Canmore, Alberta • Canada’s stretch of the Rocky Mountains is an outdoor paradise with something for everyone: upscale resorts surrounded by jagged mountains, isolated hikes offering an escape from urban life and crystal-blue water that dares you to feel the chill.
The mountains straddle the border of British Columbia and Alberta, with two of its best-known destinations, Banff National Park and Lake Louise, in Alberta.
My family and I flew into Calgary, rented cars and spent a week exploring the wonders around Banff, setting up base camp in Canmore, about 60 miles (97 km) west of Calgary.