For those of you planning trips to the Alberta area here are some tips for you.
* I recommend you camp. The area is gorgeous and camping is MUCH cheaper compared to the pricey resort-area hotels! There are a LOT of great campgrounds in the Kananaskis area and my husband and I highly recommend the Bow Valley Campground.
www.bowvalleycampgrounds.com* Whether you camp or not, remember to bring your raincoat! It rained nearly everyday we visited. It didn't rain hard, and it didn't rain for long ... but if you are on a trail and it starts raining both you and your camera are going to be upset. The area is, if I am remembering right, a temperate rain forest ... so rain is just a fact of life. That said however, the rainstorms are very spotty and disappear as quickly as they appear. Just be prepared.
* The visitors centers have great maps and are very willing to give you directions to particular spots.
* Pack out your lunches. If you're camping your cooler has to be in the car at all times anyways (it's bear country!!!) but this is beside the point. Eat your lunches on the road in some of the beautiful places you'll see. Some of our favorites were Forgetmenot Pond (off of Highway 66), Elbow Falls (off of 66 - also a filming location), Elbow River Boat Launch (off of Highway 66), Wedge Pond (off of Highway 40), King Creek (off of 40 - filming location as well) and Upper Kananaskis Lake (off of 40 and also a filming location).
* Bring a decent vehicle. There are some filming locations that are off of not so "improved gravel roads" in Kananaskis Country. You won't be able to drive your RV up the steep hills and your 1974 bumper falling off POS car won't make it either. We rented a Ford Focus ... it was new and it got the job done. I would have felt safer in an SUV though. The gravel roads are bumpy and some parts are extremely steep. Don't skip the gravel roads though, you'll miss stuff you wish you would have seen!
* Visit Banff, Lake Louise and Emerald Lake. These spots have nothing to do with the film but are GORGEOUS! There is an $18 park enterance fee but it is well worth the money. Banff if super resorty and really pricey but they have some nice views and you can pick up postcards relatively cheap. When going to Lake Lousie take highway 1A and you'll see a lot of wildlife right on the side of the road - totally cool! Lake Louise is breathtaking and well worth the trip. Emerald Lake is a tiny little lake with gorgeous views - there is one resort on the lake and everything else is wildlife.
* Canmore is where the cast and crew stayed and since my husband and I don't have a movie star budget we didn't spend a whole lot of time there, but there are some things to see in the area. You get a REALLY great view of the 3 sisters (one of the commonly featured mountainviews in the movie) from Canmore - that alone is worth it!
* Bring a good pair of hiking boots or shoes. A lot of the locations are close to the road - but some of them are straight up a gigantic hill! You'll want those hiking boots! Sunscreen and water are also good ideas!
That's what I can remember off the top of my head. If I have anything else I'll post later. If you have any questions feel free to ask!! : )
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