Experience The Mountain Parks Blog

...all about the Alberta-to-British Columbia mountain parks, including life in and around the parks. Not all our news and stories are here, though, so you might want to check our news section and Bob's "tweets" —conveniently placed in the upper right of each page.

Victoria, British Columbia — 150 Years Young

Friday, May 25, 2012

On April, 25, 1858 a small trading post on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada’s Pacific Coast was about to change forever. On a day when townsfolk were returning from church, the first ship docking starry-eyed gold seekers alighted upon the quiet community of Fort Victoria, population 450.

Gold had been discovered on the mainland not far away and word was spreading to far-off locales like California, Australia and other parts of the world. Islanders watched in anticipation while hundreds of miners spilled off the ship.

Overnight, Fort Victoria, named in honour of Queen Victoria, was set up as the key outfitting centre accessing the gold fields and within weeks, over 20,000 miners were erecting tent cities in the modest port.

Victoria was incorporated in 1862 and in 1871 became British Columbia’s capital after the province joined the Canadian Confederation. The city was positioned to become the commercial centre of British Columbia. That was until 1886 when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was completed and that title was claimed by the city of Vancouver.

Present day Victoria and area has a population of over 360,000. Residents, especially retirees are attracted to the mild climate. A significant percentage is students attending any one of several universities or colleges.

It continues to be home for the provincial government, Canada’s western naval base and a major fishing fleet, but during the Victoria, BC — 150 Years Young twentieth century, Victoria evolved. The city’s main industries include ship building and repair, forest products and machine manufacturing.

Victoria has become a top tourist destination. In 1904, the Butchart Gardens opened; a botanical display later recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada. Today it receives more than a million visitors a year.

In 1908 the CPR finished the construction of the Empress Hotel It sits majestically in the scenic Inner Harbour. This palace was originally built for Canadian Pacific’s (CP) steamship line, whose terminal was close by. When CP discontinued its passenger service to Victoria, the Empress Hotel turned into a successful tourist resort.

Today’s Royal Roads University was once the Hatley Castle, a grandiose home built in 1908 for James Dunsmuir, Lieutenant Governor and Premier of British Columbia during the early 1900s. The university has kept its strong ties to the Canadian Forces through its previous employment as the Royal Roads Military College.

Victoria’s Royal BC Museum was hailed, “The best [museum] in the province,” by Lonely Planet, who says it’s, “a highlight on any visit [to Victoria].”

The city also has the oldest Chinatown in Canada, an important venue for cultural entertainment in Victoria. About one third of the miners who travelled to Fort Victoria during the gold rush in 1858 were Chinese. They surely came for the prospect of gold but many were also motivated to make the voyage because of the state of their own homeland, thick with drought, famine and war. This year, Victoria will celebrate its 150 year anniversary.

“The past 150 years has seen Victoria mature and change into the world class city it is today; a city of beautiful contrasts, where the elegance of history mingles with the panache of modern life,” states Alice Bacon, 150th Anniversary Coordinator.
“A year-long anniversary program is currently under development,” she says, “[including] a wide range of events that embrace Victoria’s rich history and its de ning heritage characteristics, while maintaining a current and contemporary view.”

Victoria was the first city to create the Living Flag, where 350 people positioned accordingly on the lawn of the legislative buildings in red and white shirts. The Living Flag set a record in 2011 with 3,222 people and this year, Kenneth Kelly, general manager of the Downtown Victoria Business Association and Living Flag instigator, hopes to set a record of 5,000 on July 1, 2012 to commemorate the city’s anniversary.

Focus on Arts and Culture is set for the B.C. Day long-weekend, (Aug. 2-6). Events include a civic ceremony and large-scale community celebrations in Centennial Square (Aug. 2), a 150^th Anniversary edition of the popular Symphony Splash in Victoria’s Inner Harbour (Aug. 5) and many other special events throughout the city. More details can be found at downtownvictoria.ca.

Known as the Cycling Capital of Canada, Victoria has more bicycle paths than any other major city so you might be tempted to see this community on two wheels. For mountain bikers, “The Dump” is a reclaimed land ll on Mount Work in Hartland Park. The area has been turned into an extensive mountain bike park with a wide range of difficulty levels.

Aside from a rich, cultural heritage, Victoria is an outdoor enthusiast’s amusement park. With a bustling urban centre surrounded by ocean and mountain wilderness, Victoria and its home on Vancouver Island, has much to show visitors. Museums, art galleries, restaurants and shops satiate the urbanite while activity fans can find adrenaline from bear-watching, bungee-jumping, windsurfing and mountain climbing in some of the island’s many provincial and national parks. In fact, it’s hard to think of what you can’t do or see on Canada’s western island.

In the 2008 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards, Victoria ranked as number 16 out of 100 Top World Destinations. It is also considered the major gateway to exploring Vancouver Island, stretching 300 miles north of the city.

Photos-
Bottom; Selkirk Trest Bridge – Courtesy of Tourism BC/Tom Ryan

~By Heather Lea

Heather Lea loves travelling, wine and a good adventure story. She’s pretty sure she was born 50 years too late as she loves getting deep into the stories of early mountain explorers.
Heather has written for various outdoor magazines such as Climbing, Gripped and Kootenay Mountain Culture. In 2005, she started an Arts, Culture and Lifestyles magazine called "Reved Quarterly", which she publishes independently out of Revelstoke, B.C.
Heather wrote this story counting the exceptional life of Isabel Coursier called "Isabel Coursier – Ski-jumping Pioneer" for Experience The Mountain Parks.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink

Georgia Engelhard (1906 - 1986)

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Newlywed Evelyn Berens did not know she would be starting a fad when she went through her husband’s wardrobe looking for suitable mountain-climbing attire for her honeymoon in 1901.

Many remarkable women followed Evelyn’s lead and rebelled against traditional attire - long dresses and corsets - by donning pants as they set out to explore the beauty of the Selkirk and Rocky mountains. One of the most well known of these women was Georgia Engelhard, who despite having a fear of heights ended up taking a liking to the sport and put up 32 first ascents in Canada. Soon she was scrambling up mountain peaks so quickly her guides, the Feuz brothers, claimed that, “she needs a mountain goat, not a guide” and often joked about putting rocks in her pack to slow her down. In 1929, she conquered nine peaks in nine days and her passion for rock climbing grew to equal that of any of her male counterparts of the same era.

In celebration of the many adventurers that have shaped Glacier National Park over the past 125 years, Parks Canada has unveiled a new exhibit at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre sharing the stories of the daring young women - such as Georgia Engelhard - who donned pants and explored our rich mountain wilderness. GeorgIa’s cropped hair and comfort wearing pants often got her in trouble as many
mistook her for a boy rather than a young lady. Today, you can try on a metal replica of Georgia’s pants at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre and pose for a picture with Mount Tupper towering behind you.

More information about Georgia has been found here:

Georgia Engelhard was the first child of George Engelhard and Agnes Stieglitz. It is as the niece of Alfred Stieglitz, modernism’s most successful early booster in the United States, that Engelhard’s artistic career was encouraged. From the age of 12 to 22 she corresponded regularly with Stieglitz who serve as a confidant to the young woman. Engelhard occasionally posed for Stieglitz and the uncle honored her with an exhibition at his famous gallery, 291, when she was only ten years old. (Stieglitz’s motivation to show his niece’s work was more than likely a response to Wassily Kandinsky’s proposition that there was a fundamental spirituality to be found in true art and that children’s art had the ability to convey this “inner truth.”)

It is under the tutelage of Stieglitz’s wife, Georgia O’ Keeffe, that Engelhard matured as a painter. In biographies Engelhard is repeatedly mentioned as O’ Keeffe’s friend and companion. Georgia minor, as Engelhard was called, served as comic release for the older artist who often found Stieglitz and his family oppressive. The two artists frequently painted together at Stiegltiz’s summer house on Lake George and occasionally took excursions together. Engelhard’s paintings reflect O’ Keeffe’s influence—flat areas of pure color and sensuous curves are used to define the landscape. In both Abstraction and in Lake we see Engelhard’s enthusiasm for color and drama. The mountains are anything but static; undulating curves and constrasting colors provide an energy that is in keeping with the modernists’ enthusiasm for nature. Engelhard’s landscapes are more traditionally comprehensive than O’ Keeffe’s, who tended to focus in on an object or form.
Georgia Engelhard

Despite a paralyzing fear of heights, Engelhard became a premier mountain climber at the age of 20 and was the first female climber to ascend many of the peaks in the Canadian Rockies. Engelhard’s determination to overcome this specific fear evolved into a passion for the mountains that lasted throughout her lifetime and is made evident in paintings on the subject. Stieglitz’s biographer, Sue Davidson Lowe, believes that Lake is an impression of Lake Louise with Mt. Victoria in the background, a location where the artist often climbed. Abstraction may be scene recalled from her numerous climbs in the Swiss Alps.

Engelhard was also a writer and an accomplished photographer. In 1938 when she began living with Eaton Cromwell she stopped painting and together the couple pursued photography. While living in Switzerland they sold a number of their pictures to postcard companies. Few of Georgia Engelhard’s paintings are in existence today and when one does appear there is often a dispute about whether the canvas comes from O’ Keefe’s hands or Engelhard’s.

Photos-
Top; Georgia Engelhard – Courtesy of Canadian Pacific Archives

Second from top; Georgia Engelhard and guide Ernest Feuz on Mount Victoria, Banff National Park, Alberta – Courtesy of Glenbow Archives; NA-4868-197
Third from top; "Abstraction" an oil on canvas by Georgia Engelhard – Courtesy of Jeri L. Waxenberg Wolfson collection
Bottom; "Lake" an oil on canvas by Georgia Engelhard – Courtesy of Jeri L. Waxenberg Wolfson collection.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink

Mountain Majesty and Royal Retreat

Monday, May 21, 2012

Imagine this day: while still recovering from jet lag from an overseas trip, you begin your day in the nation’s capital by carrying on a great Canadian tradition of tree planting at Rideau Hall. This memorable moment is followed by a reception with Canadian veterans and their families at the Canadian War Museum, a tour of the museum, a flight to Montreal, a visit to a hospital to meet patients and their families, a cooking workshop, and finally, a voyage aboard the HMCS Montréal to Québec City. Exhausting? Absolutely. Fortunately, for this lucky couple (hint: they’re famous royalty) some rest and relaxation awaits in Canada’s mountain parks.

While not every day of their nine-day Canadian tour was as busy as the one described, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (or Will and Kate as we like to call them) experienced precisely this schedule during their first state visit after their 2011 wedding. When royalty visits Canada, be it an official or a personal visit, their time is valuable and those putting together itineraries for them want to make sure they see and do as much as possible during their stays.

Fortunately, for Will and Kate, they had a much-needed rest stop built into their hectic schedule. Not surprisingly, they chose beautiful Skoki Lodge for their personal retreat. Located near the Lake Louise Ski Area, Skoki Lodge hosts hikers and skiers who arrive via an 11km trail amongst the towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies. While they had no published itinerary that day (other than being flown in via helicopter as opposed to hiking the distance – and who could blame them!), they certainly savoured their valuable time in this serene setting.

The mountain parks have often been the setting of rest stops for royalty on whirlwind Canadian tours. With the completion of the railway, members of the royal family were able to travel from Halifax to Victoria in a single trip. This allowed them to view the majestic Rocky Mountains up close from the comfort of their train car. In 1901 the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (later King George V and Queen Mary) did just that. Interestingly, they were the first members of the royal family to visit Banff and toured much of the area in horse-drawn carriages. During this visit the Duchess and her ladies in waiting enjoyed a couple of days rest while the Duke went on a hunting trip at Poplar Point.

Over the years the royals have enjoyed participating in many of the leisure activities that lure visitors to the mountain parks. For example, in his 1914 visit, Prince Arthur (3^rd son of Queen Victoria and also known as the Duke of Connaught), his wife the Duchess of Connaught, and their twenty-five year old daughter Princess Patricia, spent time camping, fishing and canoeing.

So successful was the Prince during his fishing adventure at Consolation Lake, located near Banff, that he quickly exceeded the legal per–day quota. A park warden took notice, approached him, and suggested that perhaps the Prince should stop. The Prince’s tongue-in-cheek reply further endeared him to Canadians: “Per angler, per day, perdition; my good man, I ask you what is the sense of me being governor of this widespread, far-flung, sea-to-sea dominion if I cannot catch all the fish I have a mind to?” However, the good-natured Prince did, in fact, stop fishing.

Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II’s great grandfather, found Canada’s west so inspiring that, after his 1919 visit to the Rockies, he purchased a ranch in the foothills. During his stay in Banff, he had the honour of being made Chief Morning Star by the chief of the Stoney First Nations Tribe. In a later speech he was quoted as saying, “The free, vigorous, hopeful spirit of westerners not only inspires me, but makes me feel happy and at home.”

In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I (the Queen Mother) were the first reigning monarchs to stop in Banff for some rest and relaxation from their demanding schedule. On this excursion to Banff, the royal couple so badly wanted some time to themselves that they agreed to pose for the official cameraman in exchange for a few hours by themselves to explore the area. Interestingly, during their “free time” the King himself enjoyed photographing the splendour of the Rockies with his own camera.

Enjoying the Rockies while hiking one of the many trails in Banff National Park appeals to nearly everyone who visits the mountain parks. And, not surprisingly, King George VI was no different. Led by a competent guide, their Highnesses made the trek to the fire lookout at the top of Tunnel Mountain, which later became known as “King’s Lookout". Unquestionably, this spot offers the kind of peace and calm that royalty - and everyone else for that matter - so often crave during a “restful” vacation.

Later in this historic 1939 tour their Majesties enjoyed another day of tranquility in stunning Jasper National Park. While out walking with the Queen, the King was fortunate enough to have his camera along to capture an exciting encounter with a mother bear and her cub. The playful cub kept peeking around a tree at the visitors until finally the nervous mother hustled her baby up into the safety of a nearby tree. During the same trip the King was also able to capture images at spectacular Maligne Canyon, Mount Edith Cavell, and the Glacier of the Angel. No doubt his photos were prized possessions for years!

Their majesties’ accommodation while in Jasper was Outlook Cabin, now known as “The Royal Retreat". At the time of their stay it was a log cabin outfitted with an electric warming oven and an electric refrigerator, both luxuries at the time. (While the original cabin was destroyed by fire in 2000, it was beautifully rebuilt using the 1930 floor plans.)

Interestingly, the Queen was so impressed with the magnificence of the area that, upon arriving back in England, she told both her daughters they had to visit at least once in their lives. Princess Margaret did so in 1980 (enjoying a restful ten days in the parks) and Queen Elizabeth II visited for three rewarding days in 2005.

In his book, “The Royal Family” (1954), the eminent Canadian historian Pierre Berton wrote this about the 33-day, 1951 visit of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. “She shook hands at the rate of 30,000 times per week, heard the national anthem played 150 times, met 54 mayors, and accepted official bouquets from 23 little girls.” Hearing these numbers, it’s no surprise that the Royal Family looks forward to a little rest and relaxation while on tour. And to those who know the area, it’s no surprise that the mountain parks are the perfect place for exactly that.

~By Dawn Penner

(See our contributors' page to know more about Dawn Penner)

Photos-
Top; Prince of Wales (right) and George Lane (left) – Courtesy of Glenbow Archives; NA-3752-39

Second from top; George Church driving Prince Philip in a stagecoach – Courtesy of Glenbow Archives; PA-2270-70
Third from top; Prince Charles and Prince Andrew arrive for the Calgary Stampede – Courtesy of Glenbow Archives; NA-2864-16941A-25
Bottom; Royal Tour 2011 / Duke & Duchess of Cambridge – Courtesy of the Government of Alberta

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink

Who Else Wants to Golf The Trans-Canada Highway?

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course

After canning an eight-footer for double bogey (hey, everyone is capable of having a good hole every now and then), I kissed my lucky wand and sauntered over to the famous fourth. The view took my breath away. The punchbowl green — some 170 yards away — was perfectly positioned on the other side of one of the prettiest little mountain lakes on the planet. Surrounding the green was a stunning collection of artistic bunkers that not just anyone could concoct. But, then again, this is the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course, a Stanley Thompson masterpiece and one of the finest mountain golf courses in the world.

A journey down the Trans-Canada Highway — between Calgary and Revelstoke — will take you to a handful of unforgettable mountain golf courses. And, after playing these Rocky Mountain masterpieces, in places like Kananaskis, Canmore, Golden, and Revelstoke, you’ll undoubtedly be convinced that Canada is king when it comes to the mountain golf genre.

Certainly, other destinations in North America — Colorado, Montana, and Idaho come to mind — might have something to say about that. And, no doubt, there are some very good mountain golf courses in those parts. However, when you consider the history, the hotels, the overall quality of the courses, and the unspoiled, all-encompassing beauty of the surroundings, the mountain golf courses in Canada make a compelling case for being the best collection of mountain golf courses in the world.

Not surprisingly, many of the top courses here are located near the historic mountain towns, along the storied Canadian Pacific Railway, and along the super-scenic Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy #1).

Kananaskis Country Golf Course

Travelling west from Calgary, the first opportunity for world-class mountain golf is just an hour away in Kananaskis. True, you’re going to need to venture fifteen minutes off the Trans-Canada down Highway #40 to find the Kananaskis Country Golf Course, however, the experience here is worth every mile.

Designed by architect Robert Trent Jones Sr., the two 18 hole courses at Kananaskis: Mount Lorette and Mount Kidd, are perennial favourites in these parts. With great value, peak season rates are under $100 and Alberta residents receive an additional discount — eye-popping scenery, beautiful bunkering, and a natural, unspoiled setting, this is the type of place where it’s easy to kick back, relax, and stay awhile. Thankfully, just down the road from the course is the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis, one of the top hotels in the Canadian Rockies. Stay and play packages are readily available.

Approximately 40 km further west on the Trans-Canada is the pretty, mountainside town of Canmore. Enveloped with an energetic mountain vibe, Canmore is certainly a great home base for a mountain golf “tour". The three golf courses here — Stewart Creek, Silvertip, and the Canmore Golf Club — are all top-notch mountain golf experiences. All are decidedly different in character and design.

The Canmore Golf & Curling Club, established in 1926, is a classic, tree-lined course with a secluded, “private club” feel. Although busy with locals and members, the charming club has been welcoming visitors since its inception.

Stewart Creek might be the finest mountain golf course built in Canada in the past ten years. Designed by talented Canadian architects Gary Browning and Wade Horrocks, Stewart Creek is a wide, rolling, and beautifully sculpted layout that will appeal to every type of player.

Similar to the fourth at Banff, the opening tee at Stewart Creek — which sits atop a rocky perch with a wide, inviting fairway well below — is another one of my favourite spots in mountain golf. The realization that 18 awesome holes await only adds to the pleasure!

Across the majestic Bow River from Stewart Creek is another 18-hole treat that shouldn’t be missed. The Silvertip Golf Course is a wild, roller-coaster ride that requires a slightly different approach. Many of the holes here are tighter and less forgiving, so caution off the tee is vital! However, with stunning rock work, frequent wildlife sightings, and wonderful views of the famous Three Sisters massif, the visuals and the overall experience are highly memorable.

Unquestionably, the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course is anything but a one-hole wonder. Besides the 4^th, voted one of the 500 greatest golf holes in the world by Golf Magazine, the beauty and strategic merit of this historic, 100-year-old course is on full display throughout the entire route. The run of holes along the Bow River, for example — the 8^th through the 13^th — is one of the finest stretches of golf in all of Canada. With numerous shots played straight towards the grand Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in the distance, these great golf holes are vintage Canadiana!

Speaking of scenic stretches, this section of the Trans-Canada Highway is full of memorable stops and classic photo-ops. Both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, for example (they are just minutes off the highway), are iconic locations that shouldn’t be missed. If you’re a nature lover, a summer sunrise at Moraine Lake — with the Valley of the Ten Peaks reflected in the gorgeous baby-blue water — is spellbinding. Unfortunately, you’ll need to be there between five and six in the morning to capture it!

A couple other stops I’ve always enjoyed are the Spiral Tunnels (in between Lake Louise and Field) and Takakkaw Falls. An engineering marvel of railroading, the Spiral Tunnels were built to soften the severe pitch of the original tracks in this rugged location.

Takakkaw Falls, located in Yoho National Park, is the highest waterfall in the mountain parks and are absolutely beautiful. Golfers looking for that rare, away-from-it-all experience in a natural setting will find the Golden Golf & Country Club beautiful as well. This scenic, underrated course features secluded, pinelined holes, glacier-fed creeks, and a friendly group of locals who love to swap stories with visitors on the spacious, sun-soaked patio.

Golden Golf & Country

The drive from Golden to Revelstoke - through the historic Roger’s Pass - is one of the most famous high-mountain routes in Canada. After enjoying some of the sights along Roger’s Pass (The Meadows in the Sky Parkway in Mount Revelstoke National Park is a great little side trip), a closing round at the Revelstoke Golf Club would be time well spent. Yet another tucked-away gem, the Revelstoke Golf Club affords a classic Canadian Rockies golf experience. Spindly pines line the fairways and the smooth-flowing waters of the mighty Columbia River add a measure of greatness to the experience.

Revelstoke Golf Club

Of course, at this point, after playing a number of the best mountain golf courses in North America, you will have experienced a number of courses that easily fit the “greatness” descriptor. And, hopefully, the quality of your own game matches the lofty character of these special courses!

~By Andrew Penner

Andrew and Dawn Penner live in Calgary with their four boys. They enjoy travelling together and love finding cool things to do in the great outdoors. Andrew is a 20-year member of the CPGA, a freelance writer and outdoor photographer. He has been published in The Calgary Herald, Golf Magazine, Golf Canada, and others. Dawn is an elementary school teacher and spends plenty of time editing Andrew’s work. Andrew is the successful writer of the book called "One Flew Over the Caddyshack".

Buy Andrew's book here, through our Amazon Associates Book Store!