Cathedral Mountain Blog

ABC’s of the Rockies – F

// April 20th, 2011 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Field, BC

Just two minutes down the road from us you’ll find incredible history, stunning scenery in some of the nicest people a little town called Field, BC.    

Tents and shacks were set up as the first settlers arrived in the 1880s to start construction on the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).  This was crucial to not only trading but also the development of the country; it enticed many provinces to join the confederation creating the foundation for Canada.    

a little history rolls past the town of Field.

The townsite was named after an American investor, Cyrus Field, who never ended up investing a dime! The CPR built and developed many of the surrounding hiking trails and even hired Swiss guides to escort amateur mountaineers in order to entice rich potential investors to stay at the many mountain hotels and chalets.   

Swiss Guides via 1900. Photo wasn’t taken in Feild but it gives you an idea!

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ABC’S Of the Rockies- E

// April 7th, 2011 // No Comments » // Deals and Packages

Cathedral Mountain Lodge will make sure your intimate wedding is perfect! Let us take care of the details.

E for the Elopement package!

A CANADIAN ROCKIES WEDDING FOR TWO

If you’re thinking about getting married, have you thought about eloping in the Canadian Rockies this summer? Cathedral Mountain Lodge, located 20 minutes from Lake Louise, offers a unique and intimate setting for the celebration of marriage. With a towering forest on one side and the rushing glacier-fed Kicking Horse River on the other, couples will be hard-pressed to find a setting as picturesque as Cathedral Mountain Lodge.

Run off to the mountains and celebrate your special day in a place as timeless as your occasion.

Cathedral Mountain Lodge offers a package uniquely created to exchange or renew your vows intimately amidst the timeless beauty of the Canadian Rockies. The lodge lends itself to small intimate weddings with two to ten guests. You can combine your desire for travel and the ability to get married in an intimate ceremony with just the two of you.

While planning a large wedding is the dream of many brides, there are some couples that prefer getting married without all the fuss and bother. Eloping offers an alternative to the traditional formal wedding and a way to begin enjoying the honeymoon without the need to stress over the planning details.

We’ll help you make it an even more memorable experience J

OUR PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• 2 nights accommodation in a Premier Cabin
• Sparkling wine and hand dipped Valhrona chocolates upon arrival
• Elegant bouquet of flowers for the bridge
• Marriage commissioner to officiate your special day
• One romantic three course dinner for 2
• Packages start at $910 per couple  plus applicable taxes

To contact the Cathedral Mountain Reservations team, call 1.866.619.6442 or visit our Special Offers page for more info.

ABC’s of the Rockies – D

// March 30th, 2011 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

After a day of exploring the Canadian Rockies, you’re bound to have a grumbling in your tummy!  We have just the thing for that.  Our signature Great Room and highly renowned restaurant bar is where you’ll enjoy scrumptious, first class dining.

Our team of celebrated chefs and their passion for high quality cuisine has led us to become a multi-award winning kitchen and one of the best small restaurants in the country.

Enjoy some mouth-watering delights at the Cathedral Mountain Lodge Dining Room along with spectacular views!

Our belief in supporting local farms and small suppliers influence our menu which showcases fresh local and certified organic ingredients including fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat as well as Canada’s finest wine selection. Guests will enjoy dining in the comfort of a large stone fireplace and elegant Rocky Mountain interior while taking in awe-inspiring views of the glacial-fed Kicking Horse River.

There's nothing like a tasty glass of wine after a long day in the great outdoors!

James Holmes, 35,the Executive Chef at our lodge, is one of Canada’s most passionate young chefs and is rising quickly within the culinary world.

Chef James believes in supporting local farms whether it is game, cattle or produce. Guest can relate and feel comfortable about what they’re eating. Fresh water fish are high priority, drawn from Canadian lakes. He only uses central prairies and western Canadian game. Certified Organic vegetables and fruit when is season are used daily on the menu.

Chef James uses the finest ingredients including local, organically grown vegetables and Central Prairie and Western Canadian game for Cathedral Mountain Lodge guests.

“I believe putting money back into the pockets of local farmers and small suppliers, knowing who’s making or producing your food makes a huge impact on the final product”.

So come savour his mouth-watering Maple whiskey and vanilla apple butter seared Scallops, or tantalize your senses with a scrumptious Duck Confit “shepherds pie” and finish your evening with a succulent chocolate pate crested with Vanilla salt, accompanied with lavish Bing Cherry white chocolate gelato.

You can check out our full menu here.  See you soon!

ABC’s of the Rockies – C

// March 26th, 2011 // No Comments » // Adventure Specialist, Uncategorized

Canmore Caves

Nestled in stunning mountain ranges Canmore is just outside of Banff and is a town filled with real locals – people who live year round and raise families. Besides the stunning scenery including the famous Three Sister mountains, the world class Nordic centre, and best brewery in the Rocky Mountains I love Canmore for being able to experience the Rockies without being trapped in a tourist town.   

One of the most unique way to explore the Rocky Mountains is to go inside of one. Just outside of the town stands Grotto Mountain, holding what’s called Rat’s Nest Cave (I promise it’s not overfilling with rats!).   

I don’t see any rats in here…

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ABC’s of the Rockies – B

// March 12th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

Bears

Native to the Rocky Mountains, these ferocious looking creatures are fairly common in Yoho National Park.  

Rawr!

Before I dive into fun facts about these awe-inspiring giants please be aware that although rare, defensive attacks on humans can happen if you startle them. Bears try hard to avoid humans, so please learn some bear etiquette through Parks Canada’s tips  

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ABC’s of the Rockies – A

// March 9th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Adventure Specialist, Hikes, Uncategorized

A – Adventure Specialist

My role at Cathedral Mountain Lodge is to have the inside scoop on the best hikes, wildlife viewing, sights, cultural experiences and actitivities in the area. I am taking the opporunity to steal the ‘A’ in this series of blog posts to brag about this dream job!

Last summer I had the time of my life conquering mountains, lakes, rapids, caves, horses and of course the occasional beer. Not only have I done almost every tourist option available to me I have also found the best trails that only locals know about. Here’s a peek at the advice I would offer a guest at Cathedral Mountain Lodge that wants to hike off the beaten path:

Tower of Babel

The discoverer or Moraine Lake, Walter Wilcox, named this towering spire after the biblical Tower of Babel that reached to the heavens (even though this is far from the highest peak in the area). 

The Tower of Babel on the far left overlooks Moraine Lake

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Traveling Light

// February 18th, 2011 // No Comments » // Travel Tips, Uncategorized

 

When I heard I had got the job here in the Rocky Mountains last summer I was head over heels excited. I rushed out, bought new clothes for my new adventures and packed my entire life for my 5-month trip. All of my stuff ended up filling:           

Overpacking can be a pain!

• 3 very oversized suitcases
• One 50 Litre backpack
• One box stuffed with novels
• One roof rack full of loose equipment like my mountain bike and tennis racket
   

       

Not only was it embarrassing to lug all of that to the shared accommodation on my first day (not to mention my parents had also dropped me off) but even more so is that I only ended up using maybe half a suitcase’s worth of stuff! I found I had to purchase, replace or upgrade my things locally which was less of a pain than I thought it might be as the locals are the best experts in the quality and types of things you will need.                 

 If you’re planning to visit the Rocky Mountains you might not be staying for as long as I did, but it’s still important to learn from my mistakes and pack lightly. Here are some of my suggestions to you:                    

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Special Offer: Gay May Long Weekend at Cathedral Mountain Lodge

// January 12th, 2011 // No Comments » // Deals and Packages, Uncategorized

Fancy a weekend of chilling out, hanging out or getting outdoors with new friends and old? Escape to the heart of the BC Rockies to Cathedral Mountain Lodge for a May Long Weekend adventure getaway for only $499 for 3 nights!

UPDATE 02/19/2011: This offer is no longer available. Did you miss out? Keep checking back for special offers!

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(more) Opinions from a local

// December 7th, 2010 // No Comments » // Hikes, Uncategorized

In my previous post Field, BC local and Cathedral Mountain Lodge employee Greg Ross sat down with me and shared great opinions about hiking and sightseeing. I thought I would dig a little deeper and ask him to share some more experiences:                                  

Q: In your five years here, what is…

Your most exciting adventure?

 Hiking 35km in one day. As part of a staff challenge to see who could hike the most kilometers in summer 2009 I led two other staff to climb, traverse and hike as many as we could in one day. Starting at Takkakaw Falls we hiked past Laughing Falls to Twin Falls  then took the Celeste Lake Trail to the Iceline Trail. From there we then took the Highline Trail to traverse into Yoho Lake.                                 

Greg's snapshot of the Ice Trail

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Opinions from a local

// November 30th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Hikes

Q: What are your favorite hikes in the area?

Walk-in-the-past (Yoho National Park)

An easy trail steps away from Cathedral Mountain Lodge that takes you to an old train that was used in the making of Spiral Tunnels.                       

Greg's snapshot of Johnston Canyon

Rockbound Lake (Banff National Park)

If you work your way through the 760m elevation gain through the trees and you will be rewarded with a stunning lake cradled by Castle Mountain. If you’d like an easier hike for the area opt for the well maintained and popular Johnston Canyon.                         

Wapta Falls (Yoho National Park) 

Frequented by wildlife this is a fairly flat trail that emerges through the trees to a stunning lookout about waterfalls fed by the Kicking Horse River. Continue further for more views of Wapta falls and a beach of glacial sedimentary sand near the base of the falls.                          

Mount St. Piran (Banff National Park, Lake Louise)

One of the easiest scrambles in the park this peak may not be the tallest in the area but you get a 360-degree view of countless mountains, avalanche chutes, valley floors and all around stunning scenery. On your way down make sure to complete your day in the mountains with a stop for a treat at the Lake Agnes teahouse                          

Q: Don’t Waste Your Time in The Canadian Rockies hiking guide is a gift we give our guests with certain packages. Do you have your own hikes you wouldn’t waste your time with again?

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