Canadian Rockies and Glacier National Park 5-15 Aug 2024

Canadian Rockies and

Glacier National Park

An 11 day trip with the tour company

Odysseys Unlimited.

The images are a combination of individual pictures, or pictures in a collage. Some pictures are posted in a gallery, in that case click on an image to expand it, and cycle thru the gallery

Day 1 – Calgary

After an uneventful non stop flight we were met by an Odyssey’s rep, and shuttled to hotel (Hyatt Regency). After checking in we were off on a walk along Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary, and a beer stop 😊🍻

Introductory Presentation

Kickoff Dinner

Day 2 – Depart Calgary for

Glacier National Park

Early morning (5AM) One last time for the hotel pool, spa, and steam room

Calgary Breakfast

Good Bye Calgary

We leave Calgary by coach this morning for the scenic drive to Glacier National Park in northern Montana. For lunch we stop at a local restaurant along the shores of Waterton Lake, the deepest lake in the Canadian Rockies. Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park is known as the place where the prairies meet the mountains, and it’s easy to see why, as soaring mountain peaks surround the lake. Waterton adjoins Montana’s Glacier National Park, and the two together were designated as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in 1932 to celebrate the enduring peace between the two countries. After time to take in the splendid lake views here, we cross the 49th parallel and enter to the United States. We arrive at our lodge late this afternoon and enjoy an included dinner here tonight.

Hotel lobby – beautiful “canoe” accent in the ceiling and outlined in the carpet below (blue)

Gathering in the hotel lobby with our tour director (Heather) and bus driver (Nathan)

Our bus and driver (Nathan)

Driving across the plains of Alberta

Waterton National Park (Canada)

Lunchtime in the town of Waterton

Back in the USA (Montana)

The lodge at St Marys Village.

Our accommodations for

the next two days

**Spectacular view from the balcony of our room**

All settled into our room, time for some relaxation and a “cold one”

Day 3- Glacier National Park

Today we get our first look at Glacier National Park, a 1,583-square-mile swath of wilderness in Montana’s Rocky Mountains encompassing rugged mountains, thunderous waterfalls, still lakes, and glacial valleys stretching to the Canadian border. From our lodge on the eastern side of the park, we travel into the park and begin with a visit to Many Glacier Hotel and the magnificent views. Then a afternoon cruise on St. Mary Lake for panoramic views of the water and its lovely surroundings. Pine forests cover the shoreline here, rising up to rugged rock bluffs that create a natural amphitheater around the lake. We return to our lodge and have the afternoon at leisure amidst the majesty of America’s 10th national park. Dinner tonight is at our lodge.

Breakfast Buffet

Our Lodging In St Marys Village

Many Glacier

Boat Cruise- St Marys Lake

Hike to lovely Waterfalls

Iron Teepees

A walk to the St Marys Visitors Center

Day 4- Glacier National Park & Whitefish MT

We enjoyed a travel highlight today as we step back in time and board one of Glacier National Park’s legendary sightseeing buses: the Red Jammers, in use here since the 1930s. With roll-back canvas convertible tops, these buses take their name from the sound of the early drivers jamming the manual transmission into low gear to negotiate steep roads. Our ride this morning takes us along the fabled Going- to-the-Sun Road, a twisting, winding mountain pass that offers breathtaking views and hair-raising turns. This 50-mile road crosses the park from east to west, and was the first to be recognized on the National Historic Registers as a Place, Landmark, and Civil Engineering Landmark. After time for lunch on our own, we meet up with our motorcoach at Lake McDonald Lodge, then continue southwest across the Continental Divide. The divide marks the border between the eastern and western portions of North America: all rivers originating east of the divide flow into the Atlantic Ocean, while rivers with headwaters west of the divide flow to the Pacific. After crossing this continental high point, we arrive late this afternoon in the resort town of Whitefish, Montana on the western edge of the park. We enjoy a leisurely dinner tonight at our lodge.

Day 5 – Whitefish

This morning, we head to the popular ski area of Whitefish Mountain Resort, where we board chairlifts bound for the mountain’s summit. Rising to an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet, the “Big Mountain,” as it is known, hosted the 2001 U.S. Alpine Skiing Championships. After taking time to enjoy the 360 degree mountain views and crisp summit air, we visit the Summit Nature Center to learn more about the mountain and its local environment. We then enjoy lunch on our own before heading to nearby Kalispell for a guided tour of Conrad Mansion, one of the Northwest’s most outstanding examples of luxurious pioneer living. Originally designed and built for Charles E. Conrad – a founder of Kalispell – and his wife Alicia, the building itself remains virtually unchanged since its construction in 1895. Conrad’s descendants owned and occupied this beautiful estate until 1974, when Alicia Conrad McCutcheon Campbell – the Conrads’ youngest daughter – gifted the home and its contents to the city of Kalispell to be maintained in perpetuity as a historic site in memory of her parents. We dine tonight on our own.