Carolyn and I enjoyed an adventurous trip to Canada beginning September 28, 2003. We flew from Chicago to Salt Lake City, UT connecting...
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Carolyn and I enjoyed an adventurous trip to
Canada beginning September 28, 2003. We
flew from Chicago to Salt Lake City, UT
connecting to a flight to Calgary, Alberta (AB),
Canada.. elapsed time about 6 hours... after
renting a car, we drove about 3 hours along
the Trans Canada Highway 1 through the
Banff National Park and the Kootenay National
Park to Panorama Village about 12 miles west
of Invermere, BC.. deer, moose and bears are
frequently observed on the highway.. along
the way we viewed (and could smell) the
effects of devastating forest fires which
occurred about two months earlier.. we
traveled for miles in blackened, charred
forests.. although depressing to see such
destruction, we recalled that in fact this is
nature's way of cleansing and stimulating new
growth..
During our first week we enjoyed the
timeshare accommodations of a 2-bedroom, 2-
bathroom, full kitchen unit that was relatively
clean and comfortable in Panorama Village...
an inside flight of stairs up from the front door
led to the main living area with another flight
of stars up to the sleeping area.. an outside
flight of stairs down from the front door led to
an underground, enclosed, heated garage..
the resort is 30 years old and shows wear,
but it was acquired a few years ago by
Intrawest which is significantly refurbishing
the older units while investing in major
enhancements to the resort which include a
challenging golf course, efficient gondola and
ski lifts and whole ownership units.. we were
told that the Russian, Canadian and US ski
teams practice here the first two weeks of the
skiing season... the staff is friendly and
competent.. the mountains are awesome.. the
amenities are typical of a large resort..
The near-by community of Invermere is replete
with grocery stores, art galleries, an antique
shop, and the typical support services of a
bustling ski area.. hot springs are a
not-to-be-missed attraction in both the Radium
and Fairmont communities..
At week's end, we retraced our initial travel
route to spend the following week in
Canmore, AB from where we visited Banff,
Lake Louise, the Columbia Icefields and
Kananaskis Country..