Neighboring Canadian national parks Banff and Jasper in Alberta have no fewer than three aerial tramways that will carry you up mountainsides for spectacular views of the Canadian Rockies. Being from a flat state (highest point in Florida: 345 feet), I find mountain vistas irresistible, and so on a trip north of the border, I rode all three. Here are my observations.

Jasper Tramway 
Location: The Whistlers (or Whistlers Mountain, not to be confused with the famous ski destination and Olympic site near Vancouver, British Columbia) in Jasper National Park near the town of Jasper, Alberta
Elevation at Upper Terminal: 7,472 ft.
Duration of ride: 7 minutes
Open: April 22 – October 10 (2011)

I squeezed onto the enclosed 30-person gondola, which was filled to capacity, and as we ascended the operator gave us some details about our location (in the Trident Range) and where the mountain got its name (the whistling calls made by the area’s hoary marmots). The temperature was in the upper 70s at the lower terminal but had dropped about 20 degrees by the time we reached the small upper station.

I don’t know about you, but I feel a little cheated when a cable car doesn’t take you all the way to the top, and the Jasper Tramway drops you off well below the summit. The upper station has a boardwalk leading to excellent view points, but I wasn’t satisfied with that. I followed the crowd up the rocky trail through alpine tundra to the very top, which is a steep nearly mile-long hike.

I was out of breath at trail’s end, but the climb was definitely worth it. What a view! On the horizon are craggy peaks streaked with snow and beneath them the lush Athabasca Valley dotted with lakes and the tiny town of Jasper nestled in a crook of the river. Puffy white clouds drifting overhead created a changing pattern of shadows as I watched. Just amazing. Easy to see why this is a GEM-rated attraction in the Western Canada AAA TourBook guide.

An added bonus is that I got to trudge through some quickly melting snow, a real treat for a Florida boy like myself, and for those of you traveling with your pets, take note: dogs are welcome aboard the tramway. I saw a couple of families enjoying the sunshine and brisk breezes with their canine companions.

Lake Louise Sightseeing Gondola 
Location: On Mount Whitehorn in Banff National Park near Lake Louise, Alberta
Elevation at Upper Terminal: 6,850 ft.
Duration of ride: 14 minutes
Open May 14 – October 2 (2011)

The lower station sits behind the sprawling, rustic Lodge of the Ten Peaks, part of the Lake Louise Ski Area. Nearly empty in summer, the place must do a brisk business in winter, or so I judged from the size of it. It was easy to imagine hordes of skiers and snowboarders hanging out on the broad decks that look out on the ski runs.

After I bought my ticket, an attendant guided me to a separate building in back for an orientation/safety film. Safety?

Two words: grizzly country. There’s even some sort of protective fence (electrified?) around the resort. Yikes! But rather than alarm me, the film explained that if bears were active in a particular area, that area would be closed. I was also cautioned to throw my trash in one of the bear-proof bins and if I went hiking on one of the many trails, to travel with other people and make lots of noise to warn bears of my presence.

What’s especially neat about the Lake Louise Sightseeing Gondola is that it’s a slow-moving ski lift, and you have the choice between a closed, four-person cabin and an open four-person chair. I chose the chair and thoroughly enjoyed the hushed journey above meadows and breeze-tossed treetops. I scanned the ground for grizzlies, but didn’t see any. I’m not sure if I was disappointed.

Although you’re not anywhere near the top of 8,765-foot Mount Whitehorn, the view of the Bow Valley from the deck near the upper station is fantastic, the focal point being the turquoise waters of Lake Louise and the shimmering Victoria Glacier above it. I could have stood there for hours and never gotten bored with the sight.

Banff Gondola 
Location: On Sulphur Mountain in Banff National Park near the town of Banff, Alberta
Elevation at Upper Terminal: 7,486 ft.
Duration of ride: 8 minutes
Open: Year round

It’s close, but I think this one was my favorite, mainly because the Banff Gondola takes you to the top of the mountain (or very close to the top) and the views from high above Banff are amazing. When I was there, a boardwalk connecting the upper station, which looked like a spaceship, to the viewing decks surrounding the Sulphur Mountain summit was nearly complete. The elevated path follows the top of a ridge and ascends a few flights of stairs to a tiny stone building, the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station, a national historic site. It’s here, above the trees, that you can get the best perspective of this part of the Bow Valley and surrounding mountains.

Bottom line: Was I disappointed in any of these tramways? No way. All three offered amazing views. One last note: Surprisingly, almost everyone working at the three gondola rides—station managers, ticket sellers, car operators— was Australian. I asked one cashier with a noticeable Aussie accent why that was, and she simply explained, “We Australians love the Rockies and in the summer we just kind of invade.”

Having conducted my own one-man invasion of Banff and Jasper national parks and experienced the rugged beauty from on high firsthand, I can understand why. 

All photos by Frank Swanson