Check the sunset/sunrise times for your intended visit.
With a noon flight into YYC, I’d be surprised if you can get your rental car and out of the airport by 1:00. Another hour and half (with no traffic) drive to Banff, and you will arrive by 2:30 or 3:00, at best. Been a while since I lived there, but I’m guessing the sun sets at around 7, so that gives you maybe 4 hours to wander around Banff (honestly, there’s not a lot there, at least to me).
Next day, let’s say the sun rises at 8 (I wouldn’t necessarily advise driving in the dark, but you could probably leave the hotel at 7:30 just fine). The drive to Peyto Lake takes about an hour and a half, each way, and say you spend an hour there. So that’s four hours, round trip to Banff, plus another hour and a half to YYC, so at this point it is about 1:30 pm. With no food or fuel stops. Add in 30-45 minutes for one of those (the McDonalds in Canmore is nicer than most, with a great view, and as I recall there is a gas station next door or very close by), plus a refill in Calgary itself (presuming that you are flying out that night and have to refill the car before departure), so now you are at around 2:00 to 2:30 in the afternoon.
So I’d say that it is doable, if you are willing to keep moving and be time disciplined.
That said, as you are already in the area, Moraine Lake/Valley of the Ten Peaks should be seen, as should Lake Louise itself. It will add an hour to an hour and a half to your day, maybe two or slightly longer if you do the hike up the rocks to see Moraine Lake and if you dawdle around there or at Lake Louise. Neither will be especially busy in October. Might get lucky and have all the trees changing color then.
And it is the Icefields Parkway, not Icelandic.![:happy]( "smile")
With a noon flight into YYC, I’d be surprised if you can get your rental car and out of the airport by 1:00. Another hour and half (with no traffic) drive to Banff, and you will arrive by 2:30 or 3:00, at best. Been a while since I lived there, but I’m guessing the sun sets at around 7, so that gives you maybe 4 hours to wander around Banff (honestly, there’s not a lot there, at least to me).
Next day, let’s say the sun rises at 8 (I wouldn’t necessarily advise driving in the dark, but you could probably leave the hotel at 7:30 just fine). The drive to Peyto Lake takes about an hour and a half, each way, and say you spend an hour there. So that’s four hours, round trip to Banff, plus another hour and a half to YYC, so at this point it is about 1:30 pm. With no food or fuel stops. Add in 30-45 minutes for one of those (the McDonalds in Canmore is nicer than most, with a great view, and as I recall there is a gas station next door or very close by), plus a refill in Calgary itself (presuming that you are flying out that night and have to refill the car before departure), so now you are at around 2:00 to 2:30 in the afternoon.
So I’d say that it is doable, if you are willing to keep moving and be time disciplined.
That said, as you are already in the area, Moraine Lake/Valley of the Ten Peaks should be seen, as should Lake Louise itself. It will add an hour to an hour and a half to your day, maybe two or slightly longer if you do the hike up the rocks to see Moraine Lake and if you dawdle around there or at Lake Louise. Neither will be especially busy in October. Might get lucky and have all the trees changing color then.
And it is the Icefields Parkway, not Icelandic.
Statistics: Posted by Random Poster — Sun Aug 25, 2024 2:46 pm — Replies 1 — Views 149