Helicopter Hiking in Canada

Recently divorced, I was seeking an adventure. My first idea was to take a train trip from Toronto to Vancouver, but there were no seats available. My travel agent recommended that I join a Tauck Tour that included stops at Lake Louise and Jasper and a final stay at a ski lodge in British Columbia. There the group would be flown by helicopter to the top of a mountain. Instead of skiing down, we would hike. The travel agent assured me this was the type of trip that would attract single men. Hah!

I live in Central Florida. It is flat! My legs had not experienced walking up - or down - a hill for twenty years. I tried to get in shape by hiking around Lake Underhill in Orlando. A lot of good that did! It was flat! I also chose not to buy a pair of boots, knowing a pair would be lent to me. One problem: I have a long, very narrow foot that does not like a size medium. I should have realized I would not be fitted in Size 10 AAAA.

After flying to Edmonton, I joined the group. Taulk Tours may seem expensive, but it is top drawer. We had luxurious accommodations and, with our choice of anything on the menu, gourmet meals.

Our first stop was the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise located in Banff National Park in Alberta. This huge edifice was built in 1890 by the Canadian Pacific Railway. It has breathtaking mountain views and a pristine lake. Again I tried to prepare myself for helicopter- hiking by walking along the shores of the lake. The terrain was -- you guessed it -- flat.

After a few days we journeyed to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper National Park, also in Alberta. Though more rustic than Chateau Lake Louise, the accommodations were comfortable, the meals excellent, and the views outstandingly beautiful. An added feature were the elk. Hundreds and hundreds of elk live in Jasper, and they have the right-of-way.

Although I had nightmares about an elk charging into my room, our stay in Jasper came to an end without my having a close encounter with an elk. We were flown by helicopter to the ski lodge in British Columbia. There we were divided into groups according to what our guides thought were our hiking abilities. I started out being a member of the most athletic group and was given a pair of loaner boots. After each hike, I was demoted. My aching Florida legs could not handle going downhill, nor could my feet tolerate the ill-fitting boots. One day, however, I excelled. We were dropped off on a glacier to hike to the other side and -- guess what-- ithe glacier was flat!

By the way, my fantasy, or my travel agent's fantasy, that I would meet interesting single men on this trip did not pan out. I was the only person traveling alone. Almost everyone else was a married couple, and most were twenty years older than I. There were two men traveling together, but they were holding hands. Oh well, better luck next time!