Banff - Rocky Mountain High

Banff - Rocky Mountain High | WorldMark Destinations

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Browse gt Home Canmore-Banff Resort Destinations Banff - Rocky Mountain High

March 31 2010

Written by Alyssa Moore

Experience your very own Rocky Mountain High atWorldMark Canmore-Banff While it may not be JohnDenverrsquos Colorado Rockies WorldMark Canmore-Banff offers you the chance to experience a Canadianversion of that famous ldquoRocky Mountain Highrdquo Itrsquos aplace where you can truly ldquoclimb cathedralmountainsrdquo and ldquowalk in quiet solituderdquo Itrsquos a placewhere you can take a moment for yourself and trulylisten to naturersquos soundtrack or where you can exploreseemingly endless terrain rife with wildlifeencounters Itrsquos a place where jagged peaks surroundyou so close itrsquos almost as if you can reach out andtouch them ndash like yoursquove suddenly been transportedinto a surreal 3D movie

ldquoRocky Mountain Highrdquo is a fitting term for Banff ndash withan elevation of 4537 feet (1383 m) the town is quiteliterally the highest town in Canada Established in1885 as Canadarsquos first National Park (third in theworld) this massive park covers 2564 square miles(6641 km) boasts over 1000 glaciers has an

excess of 1000 miles (1600 km) of hiking trails and is home to a vast array of wildlife including theendangered woodland caribou This spectacular region has not only received national attention butinternational attention as well In 1984 Banff National Park along with other national and provincial parks wasdesignated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site a United Nations designation helping to protect over 7700square miles (20000 square km) of the Canadian Rockies All of this attention and preservation is welldeserved ndash the dramatic peaks fresh mountain air and abundant wildlife sightings leave an indelibleimpression meant to be maintained

Photo Video by Jean Robinson Owner ndash Salt Lake City UT

Knocking on the door of Banff National Park 10 short minutes away is the town of Canmore and yourWorldMark Canmore-Banff resort The small town of Canmore holds a substantial place in history as one ofthe most important coal mining locations in southern Alberta and a key contributor to the Canadian PacificRailway These days home to several refurbished coal mines the area offers you the nostalgia of the past

HOME RESORT DESTINATIONS TRAVEL TIPS OWNER SPOTLIGHT

combined with the modern necessities you desire ndash a selection of grocery stores and charming restaurants

The resort itself is a quaint refurbished property offering Owners 108 studio one- and two-bedroom unitsSelected first and foremost for the unbeatable location ndash just seconds from hiking into the mountain forest thecozy units come equipped with most of the essential WorldMark standard amenities The exception being thatthere are no stoves in the kitchens or washerdryers in the units (complimentary laundry facilities available onsite) While the units may be missing a few of the standard amenities you wonrsquot be disappointed by thephenomenal scenery In fact Darren Holden Resort Manager for WorldMark Canmore-Banff finds thatldquoWhen people arrive at night the next morning they walk out their door and you hear them go lsquoWowrsquo inabsolute awe because the mountains are very dramatic and right there You see them right above us ndashspectacular very craggy with great shapesrdquo

Looking to immerse yourself in nature The friendly staff at Canmore-Banff will point you in the right direction and the options are endlessShould you arrive in March or April when most people are thinkingspring you may be surprised by the arearsquos biggest snow dumps of theseason Itrsquos spring skiing at its best ndash sunny skies warmer temperaturesand lots of snow If late spring or summer brings you to the area you canpursue several recreational activities in the town of Banffndash the gondolaoffers 360 degree views white water rafting and Zip Trek provide theextreme sport for the more adventurous or for those who come to relaxyou can soak in the history that put Banff on the map at the Banff UpperHot Springs

If you are looking for a more solitary nature experience then do whatDarren Holden does when he really wants to feel like hersquos having a day

off ndash head to Kanaskis Itrsquos where he finds peace and solitude and where you are highly likely to see wildlifeup close and personal Happy to share his treasured spot with the owners he explains that the Kanaskis Loopdrive is where he sends guests all summer because ldquoitrsquos quieter more isolated and we get tons and tons ofanimal sightings out there ndash bear moose elk coyote wolf big horn sheep mountain goat ndash everything Agreat spot thatrsquos very close to usrdquo He points out that ldquoThe name is Canmore-Banff so the spotlight isdefinitely on Banff but we really want to let people know that there are many other lesser known parks in thearea as well A trip out to Kanaskis country has the added advantage of not having a park entry fee or all theinternational traffic ndash it is really where locals gordquo

Whether you experience your ldquoRocky Mountain Highrdquo through the adventure of extreme sports find it in thepeaceful solitude of nature or discover it in an encounter with wildlife WorldMark Canmore-Banff is your homebase for all the Canadian Rocky Mountains have to offer

Tips for TravelDiscover what you need to know before you go Valuable pre-travel advice to aid you in planning your trip tothe Canadian Rocky Mountains

Top 5 Eats ndash Canmore-BanffDarren Holden WorldMark Canmore-Banff Resort Manager provides insight to the best local area eats Fromthe historic to the downright adventurous (think frog and rattlesnake) this guide will provide you with diningexperiences that are not to be missed

Canmore-Banff an Owner PerspectiveGeorge and Lisa Haycock share what keeps themcoming back ndash over 60 times Memorable momentssurprise celebrations and a love for the area ndash just toname a few

Jean Johnson celebrates a milestone birthday in theRockies with the ladies during a Girls Week Out

Meet Your Resort ManagerDarren Holden Resort Manager for WorldMarkCanmore-Banff shares his own WorldMark experience

Alyssa Moore is the Assistant Editor of Destinations Magazine and the Manager of Owner Communication forWorldMark by Wyndham

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