You’re in for a surprise or two in the beautiful Bow Valley
The early explorers who mapped this area and named many of its lofty peaks have a few things in common with the visitors now flocking to the Bow Valley.
One thing that’s no different today than it was a century ago is this: The more time you spend here, the closer you look, the more secrets and surprises are revealed.
I truly enjoy providing the kind of information to our visitors that helps them discover things they wouldn’t have imagined they’d ever find in the Canmore-Banff region. As with any travel experience, a little research goes a long way to ensuring you maximize your precious vacation time — be that two days on a romantic get-away, or three weeks of intense outdoor adventure.
While it certainly helps to pick up travel guides and the local newspapers once you arrive, it is even more helpful to do some advance reading that will prepare you for the kind of vacation that suits your tastes, your energy level, and your interests.
Surprises in Banff and Canmore are fun to discover while you’re here, poking around in shops, tasting incredibly fabulous food and wine in our restaurants, setting out on a trail you heard about in a local coffee shop, or taking in local festivals, concerts or live music in the local establishments.
It’s even better to learn a few of the secrets and surprises of the Bow Valley before you arrive.
The writers who bring you each edition of SolaraLife have their own passions, and tell stories that are intended to give our readers a taste of what it’s like to enjoy time in the mountains to the fullest, and to appreciate the precious wilderness environment that is literally on our doorsteps.
My own passion lies somewhere between what is today called “soft adventure” — that’s mountain biking on moderate trails, hikes that don’t last more than five or six hours, and skiing that’s more about the fresh air and incredible views than it is about athletic powder turns — and the fabulous variety of artistic endeavours that can be enjoyed here.
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The latter passion is an area where endless surprises and secrets are revealed to me all the time. I learn about a new artist through an exhibit in the coffeehouse next door to our office, I hear about an author who’s just self-published a new book, or I find myself at the world premiere of an edgy new musical work at The Banff Centre. And that was just last week!
For my friend and occasional co-editor Amanda Follett, new discoveries lie in the realm of outdoor adventure. This month she writes about jumping off a cliff in nearby Invermere for her first paragliding flight. The day of her return she dared me to try out the luge track at Canada Olympic Park, just a 50-minute drive east on the edge of Calgary. You’ll find out in an upcoming edition of SolaraLife whether I took the challenge or not!
That’s the thing about surprises: They add a kind of energy to your life that spurs you on to try new things you might not have considered before.
- Shari Bishop Bowes, Editor, SolaraLife
We welcome your comments and suggestions, as well as submissions from freelance writers who have a passion for the Canadian Rockies. Contact us at contact@solaralife.com
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