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They say the third time’s the charm. But what if there was plenty of charm the first two times around?

This was my dilemma the first week of October, 2019, when I was hosted by the good folks at Rocky Mountaineer to take another ride on their signature scenic train to celebrate their 30th anniversary.

Having taken both the First Passage To the West route in 2015 from Vancouver, BC to Banff, Alberta, and the Journey Through the Clouds from Vancouver to Jasper, AB in 2017, my early concern was what my fresh take would be for the third go-round. 

Cue Mother Nature.

Rocky Mountaineer is a seasonal travel experience that operates between the end of April to early October each year. It’s a summer train through and through. This being a sponsored trip for media, my fellow “influencers” and I don’t usually ride during the peak busy months (those are naturally reserved for paying customers), and my previous trips had both been in late April. 

Don’t get me wrong- the Canadian Rockies are beautiful any time of year, and April is no exception. But April comes with its own set of challenges up north, not least of which are high probabilities of rain, snow, ice, gray skies and leafless trees. As someone who has shot hundreds of photos and hours of video in that region, I was ready for a new look on an old friend.

Well hello, October and hello, new look! Not only were leaves still on the trees, but many had started to turn the magical colors of autumn: different shades of gold, red, yellow and green. And the cherry on top? I’d finally get to see the famous color of Lake Louise in Banff National Park without it hidden under a sheet of ice. 

That was plenty to look forward to, although two days of being pampered with fine food and an open bar while sitting on a luxury train and watching beautiful scenery is nothing to sneeze at either. Aside from the time of year there would also be a few itinerary changes from previous trips.

Again, I’d be taking the First Passage To The West route, but this time the Banff accommodations would be different and we’d make a special trip to the famous Lake Louise in all her glory.

The trip began as always from one of my favorite cities in all of North America – Vancouver. Between personal and work trips, I’ve spent many a day in “The Coov” (nobody calls it that but me and my attempts to get it trending have failed.) There always seems to be a part of the city waiting for me to discover, and with a free day to explore before beginning the train ride, I headed to a place I’d never been – the Vancouver Aquarium. 

 Nestled in famous (and huge) Stanley Park, the Aquarium proved to be a nice way to spend an hour or two. It’s not the biggest of its kind, but I defy anyone to not feel happier after watching rescued dolphins, sea lions and penguins do their thing. There is also a focus on sustainability and conservation at the Aquarium, which is a nice touch. Plus you get to walk through Stanley Park – always a good idea.  

An extra added benefit to the less than half-hour walk to the museum from my hotel (the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown) was that I got to grab soup dumplings at my go-to Chinese restaurant, Dinesty, on Robson St. Those dumplings have never let me down. Top it off with a bubble tea from Robson’s Bubble World down the street, and I’m in my happy place.

Speaking of food, I met the rest of the media gang for our pre-train dinner at the two-story, stylish Nightingale, where we sipped specialty cocktails and chowed fresh, farm-to-table fare.

I had a delicious salmon (when in Rome), everything tasted great, and I was stuffed, but I’ll be damned if we all didn’t stare at the pizzas being pulled out of the brick oven as we were walking out. I wanted to take a couple back to the hotel, but I knew I should preserve my   waistline for the weekend ahead.

The next morning began with a process I knew well: early morning pickup at the hotel, a quick bus ride to Rocky Mountaineer station where free coffee and pastries await; a welcome speech and tune from the bagpiper;  taking my comfy seat in the glass-domed Gold Leaf class car; and never once lifting my luggage the entire time.   

After waving goodbye to the RM staff along the track, we made our way out of the city and its environs. Within a couple hours we were in rural British Columbia, and the fall colors began to show their faces.

We wound our way along the Fraser River, past the infamous Hell’s Gate Gorge and the Cisco Crossing bridge, as the moist sea air turned to dry desert plain.

The temperature on the outside viewing platform (my favorite spot) dipped and rose and dipped again, with me changing layers accordingly.

While the Gold Leaf car was always comfortable, recent upgrades have made it even better: new heated, reclining seats, tinted glass-topped dome that increases visibility without baking in the sun, and some new regional menu items in the well-appointed dining car.

Another nice new touch was a single car on the train dedicated to serving the ever-growing Chinese tourist market.

The guides all speak Mandarin and the car features a slightly different menu (noodles for breakfast!) Though it’s currently offered on only select weeks of the  year, it’s popular and a great idea.  

As we pulled into Kamloops, BC for the night, we decamped to our hotel (where our luggage awaited) for a good night’s rest and unlimited WiFi for the jonesing bloggers.

A snappy chill in the air did not deter a handful of us from making our de riguer stop at the Noble Pig brewpub for drinks and a few side orders of their famous fried pickles.

The next morning it’s back on Rocky Mountaineer for the climb to higher elevations and what we’ve all been waiting to see –  the snow-capped Canadian Rockies.

Higher and higher we climbed, short sagebrush turning to giant Douglas Fir and Ponderosa Pine, until we catch our first glimpses of the Rockies.

On went more layers and out I went to the viewing platform, breathing deeply the fresh, cool, scented mountain air.

After another stellar lunch (this time I went with the burger, another old friend) accompanied by a local BC wine, we made our way through the Spiral Tunnels and crossed the Continental Divide into Alberta.

From here on, I would spend as much time on the platform taking in the scenery as my wind-chilled fingers and face could stand it (one day I’ll ride this train in August!) After a brief stop at the Lake Louise station to unload some passengers (see you tomorrow, Louise!), we rolled into Banff station at sunset.     

My 2015 stay in Banff saw all media housed at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a sprawling stone castle a mile or two from the center of town. This time we stayed in the middle of all the action at the Mount Royal Hotel. While not nearly as large as the Banff Springs, it was perfectly lovely and best of all, walking distance to all the nightlife of downtown Banff (which was jumping on a Saturday night.) 

We strolled a couple blocks down the main drag to the popular restaurant Park, whose interior looked like a movie set of a ski mountain lodge: wood everywhere, skis and axes on the walls, flannel shirt-wearing waitstaff, antler light fixtures, etc.

The one thing that was not typical? A two-story distillery in the center of the building.

Park makes its own gin, vodka, and rye whisky. and I admit I’ve never been a huge gin or whisky fan (I take my martinis with vodka, James Bond-style, thank you very much) so I went with a Moscow Mule made with the house-made vodka – delicious. Now we’re talking.

My fellow journalist Glen ordered a house rye manhattan that came with a square piece of wood resting on top, charred side down – infusing the whisky with smoky wood flavor. I’d never seen that one before, even in my old bartending days. Great idea, and a great drink.

Since I hadn’t ventured out of my comfort zone with my cocktail order, I went with a local delicacy I don’t see too much of in LA – buffalo. Out came a giant hunk of magic that was grilled exactly how I like it and as good as any beef steak I’ve had. I vowed to have more salad after I got home.

The next day welcomed bright sunshine and clear skies –   ideal to tour Banff National Park and Lake Louise. The glacier-fed lake nestled in the mountains was named after Queen Victoria’s daughter, and is famous for it’s unique emerald color caused by the silt runoff of the glaciers. 

While I had seen countless photos of Lake Louise over the years, pictures really don’t do it justice.

 

The water color seemed to change hue as the sun shifted or I whenever viewed from differing elevations.  Yes, there are tourist crowds, and judging by the size of the parking lots leading to the lake, July and August must be overrun with visitors. But there are reasons why it’s popular. It’s beautiful.

After a lovely scenic lunch at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Hotel situated right on the shore, we took our last looks and photos outside. I was grateful for the sun, the opportunity to stand on that magical spot, for the lack of ice covering the water, and for the Rocky Mountaineer train that brought me there in the most comfortable way. 

Beauty is never out of season.