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.

oTENTiks are coming to a mountain park near you!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Are you a boomer interested in connecting with the outdoors in comfort? Is your young family looking for camping convenience? Are you thinking of camping for the first time? This summer, Parks Canada is making your camping experience in Banff National Park easier!

Exclusive to Canada’s national parks, oTENTiks are coming to Banff National Park in July. A cross between an A-frame cabin and a prospector tent mounted on a raised wooden floor, this new visitor experience seeks to attract and connect with key target markets including urbanites, youth and new Canadians. oTENTiks is designed to modernize and diversify the traditional camping experience in the park.

The ten oTENTiks will be clustered together and embraced by Douglas fir, white spruce and pine trees along one of the most intimate shorelines in the park – Two Jack Lake. Set within Two Jack Lakeside Campground for easy access to site and town amenities, and as one of best locations for stunning views of the majestic mountain ranges.

A few oTENTik features:

 An outdoor deck overlooking Two Jack Lake presents an ideal location for relaxation,

 19 x 24 ft wide tent provides plenty of room for families or groups up to six,

 Sleeping area accommodates two-queen sized and one double-sized bunk bed with high density foammattresses for a restful night’s sleep - $145/night (includes GST),

 A spacious living room, with a table for six, offers a great activity area for inclement weather,

 A replica cast iron fireplace ensures extra warmth for cool mountain nights and mornings,

 Lighting and electrical outlets offers the convenience of night time reading or charging electronics,

 An outdoor fire pit and a Weber BBQ guarantees the tradition of camp-style cooking,

 Windows that unzip and mosquito screens allows fresh air movement and fibreglass doors that lock.

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Don't Leave Your Pet at Home

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Every year, thousands of families travel to the mountain parks for adventure and relaxation. And for many, no family member is left behind – whether it is the dog, cat, snake or ferret. Pet friendly accommodation is becoming more popular as people venture away from home with their beloved family pet. And accommodators are increasingly welcoming furry family members with open arms.

“Pets are part of the family, and just like bringing kids, we wants guests to bring their pets,” says Cole Millen, operations director at Delta Kananaskis. “There is a shift for hotels to go pet friendly, and people expect it.”

Approximately 50 per cent of hotels in the mountain parks are pet friendly. In the Kananaskis/Canmore/Banff/Lake Louise area, expedia.ca lists 34 of 82 accommodators as pet friendly, and in Yoho National Park, 11 of 25 have pet friendly rooms.

Millen says that although they have had cats, snakes and ferrets as guests at the hotel, dogs are the most common pet companion. On long weekends in particular, at least 10% of guests have a dog staying with them at the hotel.

Many hotels offer a welcome package when dogs are booked in advance. At the Delta, canine guests are greeted with an amenities package including a dog bowl, treats, toy and dog bed. And for guests worried about leaving the furkid unattended in a hotel room, the front desk staff will dogsit, including regular walks, for up to three hours. The program, which started in June 2012, donates all proceeds to the Bow Valley SPCA, and in a five month period, has generated more than $370.

Although being pet friendly is not a new approach for the Delta, other accommodators in the mountain parks are adapting to the demand for pet friendly accommodation and have only recently welcomed pets.

Buffalo Mountain Lodge in Banff, Alberta has been pet friendly for less than a year and has already doubled the number of pet rooms they make available to guests.

“There is a segment of the market that wants to bring pets,” says Martin Parkes, assistant lodge manager. “I was shocked how quickly (the pet friendly concept) took off.”

Like many other hotels that offer pet amenities, Buffalo Mountain Lodge is also initiating a dog-friendly welcome package, including locally sourced elk dog treats from the same farm as the meat they serve in the on-site restaurant.

Both Millen and Parkes support the pet friendly approach, but they also say it’s important for pet owners to be responsible – not only in the hotel, but outside as well.

“Being in a provincial park is a unique aspect,” says Millen. “It’s important that pets are on leash. The last thing we would want to see is a dog running after a squirrel or deer.”

Parkes agrees that the wildlife component is extremely important for pet owners to be aware of. With the possibility of a guest opening the door in the morning to find a deer on the lawn, it’s especially important for pet owners to be aware that they are in a park with wildlife.

It is also important that pet owners take advantage of the services and amenities available by booking their pets as a registered guest. Although hotels charge a pet fee for the necessary cleaning that is required, it notifies staff that a pet is in the room, and if there are any issues, they can contact the owner directly.

Not all dogs are perfectly well behaved all the time, but Millen says that shouldn’t prevent owners from bringing them to a hotel.

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This story will be published in our 2013 edition of Experience The Mountain Parks.
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“Don’t be embarrassed,” says Millen. “If your dog is a barker, ask for help, assistance, support and suggestions.”

For the travellers more inclined to camp on their mountain holiday, most campgrounds in the mountain parks permit pets to stay, but it is wise to confirm with the campground when booking. Even more so than hotel accommodation, wildlife awareness is important. Leaving dog food out in the open, for example, can attract wildlife to the campsite.

Leaving a beloved pet at home is a tough decision. Doggy daycare is an option. Friends or family could look after him/her. A house-sitter can make sure your dog is fed and has water.

Or bring your pet with you. Walk the trails, enjoy the snow or the sunshine, breathe in the fresh air. With hotels opening their doors to our furry friends, there is no decision to make. Your furkid will thank you.

[Furkid]

Used to refer to a pet that is treated as though it were someone's child.

Dog Travel tips

- Bring a leash – dogs need to be leashed in most areas of the mountain parks and in all hotel public areas.

- Register ahead – not only do dogs get a welcome package at many hotels, staff can contact you directly if there are any issues.

- Make them tired – go for a walk, hike, or run before checking into the hotel. A tired dog is a (usually) quiet dog.

- Bring a bag (or ask for one) – clean up after your dog to limit the impact on other guests and local wildlife.

- Book dogsitting – leave your room without worry. If offered, take advantage of the dogsitting offered by some dog-friendly hotels.

~By Jen Lowery

Photo credits:
Top photo a submission to our 2012/2013 Photos and Videos Contest by Jason Nolan, "Cat Creek, Highwood Area, Kananaskis Country".

Bottom photo a submission to our 2012/2013 Photos and Videos Contest by Joanna Nemrava, "We made it! (Illecillewaet Glacier and Rogers Pass in the background)".

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RV enthusiasts, that's the major event you don't want to miss!!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Tomorrow, Thursday, January 24, 2013 will be held in Calgary at the BMO Centre, Stamped Park the 44^th Calgary RV Expo and Sale.

The show goes on from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM on Thursday, as well as Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Last day is Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

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Over there, shovels aren't just for safety...

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

“The Columbia Mountains are the first major barrier to incoming moisture across British Columbia's Interior Plateau. The northern Columbia's which include the Monashees and the Selkriks receive some of Canada's highest annual snowfall amounts.

The ideal atmospheric circulation for heavy snow to the Northern Selkirks is a west to southwest flow. This way moisture off the Pacific Ocean can sneak in between the South Coast Mountains and the Northern Cascades and remain relatively uninterrupted until encountering the Columbia Mountain Range. A southwesterly flow arrives perpendicular to the range and results in maximum orographic lifting. Western Canada's weather pattern is predominantly from the west. This moisture laden southwesterly flow is thus very common, making heavy snowfall a regular occurrence in the Northern Selkirks.

Located smack dab in the middle of the Northern Selkirks sits the Durrand Glacier, Selkirk Mountain Experience's playground. From the Durrand Glacier, several glacial valleys fan out in a variety of orientations including the E-W Carnes Creek, the SE-NW Downie Creek and the NW-SE Woolsey Creek. This medley of drainage orientations promotes convergence for each of the major atmospheric flows which ultimately results in enhanced snowfall. Carnes Creek channels moisture during the predominant west to southwest flow and creates a snow-belt over the Durrand Glacier and its surrounding mountains. Downie Creek promotes enhanced snowfall to the glacier in a northwesterly atmospheric flow while many of the surrounding sub-ranges have become subsident and dry. Additionally, Woolsey Creek allows moisture to be channeled and converge at the southern edge of the glacier during a southerly flow..

The Durrand Glacier thus benefits from the large scale orographic enhancement of the Columbia's as well as the smaller scale chanelling and convergence effects of the various surrounding drainages. Year after year all of these factors combine to give the Durrand Glacier some of the highest annual snowfall amounts while many surrounding ranges experience large seasonal variability. Deep snow is almost guaranteed on the Durrand Glacier!”

~By Matt MacDonald, Operational Meteorologist

"A short clip of Ruedi and Nicoline enjoying the first ski of the season, at the Durrand Glacier Chalet, on November 1, 2011. We have been very excited for this year's ski season, as we truly believe it is going to be a great snow year. The snow at the Chalet is already measuring 153 cm of snow pack!", said Ruedi.

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Winter is upon us, time to winterize your RV

Monday, October 15, 2012

Make sure you do it right by protecting your investment. This basic DIY procedure is shared by Campfire In A Can, originally written by CampingRoadTrip.com.

Make a trip to the local RV store to procure all the essential materials for maintenance. The necessary items are:
- Cleaning wands for the holding/waste water tank
- A compressed air adapter
- New water filters
- Pliers and wrenches to remove plugs
- RV antifreeze
- Water pump converter and WD-40A water heater bypass will be required, unless it's already installed.
Grab the owner's manual and remember to review all the specifications, even if you have been prudent about maintaining your RV. Don't forget that every RV is different in function and style, so some of us will require additional materials to perform this maintenance and alternate servicing techniques. It may be helpful to employ a partner to assist you during the maintenance process.
Remove all in-line water filters.
Empty out the fresh water tank and the hot water heater, allowing ample time for the water to cool after you have turned off the heater.
Take out the drain plug and undo the pressure relief valve.
Continuing with the draining process, empty out and flush the black and gray wastewater holding tanks. Some RVs have tank flushing systems; if yours does, use it.
Clean the tanks of debris and remnants using your cleaning wands. Remember to leave the valves opened and apply the WD-40 to the termination valves.
Attach the compressed air adapter to the fresh water inlet, setting the compressed air adapter to less than twenty pounds per square inch (PSI).
Make sure to check each faucet one at a time, including the shower and toilet. The compressed air will remove any remaining water.
Use the compressed air adapter to clear out the water heater.
Replace the drain plug and shut the water heater bypass valve.
Detach the compressed air adapter, storing it in a safe place.
Close all opened valves.
Attach the water pump converter, fastening the kit's clear tubing to the pump's inlet side. In the other side, pour the antifreeze.
Turning on the water pump to pressurize the system.
Check every cold and hot valve, opening each slowly until the antifreeze appears.
Afterward, close each valve. Add additional antifreeze, if necessary. Make sure to remember to close the shower valves during this process. The toilet will need to be flushed until you see the antifreeze as well.

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Experience The Mountain Parks Blog

oTENTiks are coming to a mountain park near you!

Don't Leave Your Pet at Home

RV enthusiasts, that's the major event you don't want to miss!!

Over there, shovels aren't just for safety...

Winter is upon us, time to winterize your RV

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