Banff/Lake Louise, intermediate/advanced, 117K, Lyle O

         Banff to Lake Louise (The Best of Lake Louise Ride 2)

Difficulty:

Pace: 22-25 kph, intermediate, no sweep

Distance: 117km, advanced

Elevation Gain: 946 m (intermediate+/advanced)

Parking: Banff Train Station, 327 Railway Ave. (see below)

E-Bikes:

Yes. E-bikes are permitted but you must be able to do the distance. Alternatively, you can catch a roam bus (with your bike) but there are no roam buses or cars east of Johnston Canyon on 1A. (Roam buses have bike racks on the front.)

Ride Format:

This ride format is somewhat different than most of my rides. Read the route description, support, and safety notes and agree to them before registering. This can affect your enjoyment of the ride. Also note the change to the start/parking location this year.

Route description:

We are going to explore the Banff Valley Parkway (Highway 1A) as part of my "Best of Lake Louise" series. This is an out-and-back adventure, starting from Banff and cycling along the entire Bow Valley Parkway (1A) to Lake Louise Ski Resort.

We will stop for a lunch break at the Lake Louise Ski Resort. There are a number of eateries open at the resort if you wish to purchase a lunch. I'm suggesting we stop at the Banded Peak Base Camp (same as last year but no word on free beer yet). We then return along the same route we went out to find a tailgate party at the end.

There will be a brief stop out and back at Castle Junction. 

Note:

You really want to go to Moraine Lake but you're not ready to ride with the faster group yet?

If you aren't ready to ride all the way to Moraine Lake on the other club ride, don't fret. I will schedule a ride to Moraine Lake from Castle Junction later this summer as part of my Best of Lake Louise series.

Support:

This is meant to be a longer intermediate pace with few stops, the major stop being Lake Louise Ski Resort for lunch. As there is no sweep, if you can't maintain the pace you may be dropped. Register with a buddy so you don't ride alone. You are responsible to know the route and find your way back to the start. If you run into trouble, you can use the Roam Bus to return to Banff. (This is a somewhat different format than many of my rides but I am using this as a training ride. Also, the road is closed to cars east of Johnston Canyon.)

New Parking Location:

Banff is asking cyclists to park at the new Banff Train Station Public Parking Lot located at 327 Railway Avenue as the Fenlands Recreation Centre is open again. This is free parking, with a 9-hour limit. An earlier start time is recommended to ensure you get a spot. See: https://banff.ca/trainstation

Time:

• Arrive at least 15 minutes early
• Wheels rolling at 9:00 a.m.  
• Out of respect for those who arrive on time, we won't wait for latecomers.

Safety elements:

• Consider carrying bear spray
• There are areas on 1A without cell service
• 1A is closed to regular traffic east of Johnston Canyon so you must cycle or walk out (i.e., no Roam Bus or cars) or flag down one of the parks vehicles
• Be self-sufficient; carry tools and be prepared to perform simple bike maintenance (especially where the road is closed to vehicles)
• There will be no sweep. There is a brief stop at Castle Junction. Slower riders must accept they could be riding alone.
• Due to the distance, be prepared should your e-bike battery not last