MAJOR TEXT, ROUTE AND PICTURE UPDATE DONE JULY 8TH.
If you are attending please PM me your email address and cell phone number..... to have for a few last minute emails
*You are responsible to book your own rooms*
So, we have picked Cochrane, AB as the start point.
Now, Aug 17th Friday night we have 18-20 rooms blocked for us at the Days Inn Cochrane. 5 Westside Dr, Cochrane, AB T4C 1M1 ... it is under C Mountain Club and most are $160 rooms for $149.00 booking direct. cancellation 24 hours before allowed. The rooms are held till July 17th and you book them yourself. Now, if your an early bird in Red Deer and want to drive in the am you can but might be too much from Edmonton. Call 1-403-932-5588 and book a room with the booking name C Mountain Club for that night, most have 2 queen beds. the cheaper rooms were all gone/booked he said. Now, there is a Super 8 and Ramada too, close by.
Saturday night hotels below
AS OF JULY 8th --- LOOKS LIKE ONLY 2 ROOMS STILL REMAIN FOR SATURDAY NIGHT!!!
You can book via phone #1-877-754-5486- you will need to provide the group name ‘Mountain Corvette Cruise’ for 10% off rooms
The online links ended June 15th. Best to call - Another number is 1-250-439-1160 which gets the front desk of the two hotels.
Book the night of August 18th please
Glacier Mountaineer Lodge:
Palliser Lodge: This hotel below is a few min walk from the main hotel above.
Now, if your from Edmonton ( or Red Deer ) and want to leave at 6am or whenever Saturday that would save you a room cost in Cochrane. Up to you. This will make it a super long day.
Kinda thinking maybe 15-25 cars this time, not sure just yet.
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Who is coming?
Please post once you know your coming and add if you have booked either nights room and who is coming with you. I will update off and on as I see posts.
If you name needs to be added please post on a new post and I will see it or a significant other say the name.
2018 Mountain Cruise List below as people confirm.
Name(s) / ( CCF Handle )
Updated July 8th with some names from Alberta Corvettes Facebook page
Also, there are 10 maybes too on that page - I will be contacting people over the next while to see if they might go and if they have any questions. Looks like we could have 20-25 Corvettes again,
I have put room booked by a few... guessing more are booked but I don't know who is booked
- Brian ( 2009CGMZR1 ) ( room booked ) don't think Giuliana will make it as of now
- Paul and Jo ( RockyPM ) ( room booked )
- Jeff and Robin ( Jeffer2013 ) ( room booked )
- Ziggy and Cindy ( Turbozig ) ( room booked )
- Dennis & Bonnie ( Rockitman )
- Rick & Kathy ( Rick9456 )
- Thomas & Jacqueline (thomigun)
- Freda & Spence ( SN III ) ( room booked )
- Cody ( Jr Corvette )
- Mike and his daughter Brooklyn ( room booked )
- Jon M
- Martin V
- Thomas P
- Gordon R
- Sonet C L
- Ralene C
- Tyson H
- Grant and wife ( meet at resort he said ) Wide05
- MikeyZ06... day trip but might night with me ( if I get 2 beds instead )
- Jason and Julie ( Grundy )
Whoever else has booked let me know...........post a new post and I will see it.
Now, here is the agenda I have done so far.
2018 Corvette Mountain Cruise
Aug 17th – 19th, 2018
Tentative as of now – additions and deletions to happen
Friday night – Stay in Cochrane or any where’s in the Calgary area ( possible evng social in Cochrane )
Cochrane Car Washes
Car Wash Coral 102 River Ave Cochrane T4C 2C3 7am – 10pm
Mountain view Car and Truck Wash 620 – 1st St W Cochrane T4C 1Z6 8AM – 9PM
Sat am – Cochrane ( Leave location Cochrane Days Inn ) 5 Westside Dr, Cochrane, AB T4C 1M1
Make sure gas tank is full in Cochrane before leaving
8am – Breakfast at Smitty’s across to the east
9:00am - Group get together – hand out flyers with route and info for the weekend ( head / car count )
9:15am – Drivers meeting
9:30 am – Leave Cochrane for Banff on 1A all the way to Canmore
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IMPORTANT - Please everyone buy park pass and print at home 1-3 days before the weekend / saves us time not stopping at the gate
Link to buy below - please use this online link to get a 1 day pass for Aug 18th... lasts till 4pm Sunday August 19th
Purchase a Banff National Park Online Parks Pass
10:40am – Arrive in Banff ( 110 km ) Drive the tunnel mountain road and drive and over by the overlook to the Banff Springs Hotel ( Banff surprise corner ) and down Buffalo street to down main street Banff and out the east side. Maybe a 5-10 min stop just before leaving town
Now, when we get to main street Banff.... i will be leading and gonna try stop traffic so we can all merge onto Banff Ave at the same time... Ziggy's idea... good one! it should work unless someone runs into my ZR1 LOL ... I will direct them to the inside lane..... my camera on top of my car will be recording everyone turning on main street banff.
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We will pull over after the hotels and all regroup and leave out the east side of Banff and head west. We changed from going out the west side as Ziggy said the train tracks were rough.... I didn't know in his CR-V... LOL
Also this saves us turning left in downtown Banff.
11:00am or so – leave Banff
3-5 minutes west of Banff take 1A exit to drive Bow Valley Parkway
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12:00pm – arrive at Kootenay Park Resort ( 75 km ) – Have Lunch
Saturday LUNCH at Kootenay Park Lodge
Now a prepared lunch will be good..... why? It will be ready when we arrive and less time waiting to order off a menu and wait for food to be prepared.
Hi everyone. Talking with the Kootenay Park Lodge for lunch. They are proposing a buffet lunch and will be closing the restaurant for our event. There is the inside and the patio. They say the total capacity is 55 people but I will be discussing the option of adding more if needed.
There are three options to choose from and we must make a desicion on which option we will go with. The restaurant is asking for a $250 deposit which I will cover to hold the date. Will see if we can get voting buttons for the choices. Take a look and see what you think!
The following options will be served buffet style. A cash bar will be made available to guests who wish to
enjoy our selection of local beer, B.C. VQA wines and cocktails.
- Option A ($18 per person)
A selection of freshly prepared cold cut sandwiches and wraps
The option of either; bagged potato chips and vegetables with dip OR cold deli salads
A variety of squares, cookies and fruit
Pop, water, juice, tea and coffee
1:30pm -2:10pm Drive from Kootenay park Resort to Radium Hot Springs ( 65 km ) – short break - location TBD
2:30pm – Radium to Golden ( 105 km )
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*Now, the last chairlift for the Grizzly Bear refuge ( Boo ) leaves at 4pm. Now IF you wish to go see the bear you would need to arrive by 3:30pm or so. I will be asking a show of hands who wishes to go see him, it is about a $40 cost and has a tour guide talking
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4pm – Drive to Kicking Horse Resort area ( gas up today or tomorrow am or maybe you are good with gas )
Golden Car Wash
Downtown Auto Wash 520 – 8th Ave N Golden BC V0A 1H0
It is positioned in some maps below
Hearing not the best soap and dry well to avoid water spots ( info from a CCF member who lives in Golden )
4:20pm – arrive, check in
Parking - both hotels have underground parking - I will be working to see if we can get spots saved in each location. there was an open lot just west of Glacier Lodge not used Saturday night ( business closed ) and there is a few parking lots too but didn't care for them.
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Break to unwind / freshen up - in your rooms
NOTE: Mountaineer Lodge has a General Store in the SE corner facing the mountain - it is only open till 7:30pm / they have munchies, booze, food and other things if you need, get there before it closes.
6pm – Dinner locations ... you can eat where ever you wish
My recommendation is Winston Bar or Copper Horse Steak House - both located a half block west of Glacier Lodge and then turn right south after a playground and a half block south.
Copper Horse Steakhouse | Kicking Horse Resort Fine Dining | Golden BC
Copper Horse Steakhouse
The Copper Horse Steakhouse provides a casual, yet unparalleled mountain dining experience that is inspired by locally sourced food and wines from British Columbia.
Here you can sample the best of the Rocky Mountain Cuisine such as Elk, Bison, Beef, and Salmon.
We are conveniently located at Copper Horse Lodge, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.
One could be these.....below
The Kicking Horse Saloon
Come to our classic western saloon or family restaurant. We offer tasty homestyle meals and a wonderful selection of microbrew beers, wines and spirits. Have fun playing board games or our famous Giant Jenga. Kids (under 19) are welcome in the saloon until 10 pm. ( good for Mike and his daughter Brooklyn )
Peaks Grill
Peaks Grill is located at the base of the Gondola in the heart of the action at Kicking Horse Plaza. Known for legendary après with delicious homemade food and ice cold beer.
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Special surprise event - Time TBA Sat night ( maybe around 9pm area )
Sunday am
8am – leave to have breakfast in GOLDEN.. the resort does NOT serve breakfast till 9am in the summer months.
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9:00am – meeting location to start day 2 ( location will be the Golden Chevron Gas Station on Hwy 1 )
9:15am – drivers meeting.... Golden Chevron
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9:30am – Leave Golden to drive to Takakkaw Falls ( approx 100 km )
One of the reasons we are doing Takakkaw falls first is to go earlier for better parking.. there are lots of spots but best to go there first ( parking should be better at 10:30 am then noon - was busier ) so when we arrive at Emerald Lake you can enjoy Emerald Lake as much as you want. it is amazing there!
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10:30am – Arrive Takakkaw Falls ( approx 45 min visit ) Takes about 10-15 min to walk to the falls, 15 minute at the falls and 10-15 minutes back to cars.
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11:30am leave to Emerald Lake
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Approx 12 noon – arrive Emerald Lake visit for maybe 1-2-3 hour(s)
When we arrive we will be doing a one car at a time photo shoot at the bridge at the lake then you go parking in hotel guest parking and walk or take the hotel shuttle.
Hotel shuttle would take back to front of the bridge were photo shoot is.... many people have to park on the road near the hotel guest area and walk... not that far. Some elders might like the shuttle.
Now, both area's to eat have inside and patio... you choose.
The close one is just on the other side of the bridge
the one further in is next to the hotel check in.. lounge/patio / Just follow check in signs.
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Parking – will be at lot off the area for hotel guests - shuttle that they offer ( you can walk too - 850 meter walk – Approved with the manager, gave us a real warm welcome when Ziggy and I went there )
The manager said do your photo shoot... that is park land... said just don't block his shuttle that does across the bridge.
Cars are not allowed across.... I asked if any photo locations and he said Corvettes might not be the best over the bridge and middle island area.
2 locations there to have lunch - area has beautiful lake views
Afternooon TBD at a later date closer to event ( I might end the cruise here and people can do as they wish )
FYI - Emerald Lake is about 20 minutes from Lake Louise.
All this for now....... discussion is open, any questions of any kind
Hope everyone can make this weekend and likes the route!!!
Brian