Back Bowls . . . worth the price of admission. Super steep areas. Must ride the Ptarmigan or Paradise, old school lifts, in order to do laps. I entered near the Top of the World lift.
Larch Area . . . Rock Garden was miserable, not enough snow. Ask around before embarking. The Lynx Run (#147) was nearly untracked in the afternoon. Never skied to main base from the Larch Area, rode the Ptarmigan up the ridge to access the front side. It looked like a long haul via a cat track to get back around to front side base if you choose to ski, and near as I could tell, it required some hiking. Seek local advice on conditions before skiing to the base.
Temple Lodge . . .nice place for lunch, no need to make the journey to the front side for sustenance.
Gondola . . . . Nice way to get to the ridge top, but didn't seem that great for laps on skis. If snowboarding, I would have lived here. Nice wide open boulevards for 2000+ vertical feet.
Top of the World . . . Spent the most time here, trees were wide open, never really skied a run, stayed between the runs for most of the day. Never really hit a bad stretch of snow. A fun place to poke around and find new chutes. The area between the Top of the World and the Gondola was wide open with few skiers.
Never made it to Summit Platter, probably should have.
All and all, a great place to ski. Certainly I had the benefit of fresh snow, but also a place I would gladly pay a return visit. Scenery was spectacular. On the front side, you look across the Bow River Valley to Lake Louise and the mountains that encircle it, further down the valley is Lake Moraine and the famous peaks from the Canadian 20 dollar bill. But it's the back side that makes you feel like you've crossed into a new world. In most western ski areas, the runs all begin at the top of a mountain, not the case at Louise, the Canadian Rockies simply tower above you, no matter where you go nor which way you look.
If skiing multiple days, get a Ski Louise card. The 1st, 4th, and 7th days are free with 20 dollar discounts on the other days, and the pass is good for Lake Louise, Kicking Horse, and Revelstoke. Costs about a 100 bucks, but pays it for itself if skiing 4+ days at any of those areas in a season. Also, half day rates start at 12:30pm. And watch the weather. . . .this place can be dry and it can get cold. The weather for our trip was fabulous, but I'm not so sure I want to be riding those chairs with -20 temps and a strong wind blowing.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Bear Street Tavern - Banff, Alberta
While on safari for a Rose Bowl bar, we peeked in the Bear Street Tavern, and the nice lady informed us they had 3 sports TV's. Are sports TV's different than other TV's? Nonetheless, we liked the feel of the place and made a mental note to return when happenings in Pasadena were not on our radar. A few nights later, we made good. The Bear Street Tavern is located on the ground floor, just below the Bison Restaurant. The entire bar area seemed rather comfortable. Modern without feeling out of place in Banff.
While the menu features typical bar fare, Pork Belly Mac & Cheese, assorted sandwiches, and cast iron specialties, the main attraction is the pizza. We went with the D'Italiano; olives, venison sausage and salami. Bear Street Tavern claims to have ridiculously good pizza, and we most certainly back up that claim. The Caesar salad was funky and nice respite from the normal fare. . . .pancetta along with a balsamic orange reduction. We wanted to sample the Shepp's Pie, but they were already sold out for the night.
All and all, a very worthy place to park ourselves for a nice meal and enjoyable surroundings. It might be tough to top this tomorrow. This is the exact kind of place you talk about when you plot the first night's dining on your return trip.
While the menu features typical bar fare, Pork Belly Mac & Cheese, assorted sandwiches, and cast iron specialties, the main attraction is the pizza. We went with the D'Italiano; olives, venison sausage and salami. Bear Street Tavern claims to have ridiculously good pizza, and we most certainly back up that claim. The Caesar salad was funky and nice respite from the normal fare. . . .pancetta along with a balsamic orange reduction. We wanted to sample the Shepp's Pie, but they were already sold out for the night.
All and all, a very worthy place to park ourselves for a nice meal and enjoyable surroundings. It might be tough to top this tomorrow. This is the exact kind of place you talk about when you plot the first night's dining on your return trip.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Earl's - Banff, Alberta
We've been frequent customers of the Earl's at Whistler. It's certainly not the best place in town, but it just might be the most consistent. We've always been able to get a table with minimal wait, and the food is always good/great. Never the best steak you've had, but it never leaves you wanting. Every meal is solid.
The Earl's in Banff is located on one of the main corners on Banff Avenue. The bar area is on street level on the side street. We ventured out that night with the mindset to eat at Earl's and were rewared with the last open table in the bar area.
We started with the garclic bread, which should have been called the garlic loaf, hot from the oven with the right amount of spice, this was the perfect app after a longday outside in the snow. We had to divide it up before Wilson inhaled it.
Amy orderd the Blackened Chicken while Wilson went with the "little kids" steak, a 7 ounce sirloin with double mash. Both were fabulous. Again, this isn't the best chicken or steak you'll ever have, but it's always good/great, and after a long day outdoors, sometimes it's just nice to relax the brain muscle and go somewhere you know you will be satisfied.
The Earl's in Banff is located on one of the main corners on Banff Avenue. The bar area is on street level on the side street. We ventured out that night with the mindset to eat at Earl's and were rewared with the last open table in the bar area.
We started with the garclic bread, which should have been called the garlic loaf, hot from the oven with the right amount of spice, this was the perfect app after a longday outside in the snow. We had to divide it up before Wilson inhaled it.
Amy orderd the Blackened Chicken while Wilson went with the "little kids" steak, a 7 ounce sirloin with double mash. Both were fabulous. Again, this isn't the best chicken or steak you'll ever have, but it's always good/great, and after a long day outdoors, sometimes it's just nice to relax the brain muscle and go somewhere you know you will be satisfied.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Elk and Oarsman - Banff, Alberta
Amy is the desingated foodie of this little adventure duo for two very good reasons . . . first, she knows good food, secondly, the Old Man doesn't, unless it's steak or BBQ.
Yelp led us to the Elk and Oarsman in downtown Banff, yet another food and beverage joint shuttered to the second floor to make room for retail* on the sidewalk level.
This establishment was almost exactly what your mind might conjuure up for a pub in the Canadian Rockies . . . a warm decore, historical photos and tidbits from a bygone era on the walls, and hearty choices on the menu. Our afternoon beers left our stomachs aching and patience thinning. We settled for a table in the rear and quickly ordered one of their pizzas. The Rose Bowl left us mentally drained and we were in no mood to sample local cuisine. This was likely a mistake. Not because we chose poorly, our selection was the "Canadian" pizza with American style pepperoni and bacon, and it was fabulous.
In hindsight, this seemed to be a perfect place to experiment and try a wacky pizza, or perhaps the Wild Game Stroganoff, or maybe even one of the Elk or Bison entrees. Nonetheless, it's a place we would happily return to in the future. Also worth noting, the front portion with the bar felt much more lively, and we should have found some fortitude and waited for a spot to open up, instead went straight to back for a quiet table with a nearby fireplace.
*some of this "retail" should be banished to the Shell station, but most of it seems worthwhile.
Yelp led us to the Elk and Oarsman in downtown Banff, yet another food and beverage joint shuttered to the second floor to make room for retail* on the sidewalk level.
This establishment was almost exactly what your mind might conjuure up for a pub in the Canadian Rockies . . . a warm decore, historical photos and tidbits from a bygone era on the walls, and hearty choices on the menu. Our afternoon beers left our stomachs aching and patience thinning. We settled for a table in the rear and quickly ordered one of their pizzas. The Rose Bowl left us mentally drained and we were in no mood to sample local cuisine. This was likely a mistake. Not because we chose poorly, our selection was the "Canadian" pizza with American style pepperoni and bacon, and it was fabulous.
In hindsight, this seemed to be a perfect place to experiment and try a wacky pizza, or perhaps the Wild Game Stroganoff, or maybe even one of the Elk or Bison entrees. Nonetheless, it's a place we would happily return to in the future. Also worth noting, the front portion with the bar felt much more lively, and we should have found some fortitude and waited for a spot to open up, instead went straight to back for a quiet table with a nearby fireplace.
*some of this "retail" should be banished to the Shell station, but most of it seems worthwhile.
Rose & Crown - Banff, Alberta
The Rose & Crown is located on Banff Avenue at Caribou Corner on the second floor. The place was a typical British/Irish type of place you find in North America. NFL games in HD was nice, but if you have HD, don't you want more than a single TV in view ? The food was average/good. Amy's fish and chips were the former, the Old Man's grilled cheese the latter, but is it really possible to screw up a grilled cheese, aren't they always "good" or better?
If dining there in the winter, choose your table wisely if you have a choice. The tables near the entry way got a consistent cold breeze every time someone opened the main door downstairs.
All and all, the Rose & Crown was fine, but it's worth noting we didn't return for an apres dinner beverage any of the next four nights, even though we walked right past it on our way back to the lodge.
If dining there in the winter, choose your table wisely if you have a choice. The tables near the entry way got a consistent cold breeze every time someone opened the main door downstairs.
All and all, the Rose & Crown was fine, but it's worth noting we didn't return for an apres dinner beverage any of the next four nights, even though we walked right past it on our way back to the lodge.
Rundlestone Lodge - Banff, Alberta
The Rundelstone is one of dozens of mid sized lodging options lining Banff Ave. This one happened to be fairly far down the strip, but had a king sized room available. Since we booked at the last minute, we had limited options for a room on Jan. 1st in Banff. We decided to add one night at a time, to be flexible.
The room was decent for the $$. It had a nice bed, a coffee maker, a couple of charis, flatcreen tv ( but no HD channels, notably, no TSN2). The biggest drawback was that the bathroom was really cold. Of course, Curt used this to his advantage and put the beer in there at night when it was too cold outside.
Another drawback was the indoor hot tub, shouldn't all mountain resort hot tubs be outside ? The pool area was actually rather large for being indoor, but between the lack of outdoors and weird foam in the water, we only went once.
We added one night at a time for 5 nights. The Rundlestone worked out fine for us, although a light breakfast at the hotel would have been nice this trip.
Location, Location, Location . . . The Rundlestone a solid mile walk from the town center. We knew this going in and embraced the extra exercise. In the end, it was 30-70 dollars a night to be closer, and we allocated that money to buy beer, but likely would have moved closer if temps remained in the single digits.
The room was decent for the $$. It had a nice bed, a coffee maker, a couple of charis, flatcreen tv ( but no HD channels, notably, no TSN2). The biggest drawback was that the bathroom was really cold. Of course, Curt used this to his advantage and put the beer in there at night when it was too cold outside.
Another drawback was the indoor hot tub, shouldn't all mountain resort hot tubs be outside ? The pool area was actually rather large for being indoor, but between the lack of outdoors and weird foam in the water, we only went once.
We added one night at a time for 5 nights. The Rundlestone worked out fine for us, although a light breakfast at the hotel would have been nice this trip.
Location, Location, Location . . . The Rundlestone a solid mile walk from the town center. We knew this going in and embraced the extra exercise. In the end, it was 30-70 dollars a night to be closer, and we allocated that money to buy beer, but likely would have moved closer if temps remained in the single digits.
US 95
Amy does not endorse this post, as it simply highlights the glut of information and useless facts stuck inside the Old Man's noggin.
US 95 is one of my favorite highways. It's a ribbon of concrete that stretches from Canada to Mexico. We've travelled nearly all of it's 1574 miles, from the edges of the Palouse, to the canyons of the Clearwater and Salmon Rivers, recreationals havens of Riggins and McCall, across the Snake River Plain to the lonliest corner in the lower 48, the Owyhee region . . . past the metropolis of Winnemucca, sliding east of Reno with Death Valley on your right and Area 51 on your left, 95 rolls southward towards the shimmering lights of Las Vegas, and just her style, the 95 bypasses the Strip to serve the diehards in Downtown. While the 93 gets the glory of the incredible bridge over Hoover Dam, 95 heads south to the forgotten lands of California before entering Arizona for a 123 mile sprint to Mexico.
We never set out to conquer this venerable highway, it just sort of happned. The 114 miles from Coeur d' Alene to the Canadian border gives partial closure, leaving just the Arizona section to be explored.
While an official endoresemtn is unlikely to be forthcoming, Amy does admit that she really does enjoy the portions of US 95 in Idaho..
US 95 is one of my favorite highways. It's a ribbon of concrete that stretches from Canada to Mexico. We've travelled nearly all of it's 1574 miles, from the edges of the Palouse, to the canyons of the Clearwater and Salmon Rivers, recreationals havens of Riggins and McCall, across the Snake River Plain to the lonliest corner in the lower 48, the Owyhee region . . . past the metropolis of Winnemucca, sliding east of Reno with Death Valley on your right and Area 51 on your left, 95 rolls southward towards the shimmering lights of Las Vegas, and just her style, the 95 bypasses the Strip to serve the diehards in Downtown. While the 93 gets the glory of the incredible bridge over Hoover Dam, 95 heads south to the forgotten lands of California before entering Arizona for a 123 mile sprint to Mexico.
We never set out to conquer this venerable highway, it just sort of happned. The 114 miles from Coeur d' Alene to the Canadian border gives partial closure, leaving just the Arizona section to be explored.
While an official endoresemtn is unlikely to be forthcoming, Amy does admit that she really does enjoy the portions of US 95 in Idaho..
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