So, imagine you were to spend a week or so and fly from Ontario to BC (@140kt), just to see the sights. What are the places one must absolutely see from the air? (Mostly focused on the air, but I guess some could be on the ground - not planning to be in the air for the entire 7x24hrs!)
So far I've got the rocky mountains (obviously), the Alberta badlands, the prairies in SK/MB, and a PAR @Moose Jaw . However, as one who hasn't flown west of Ontario, I really don't know the area. Any suggestions for sightseeing from western avcanada members?
canadasstonehenge.jpeg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpeg (91.61 KiB) Viewed 1167 times
About 70 km east of Calgary…nearest airport Brooks
Coordinates to other medicine wheels , etc. in link…e.g 2-3000 year old one East of Estevan Sask..
The badlands ( Drumheller area ) hoodoos near the highways have largely been removed by souvenir takers/vandals over the last thirty years…. The calendar ancient stones probably will last forty more years since they’re further from highways, but maybe not since the population and atv sales are growing.
The ancient stones are not necessarily visually ‘whoa’ like the continents tallest waterfalls in BC…but I like to sit by them and think how long ago somebody moved that rock there,....and why he did it…
If you go from Alberta to BC.... there are several routes that are very scenic. While I agree that Nelson BC is probably one of the coolest airports in the Eastern Ranges... the terrain around is fairly boring, relatively speaking.
If the weather is good, I'd take a more northern route. Following the #1 through Yoho park where you can see Takakkaw Falls...
And Lake O'Hara....
Following the #1 takes you west through Kicking Horse Canyon to Golden and then to Roger's Pass...
Through to Revelstoke.
The terrain gets calmer after you get to the Shuswap Lakes and to Kamloops, and then the Coast Ranges rise up. The Fraser Canyon is a very neat, semi-arid route to follow to Hope where it opens up into the massive Fraser Valley. Definitely try to get over to the Island while you are there... and try your best to go all the way to Tofino; it's worth it.
Other points you may want to take in on the way there or back are in my neighbourhood like Lake of the Hanging Glacier....
The Bugaboos....
Mt Assiniboine....
All which are on a line that roughly bisects the #1 and #3 VFR routes... but the absolute gems of this Province are further north. The Columbia and Clemenceau Icefields... and the northern Coastal ranges (the further north to Alaska you go, the better it gets).
Squamish BC when you get here. Voted one of the best approaches in the world by readers of some obscure flying magazine. Airport is somewhat "rustic" however, but we do have 100LL and a small clubhouse. I don't think anyone would complain if you pitched a tent for a night or two either.
Between Wawa ans Sault Ste Marie, the Agawa Canyon is very pretty. Manitoulin Island along the north shore of Lake Huron is nice, and it will take you to Ontario's version of "mountains" - at Killarney. That's a nice place to stop, and you can walk from the airport to town, which is very pretty, on a channel. Fly along the north, then down the east shore of Georgian Bay - super scenery. You can divert off to the west a little, and fly along Wasaga Beach, toward Collingwood.
From there, south, if you like, Hamilton, Canadian Warplane Heritage, park in front of their hangar, though watch the landing fees at Hamilton. You can continue along to Niagara Falls, though adhere to the VFR sightseeing traffic pattern.
Back up past Toronto, following the north shore of Lake Ontario is very pretty, particularly around Picton (watch for Trenton airspace). Follow the St. Lawrence east toward Montreal. You can divert up to Ottawa if you like, and the Air Museum at Rockcliffe. Continue past Montreal, and the St Lawrence becomes very pretty out past Quebec City. Follow right around the Gaspe if you like, but watch for changing weather.
From there, the north shore of PEI is very nice, and you can "hop" across 50 miles to Madeline Islands, which are entirely worth the effort to get there. If staying, assure a hotel reservation before you turn up. Cape Breton is great, and that will take you to the extreme east of the continent. On your way back, the Bay of Fundy.
I'll report the extreme north east of Labrador, Torngat mountains park, as I'm going there this summer...
Thanks for all the suggestions Oxi, MyPantsRnice, Blakey, AirFrame, iflyforpie, Glenn, ScottS, PilotDAR! All those places sound great. And the pictures - really beautiful!
If you follow the Red Deer river from Dinosaur Provincial Park up to Dry Island Buffalo Jump you'll get a really nice aerial tour of the badlands. Calgary is pretty scenic viewed from the air. Make sure you regularly broadcast "conflicting traffic please advise" on 122.8 and you'll get a warm welcome from SSU.
The short flight from Courtenay airpark to Tofino is really nice.
If you land in Tofino with lunches in hand you can walk for about 15-20 minutes and have a great lunch on beautiful long beach. It was one of my first flights after I got my PPL and it has spoiled me! Never had a better flight yet (just 200 hours under my belt though).
. However, as one who hasn't flown west of Ontario, I really don't know the area. Any suggestions for sightseeing from western avcanada members?
