Glacier National Park, BC

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Glacier Park Lodge 1994

On our very first Canadian holiday in 1994 we spent a couple of nights in Glacier Park Lodge at the top of Rogers Pass, BC. What fun to stay there again, we thought! Sadly, a cursory search of the internet showed that time has not been kind to the Lodge. The adjacent gas station closed in 2009 and the Lodge in 2012. A series of lawsuits has left them both derelict and unloved and, although the Parks Canada Visitor Centre in between is still open, it’s a depressing place to visit, especially as the Trans Canada to either side is undergoing massive road-works at the moment.

Glacier Park Lodge 2017

So where did we stay? Well, on the eastern edge of the park we found Heather Mountain Lodge – the best accommodation of our entire trip. A beautiful setting with fluffy neighbours:

By night
Fellow guest!
Chopper
Heather Mountain Lodge

– and fabulous food:

Dinner on the deck
Dinner on the deck
Breakfast

And yet – you might have noticed a certain haziness in some of these pictures and in the one of Glacier Park Lodge in 2017. The mountains in 1994 were much clearer. Look at these two, taken a couple of days apart this year, of roughly the same view at Heather Mountain Lodge:

Smoky view
Clear view

This was the effect of fires further west, the smoke from which, depending on wind direction, obscured our views most days and contributed to poor air quality. Now I know that’s trivial compared to the lot of the poor people who were being evacuated from their homes, so I’m not complaining (really). It just added to the melancholy feeling of seeing the old lodge so run down. Add to that the helicopter in one of the galleries above which landed and took off several times from our hotel’s grounds. We thought it was taking water to the fires, but it turned out to be searching for a young Irish tourist who had drowned in a nearby lake.

This was also where I found that my body had developed far more aches and pains than it had in 1994, or even 2007 when we last visited the Rockies. The trails in Glacier weren’t long but some of them were very steep. My knees hurt on the way up and my ankles on the way down. Did I moan? Ask John! On second thoughts – don’t. You might be shocked if he repeats my language.

Marion Lake

A steep, forested hike to a mediocre lake and a viewpoint which would have been lovely without the smoke!

Viewpoint near Marion Lake
Marion Lake
Marion Lake

Meeting of the Waters

An easy walk past the confluence of Asulkan Brook and the Illecillewaet River. This was pretty, and took in the ruins of the first hotel in the area, Glacier House.

Info plaque
Glacier House ruins
Old bath
Meeting of the Waters

Rock Garden, Loop Brook Trail and Bear Creek Falls

Three short trails: Rock Garden over lots of, surprisingly, rocks; Loop Brook along the route of an old railway line; and Bear Creek Falls – the name says it all.

Rock Garden
Loop Brook Trail
Loop Brook Trail
Bear Creek Falls

Asulkan Valley Trail

When I was looking for the old pictures of Glacier Park Lodge, I also found photos of the hike we did up to the Asulkan Glacier in 1994: clear blue skies and the mountains in all their glory. This was three times as long and twice as high as the Marion Lake trail we did this year, yet I’m smiling (and rocking a fabulous pair of leggings it has to be said).

Asulkan Valley 1994
Asulkan Valley 1994
Asulkan Valley 1994
Asulkan Valley 1994
Asulkan Valley 1994

So, a slightly negative post – is the moral never to go back? It can be sad to return somewhere you’ve had a really happy time only to find that it doesn’t live up to expectations. Having said that, I did enjoy our stay: just maybe not as much as some of the other places we visited.

From Glacier, we headed back into Alberta and north to Jasper.

British Columbia, Canada ,

74 Comments »

  1. Really sad to hear that the Glacier Park Lodge has become derelict. I hope that on your next journey to this place you find that it has been lovingly restored. Delighted that you found the magnificent Heather Mountain Lodge. Love the ‘then and now’ photo series

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  2. Wonderful! You are doing a good job here, and I want you to know that your presence and work are acknowledged and they are helping us reach our targets and goals.Thank you for sharing.

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  5. Heyjude just referred me to this post because I, too, was in the Canadian Rockies at the time of the wildfires and the resulting smoky haze. We reserved three nights at a hotel in Golden because I’d planned to visit the Canadian Glacier National Park and Mount Revelstoke National Park, along with the more famous parks to the east. In the end I forewent Glacier and Revelstoke in order to do more in the better-known parks.

    In any case, the smoky haze is evident in the two posts I’ve put up from our trip so far:

    https://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/2017/09/21/new-zealand-gets-a-run-for-its-money/

    https://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/if-you-cant-beat-em-join-em/

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    • That’s interesting! I really liked your photographs. We didn’t go to Moraine Lake this year because it was too much hassle (it was July and the road was shut a lot of the time because there were too many people there already) but we saw it in 2007 and I remember the mountain view being so clear. You probably made the right decision to skip Glacier.

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      • Thanks for the validation on skipping the Canadian Glacier. I did spend two days in the American Glacier (likewise hazy because of fires), but the most and best glaciers I saw were along the Icefields Parkway in Banff and Jasper National Park.

        The crowds during the last week of August (the first of our three weeks in the area) were indeed horrendous. During our last week, things fortunately were calming down.

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  7. It is sad to see the old lodge looking so run down – such a difference from your earlier visit. However it looks as if you found a lovely alternative in Heather Mountain Lodge. The fires sound worrying not good at all from an environmental point of view. Still looks like you had a nice stay overall.

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  8. The fires in BC this year have been very troubling, but I can see that it would also be very disappointing for people who have traveled a great distance to be there, only to have that gorgeous scenery shrouded in smoke.

    … and as you pointed out, our expectations can taint an experience as well. I tend to feel a bit melancholy when I revisit a place with happy memories. We change and it’s impossible to duplicate an experience.

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  9. I had to drop by this morning – Paul and I got into Denver late last night. This morning, I went out for a quick morning walk, and what did I see directly across the street from our hotel? That bear statue I loved from your Denver pictures! I immediately thought of you!

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  10. The wildfires out west have been horrible. It seems like there is something going on everywhere these days. I do worry about going back to places I loved in case they don’t live up to expectations. Maybe it’s better to just have those wonderful memories and not risk tarnishing them.

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    • You’re right, it’s very worrying. I don’t understand why, even if you weren’t convinced by man-made climate change, you wouldn’t want to do something to prevent it just in case. Who can be 100% sure? Looking at you, Mr Trump….

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  11. I’m sorry to read you were affected by all the smoke. This year, Mother Earth has brought dramas everywhere. Maybe we should all treat her a bit nicer? You do manage to stay in the most gorgeous lodgings, Anabel!

    As for returning to a place you loved… It’s a double-edged sword. While I think it’s better not to return (the same disappointment happened to me returning to New Zealand, with Mark this time), on the other hand, it is tempting to repeat the experience you had there before. You might think there is guaranteed success. Only, that will never happen. Every time you visit a place, whether it is the same one or not, many different factors play – health, the weather, time of year, amount of other visitors, expectations, age, moods…

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  13. Despite the sadness of the Old Lodge, and smoke obscuring views, I am selfishly glad for your visit (and for this post and photos). You have definitely rekindled my desire to visit the Canadian Rockies again soon. And this time to do some hikes there that I hadn’t done before. You’ve provided some excellent ideas for places to stay!

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  14. Seems to be a feature in North America in general where many things are considered old after 20 odd years and are always being replaced. I know its been very dry over there this year and wildfires are a real problem with millions of acres of forest gone. Age gets us all eventually :o)

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  15. I think you have to start choosing what you do more carefully as the years pass, Anabel. I totally loved Carding Mill on my return but you do start to worry more about how sure-footed you are. Enjoy it while you still can. 🙂 The fires are so distressing. Rain never seems to arrive where it’s needed these days, does it?

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  16. I think it can be hard to decide whether or not to revisit a place that we enjoyed a lot. On the one hand, it might not live up to our memories…and I’m sorry that was the case this time. But on the other hand, if it you loved it once, you might love it again, so I think it’s always worth the risk. (Which would explain my repeated visits to Sanibel Island!)

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    • I agree! Most times, revisits are just as good as the first visit, but this time so many things weren’t in our favour. I’m still glad we went, but probably wouldn’t return a third time.

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  18. Hi Anabel – lovely seeing your travels – smoked or not … sad about the fires and then the haze they create for others. I’m looking forward to your Jasper visit – as when Mum and I went – we had to turn round mighty quickly and get back as it was snowing fairly heavily in July … I hope to be back one day – cheers Hilary

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  19. Tricky one going back, it is though something we do regularly in California but I guess the difference is that we do go regularly so the shock at any negative changes isn’t so great. I am sure the smoke really didn’t help though . . . . we had the same problem in Tahoe 5years ago and really affects the beauty (and the walking at high altitude!)

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  20. I’m not one for returning to a place I have visited before and loved, but I have done it a few times. Paris I always love because there is so much to see you can never do it all in a few days; Vancouver Island I also loved to visit again and stayed longer in parts I only briefly visited before; Cape Town never disappoints me; Geneva didn’t but San Francisco did on my third visit. I’m glad you returned here though because it looks lovely despite the tragedies unfolding around you. Maybe that’s what soured it for you – and nothing can take away the feelings you had for the place when you first went there.

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    • I think you are right, the circumstances definitely coloured my feelings. I don’t always feel that way – we went on to Jasper which we’d visited before and had a great time. But that was only 10 years ago.I think I had a falsely romantic view of Glacier having been (relatively) young and fit the first time round. When we discovered the old lodge had closed we should probably have decided not to bother, but I was curious.

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  22. Very interesting post, Anabel. Seeing old photos is particularly fun!!! 😉
    I have taken summer writing workshops from Iowa University for many years. One year (many years later) I went back to our old classroom, as soon as I walked in the room, I could hear noise and I could see (in my mind) who was saying what. It was an interesting experience. I guess when we visited a place we have been before, maybe see the scenery is not as important as reconnect to our young past 😉
    Have a great day.

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  23. Anabel, love the comparisons from years ago to your current trip, great photos. Revisiting a place you loved the first time, can be disappointing, I will let you know how our revisit to Lisbon goes!! The wide open spaces look so beautiful!! We are looking forward to going into the countryside at our next housesit.

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  24. Hi Anabel,
    Tnaks for taking me around with you! 🙂
    As to the widlfires: on our rcent road trip to see the solar eclipse in Casper/WY, we also saw the effects of those. From northern Colorado on, through Wyoming, Montana, an North Dakota we frequently had quite a bit of haze, caused by those wildfires. It’s not the haze, though, that bothers me, but that so much wonderful forest is destroyed.
    Take care,
    Pit

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  26. Interesting question, as to whether one should return to a place that holds happy memories. I’m not sure it’s a good thing at all, especially after reading your somewhat melancholy post and reflecting on places to which I’ve returned. I can understand perfectly how you might yearn for those more unspoiled days. I LOVE the pictures of you and John from 1994, and you’re right, you rock in those leggings! 🙂 I also love the photos of the Glacier House and the meeting of the waters. And I love how you juxtaposed the current pictures with the old pictures. That must have taken some effort (to scan those old pictures, perhaps?). It’s no fun getting older and having to suffer aches and pains on challenging hikes. Thanks for sharing this, Anabel. I really enjoyed it.

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    • Thanks Cathy – yes, I scanned in those photos. I had forgotten how good they were – other old photos I’ve found have been quite faded, but the colours in these were great. I’m still in two minds about going back to places. I think this, on balance, is one we should have left as a nice memory, but we went on to Jasper next and liked it just as much as before.

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  27. Hi Anabel, I wondered how all the forest fires were affecting the mountains. We also have a lot of fond memories travelling through the Rockies on the way to Vancouver. It would be sad to see those places now. Thanks for the photos and the story of your trip.

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  28. The times they are a changin, Anabel 🙂 Wonderful sceneries with wonderful word-impressions. Thx a lot for taking me around. My last visit in BC was in 1980, so it’s about time to ride the Trans Canada again.

    Achim

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  29. When my husband was alive, we too returned to a place for which we had very fond memories. A lovely old hotel in Spain in which we stayed in the sixties. I wouldn’t do it again. What was a fun and lovely place then was now a run of the mill small hotel, tiny rooms, halfway decent food, and the garden had shrunk. But in reality, it was the same. It was just that we, at that time, full of brim and vigour and looking for the good life, saw only the pleasurable side of life. And, from sixties London to Spain was a magical journey. So yes, the moral is, never return.
    Almost forgot, the article was really good, as were your pix.

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    • I think that has something to do with it! In 94 we were in our 30s and much more energetic. Also we were travelling with no reservations, which I wouldn’t do now, and, of course, no smartphones to plan ahead. Coming across a lodge on a mountain pass seemed very exciting so it was never going to live up to that discovery.

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  30. Its a shame about the old lodge and the fires and helecopter searches. I guess it just shows that beautiful places have their fair share of problems and danger. The lodge you stayed in does look lovely and you did get some good photos anyway. X

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  31. It’s always a tricky one whether to go back somewhere as inevitably there are comparisons and not always good ones!! The new place you stayed looks stunning though and those views and trails are gorgeous.

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  32. I do agree with Thomas Wolfe that you can’t go home again, but I’d dearly love to return to some favourite spots in New Mexico some day. I’ll maybe need to rethink that, given your experience.

    In your case, I’m selfishly glad that you did go back because we get to see the photos – I also love the meeting of the two rivers image – and to learn of great places. Heather Mountain Lodge looks like a wonderful spot.

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