Your Ultimate Canadian Rockies Luxury Travel Guide for the Holidays

Justin Mastine-Frost December 9, 2024

Citizen Watch Canada & SHARP

As we inch closer to the holidays, the motivation to pack get out and explore continues to ramp up exponentially. Yes, the holidays are a wonderful time to reconnect with friends and family, but as we inch into winter there’s equal motivation to leave the drudges of work and other obligations behind, and embrace new adventures. But where does one even start?

It’s of little surprise that we have a soft spot for the Canadian Rockies; after numerous ventures out west — including a recent mountaineering expedition with Citizen Watches — the region is the boundless playground that just keeps on giving. No matter how you like to approach your adventures, the region offers up a little something for everyone with every changing season.

Part travel guide, part packing list, we’ve conceived the perfect wishlist for all the outdoorsy folks on your holiday shopping list, including equal parts essential gear and where (and how) to get the most out of an escape into the Rockies.

For the Outdoor Enthusiast

Perhaps the easiest niche to fill, a true outdoor enthusiast grabs any excuse to get out into the wild, no matter the activity. The Rockies are a hiker’s paradise, and with the right bit of kit, even a bit of rain can’t slow them down. Our selects for the outdoor enthusiast are equally well-suited to veterans and novices alike, keeping eyes on high quality long-lasting kit, and a truly monumental experience that takes hiking and outdoor adventure far beyond the norm.

The Packing Guide

Getting ready for a proper hiking/outdoor expedition calls for a few key ingredients to be suitably prepared. Timekeeping and navigation is always a factor, so the Citizen Promaster Land U822 gets called into action. Between its robust IP coated grey stainless steel case, highly legible dial, compass bezel, and 200m of water resistance, its an excellent companion here.

Our next two priorities are simple ones — a lightweight day pack and multi-terrain footwear will make or break your day in the backcountry, thus we turn to Arc’teryx for the goods. Arc’teryx has several professional adventurers that are friends of the brand to test out their prototype gear in harsh conditions, including Will Gadd, who joined our aforementioned expedition this summer. For a pack, the ultra-light Aerios 18 backpack provides all the right space and pockets without any excess bulk. For footwear we’re leaning to a less conventional hiker — the Kopec Mid GTX Boot, which delivers a light waterproof textile build with tons of support. Unlike a conventional leather hiker, these waterproof boots can transition from mountain scramble to snowy city streets without skipping a beat.

The Destination — CMH Heli-Hiking

Unlike the typical sights and sounds of Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper, CMH somehow remains a bit of a hidden gem. With three separate lodges nestled at elevation in British Columbia, the company offers up a surreal experience for novice and veteran hikers alike. This is no ordinary hiking camp; CMH picks guests up via helicopter, transporting them to the base camp lodge that becomes a home-away-from-home for three to six nights. Imagine the “all-inclusive” travel model, but in a spectacular remote mountain setting. Each day, the helicopter flies guests further into the mountains, accessing remote terrain for hikes far out of range of any other visitors to the region — it’s hard to explain just how special of an experience this really is. Though having your own boots and pack is helpful, CMH also has an entire arsenal of gear to ensure guests are properly equipped to explore the backcountry while being led by their expert guides.

It’s also worth noting as we inch into the winter months, that CMH is also the birthplace of Heli-Skiing, so those not willing to wait until the weather warms up

For the Adrenaline Junkie

Those who like to live on the edge will find that the Canadian Rockies are a boundless playground. Rock climbing, downhill mountain biking, rafting, and more; this part of the country delivers more outdoor adventure than most can handle. Once again, we’ve got a bit of a curveball up our sleeves here, as we got our first taste of canyoning earlier this year.

The Packing Guide

Canyoning is a unique experience, and one that’ll put you in an array of conditions that you’re not going to get on a standard hike or climb. Think of it as reverse mountain climbing. You’re rappelling down canyons, and often active waterfalls. You’re bound to get wet, but you also need to hike a good ways to the starting point of your canyon run.

Once again timekeeping is part of the equation — making sure you’re keeping good pace, and that your descent doesn’t lead into darkness. The Citizen Promaster Fujitsubo 35th Anniversary Edition is our go-to here, combining light weight and high water resistance in a legible and task-focused package. While its inner working will easily stay dry, the same can’t be said for you and your gear, leading us to our other go-to items. A dive suit and dry bag from Cressi — an industry leader in diving equipment — come to save the day, keeping you warm and dry despite the glacial waters destined to pour over your shoulders.

The Destination

Your best bet for this sort of adventure is to link up with Bow Valley Canyon Tours, who offer excursions at varying skill levels at sites within a 30-minute drive from Banff, Alberta. Both Heart Creek and Ghost Canyon boast a excellent terrain for canyoning, and by the time your day is done you’ll be equal parts exhausted, wet, and smiling. Much like CMH, the company does offer loaner wetsuits for those in need, and you will indeed need one. You will get wet, and that glacial thaw is quite cold. That said, Rappelling down 30-foot rock faces under a waterfall is an experience you’ll never forget. Once you survive the day you’ll be ready for a dose of tranquility, a hot shower, and a hearty meal. If it were up to us, the Juniper Hotel on the outskirts of Banff would be the home-base of choice, allowing you to skip the crowded town and easily escape back out into the wild as you see fit.

For the Photographer

Perhaps a no-brainer here, given that some of the country’s most stunning landscapes and outdoor scenes are found in the Rockies, but there are ways to get the most out of the region as a budding photography enthusiast. It’s as much about knowing your gear as it is knowing the region (and where the best vantage points are).

The Packing Guide

Unlike our other excursions, spending the day out shooting doesn’t have to be strenuous. Sure, certain views take more work to get to than others, but you can still capture the great outdoors without a hike into oblivion. That in mind, we’re leaning on the latest Citizen Promaster Air GMT here; it’s a handsome and rugged timekeeper that’ll help you keep tabs on your home timezone while on the road. Canada Goose also offers up some outdoor-friendly kit for your photo-focused jaunt, including good hat to keep your head warm and the glare out of your eyes, and a compact waist pack to help carry essentials — including a compact camera.

The Destination

If photos come first, a cozy home base at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is the perfect jumping-off point. From here, it’s an easy ride up to sunrise at Moraine lake in the early morning (there are shuttles if early pre-dawn drives aren’t your thing). The base of Lake Louise is the starting point of an impressive number of hiking trails that at times provide impeccable views of the lake, or you can also hop into a canoe to shoot from a different perspective. Also nearby, Lake Minnewanka is the largest lakes in the area surrounding Banff, which also turns into a photographer’s paradise when the weather cooperates.

After the sun sets, your work is not yet done. Remember, the Rockies are occasionally home to the Northern Lights, and you’d best not miss that opportunity. Bow Lake is the perfect spot to try and capture the night’s sky, even without the Northern Lights making an appearance, so be sure to save a bit of energy to get that final perfect shot.