Ah, the Canadian Rockies. While we have our share of purple mountains majesty here in the good ole U.S. of A., our friends to the north certainly have some mountainous splendor, too. Jasper National Park, for example, Canada's largest mountain park, is called the "gem of the Rockies" with ample options for winter sports. Although most rail tours through Canada cease operations in late fall, a couple of companies offer tours that capitalize on the beauty of the cold and proximity to skiing and snowboarding activities, while keeping you safely ensconced in a comfy, heated coach.
Rocky Mountaineer offers Canadian Rockies winter rail vacations (tel. 877/460-3200; www.winterrailvacations.com), but you must act quickly because it only departs in December. The 10-day "Winter in the Canadian Rockies" takes you to Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise and two days on board the Rocky Mountaineer. The trip covers nine nights' accommodations, seven meals, transfers, admission to the Whyte Museum, tour of Banff, and admission to the Lookout in Vancouver and Calgary. It is priced at US$2,339 based on double occupancy for "popular" accommodations rating. As of publication, there is one departure left, on December 22.
There is also a shorter version of this trip, called "Canadian Rockies Winter Excursion" for four nights and five days, starting at US$839 for adults, based on double occupancy, with stops in Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff and Calgary. The start dates are December 18 and 26 if you're traveling from Vancouver to Calgary, or December 19 and 27 if you're headed to Vancouver from Calgary. And shorter still is the two-day "Winter Train Getaway," with a mountaineer train dressed up for the holidays. You can head eastbound or westbound to or from Vancouver and Banff and prices start at US$469 one way for adults based on double occupancy. Two breakfasts and lunches, one dinner and an overnight hotel accommodation along with rail transfers are all included. Travel from Vancouver on December 19 or 27 and from Banff on December 21 or 29.
VIA Rail Canada (tel. 888/VIA-RAIL; www.viarail.ca) has teamed up with ski area Marmot Basin in Jasper, Alberta, in the Canadian Rockies in Jasper National Park, for a new departure from Edmonton to Jasper in the VIA panorama, a fully domed observation car. Starting January 12 and running through April 22, 2007, travelers can take this train through all manner of weather and head to the skiing, snowboarding and other outdoor activities without braving the icy roads. Called the Snow Train Express, the schedule designed for weekend trips. One-way trips, with meal included, for the Snow Train Express are priced at C$123 (US$106) for adults, with discounts for seniors and children.
To book, or if you're just looking for more information, including suggestions on area accommodations, you can check out the web site dedicated to the Snow Train to Jasper (www.snowtraintojasper.com), which also details departures and schedules from Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Saskatoon, to Jasper. There's even a section on tour companies that offer packages with the Snow Train, such as Brewster (tel. 877/791-5500; www.brewster.ca), offering an eight-day, seven-night package that's called Snow Train & Western Wonders. The trip starts in Vancouver to Jasper and then Edmonton, and is priced from US$1,108 per person, based on double occupancy for moderate accommodations. Departures are scheduled for Wednesdays and Fridays through April 19, 2007.
Not a skier? In addition to its 84 runs and 3000 vertical feet, and Jasper has a walkable downtown with carriage rides and ice skating opportunities and plenty of snowy mountains to make for picturesque viewing as you sit warm, inside, sipping something hot.
On the eastern side of Canada, and the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of expense, the Agawa Canyon Snow Train (tel. 800/242-9287; www.agawacanyontourtrain.com) operated by the Algoma Central Railway, is also worth it. The train starts in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, which is right across the border from the town's namesake in Michigan. On-board attendants narrate and answer any questions about the route and the area. The Snow Train heads north for over 100 miles through the very white, snow-covered canyon, with frozen lakes and waterfalls and other icy works of nature on display. The one-day trips depart on Saturdays from Sault at 8am and you return back at 5pm later that same day. The tickets are priced at US$59 for adults, $32 for children 5-18; children under five are $18, and seniors (60+) are priced at $51.
There are a number of accommodations packages for hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts you can browse through right on the web site. The Algoma's Water Town Inn (tel. 800/461-0800; www.watertowerinn.com). The Snow Train Package A, for example, gives you two nights accommodations, two breakfast buffets, one train ticket, one casino package (that's right, there's gambling in the Soo) and a gift bag, starting at C$219 per person (US$197). There is also a package offered by the Holiday Inn Waterfront in downtown Sault St. Marie, just steps from the train depot, for two nights accommodations, two continental breakfasts, one train ticket and one casino package, priced from C$199 (US$179) per person, tax inclusive, based on double occupancy. You can also search for accommodations packages by using the tour train's site, or by using the tourism site for the city of Sault Ste. Marie (tel. 800/461-6020; www.sault-canada.com).
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