
is ideal to have a friend like ours who lives in the area and acted
as a tour guide, even in the frantic few days before her wedding. But
she didn't mind — it was all part of her strategy to lure us West.
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Roadside in Kananaskis country,
south of Calgary |
We decided to rent
a cabin in the heart of Kananaskis Country, about two hours south of
Calgary in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Alberta's largest provincial
park. Secluded and surrounded by mountains and lush forest, we knew
our decision was excellent. Within the park, we saw towering mountains,
evergreen-covered valleys and glacial streams. In the summer, the park
boasts over 600 camping sites bustling with activity, but winter provides
the tranquillity and serenity that only a blanket of fresh white snow
can give. There are many hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
trails nearby, and we didn't come across another soul during our two-night
stay at the cabin.
In our rented car, we entered Banff National Park for skiing
at Sunshine Village, one of the five world-class ski hills within
40 minutes of Banff. The others are Norquay, Lake Louise, Nakiska
and Fortress. Already impressed by the view during the drive,
the sight from the top of the ski hill was even more incredible.
The skiing itself was phenomenal, with natural snow and challenging
hills. There was an eclectic mix of local and international visitors,
some with whom we exchanged friendly stories about our home cities
and vacation experiences. After a day on the slopes, we entered
the quaint town of Banff for window shopping and an excellent
dinner, plus a tour of Banff Springs Hotel.
Banff National Park is home to many outstanding geological
and ecological features. In addition to the hot springs, the
park contains the Columbia Icefields and Canada's longest cave
system, the Castleguard Caves. It also holds Alberta's southernmost
herd of the endangered woodland caribou. The terrain is divided
into three separate eco-regions, each with a different elevation,
climate, and plant and animal regime. There is much to explore
and I recommend the trip to anyone who loves Canada's geography,
wildlife and scenery.
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Riding the virtual bobsled
at Calgary's Olympic site. |
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Back in the city,
we checked into our hotel in downtown Calgary and met others arriving
for the weekend wedding. The Calgary Zoo, with its botanical gardens
and climatized rooms, turned out to be a lovely setting for a wedding.
There is also a prehistoric park with more than 100 species of plants,
and a collection of life-sized dinosaurs.
Our final day was spent downtown at the Calgary Winterfest in the Eau
Claire Market. We also took a guided tour of the Olympic Park, the premiere
site of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games where the luge, bobsledding, ski
jumping and freestyle skiing events took place. Guests are given the
opportunity to ride the bobsledding track in a specially designed sled
that does not require steering. We opted for the easy way out by riding
the virtual bobsled track in the Olympic Hall of Fame. Just as exciting
as the real thing --and much safer!
Although we have not yet made plans to move, it is certainly
obvious why Calgary is a popular and reputable region. The awesome
view of the mountains looming on the horizon, combined with plenty
of outdoor and cultural activities makes for a remarkable place
to live or visit.
Christina Scott, Promotion Coordinator
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