ESSENTIALS - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 547

ter level. Canoes can be rented on the Bow River (in the town of Banff), Lake Louise, and
Moraine Lake in Banff National Park; Pyramid and Maligne Lakes in Jasper National
Park; Cameron Lake in Waterton Lakes National Park; and Emerald Lake in Yoho Na-
tional Park. Expect to pay around $20-45 per hour. The more adventurous visitor can rent
a canoe and paddle down the Bow River from Lake Louise to downtown Banff.
White-Water Rafting
The rafting season is relatively short, but the thrill of careening down a river laced with
rapids is not easily forgotten. Qualified guides operate on many rivers flowing out of
the mountains. The Kicking Horse River, which flows through Yoho National Park to
Golden, is run by companies based in Golden, Lake Louise, and Banff. This is the most
popular river for rafting trips. The Sunwapta River in Jasper National Park and the upper
reaches of the Fraser River through Mount Robson Provincial Park are others offering
big thrills. For a more sedate river trip, try the Bow River in Banff National Park or the
Athabasca River in Jasper National Park. Both are run commercially. All companies offer
half- and full-day trips, including transportation, wet suits, and often light snacks.
Scuba Diving
Being landlocked, the Canadian Rockies are not renowned for scuba diving. A few in-
teresting opportunities do exist, however, and rentals are available in Lethbridge, Cal-
gary, and Edmonton. The old town site of Minnewanka Landing, in Banff National Park,
has been flooded, and although an easy dive, the site is interesting. Patricia Lake, in
Jasper National Park, conceals the remains of a secret experiment to build an ice-covered
barge that was to be used in the mid-Atlantic as a refueling dock for Allied aircraft. A
sunken boat lies at the bottom of Emerald Bay in Waterton Lakes National Park, not far
from some wagons that fell through the ice many winters ago. For a list of dive shops
and sites, contact the Alberta Underwater Council (780/427-9125 or 888/307-8566,
www.albertaunderwatercouncil.com ) .
FISHING
The Canadian Rockies are an angler's delight. Fish are abundant in many lakes and rivers
(the exceptions to good fishing are the lakes and rivers fed by glacial runoff, such as Lake
Louise), and outfitters provide guiding services throughout the mountains. Many lakes are
stocked annually with a variety of trout—most often rainbows—and although stocking
was discontinued in the national parks in 1988, populations have been maintained. In Banff
National Park, Lake Minnewanka is home to the mountains' largest fish—lake trout—as