Backpacker Buzz Issue 77: Travelling During Shoulder Season

When summer does a whirlwind tour like it does in Western Canada, everyone tries to cram holidays in at the same time, producing what the tourism industry lovingly calls the high season. It’s the fall season that unfortunately gets the cold shoulder, despite the perks of the autumnal change of seasons: smaller crowds, lower prices and a nice glow to everything.

Here are some of the best shoulder season draws in the region.

Whistler
This resort town touts itself as an all-season resort so you can rest assured that there will be plenty to do even in the autumn. You never know when the snow will fall, but in the meantime, some of the country’s best mountain bike trails operate until the waxed planks take over. Before it gets too chilly up top, there’s still plenty of hiking and sightseeing to do on all levels of the mountain. This is a good wildlife spotting time as animals prepare for hibernation.

Penticton
Fall is a nice respite after scorcher summers in the Okanagan. This is an ideal time to explore the Kettle Valley Trail by bike, as cooler temperatures put less of a strain on your body. Kill two birds with one stone and take the northbound route toward Naramata, which passes by 10 wineries. How convenient. You can rent bikes from HI-Penticton.

Vancouver
Summer likes to linger in Vancouver, something the locals never fail to appreciate. Vancouverites will spend evenings on the many local beaches until the rainy season officially rolls in, which isn’t usually until late November. That’s when plenty of festivals step in to keep the city entertained covering things like film, comedy, writing and fringe arts.

Victoria
With one of the most pleasant climates in Canada, Victoria leans ever so slightly into autumn. The real change comes in the city streets as cruise ship season wanes and the small city’s universities and colleges gear up for a new academic year. Tourists disappear from Government Street and downtown’s nightlife comes alive, at least until mid-terms.

Banff & Lake Louise
Take in some nice fall colours as the larch trees around Lake Louise turn bright yellow, and then enjoy the area for a little early-season cross-country skiing. This is where the Canadian national team comes to get a jump on training. If you’ve always fancied a season as a ski bum, this is the time to head to Banff to snag a good job. Ski season gets underway as early as the beginning of November.

Jasper
September to November is prime wildlife spotting time up in less busy Jasper National Park. Black bears can spend up to 20 hours a day eating in the weeks leading up to hibernation, which means they’re out and about, but also not to be messed with. By mid-September, breeding season is in full swing for elk in the parks, when males wield their impressive antlers to fight off competition and win the attention of potential mates.

The Rockies
The Icefields Parkway can become a ghost road in the depths of winter, which is why some of Hostelling International’s wilderness hostels along the picturesque highway close down or reduce their hours in the low-season. Autumn is an excellent time to get one last kick in off-the-grid places like Mount Edith Cavell, Yoho National Park, Mosquito Creek and Kananaskis.

Check out HI’s hostels in Western Canada at hihostels.ca

TOP SHOULDER SEASON EVENTS
Body Worlds & The Brain (Vancouver) – starts Sept. 16
Vancouver Fringe Festival – Sept. 8-19
Calgary International Film Festival – Sept. 24-Oct. 3
Vancouver International Film Festival – Sept. 28-Oct. 15
Okanagan Fall Wine Festival (Penticton) – Oct. 1-10
Calgary Tattoo & Arts Festival – Oct. 15-17
Banff Ekiden Relay Race – Oct. 16
Jasper Annual Fall Ski Swap – Oct. 23
Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival – Oct. 30
Global Visions Film Festival 2010 (Edmonton) – Nov. 4-7
Edmonton Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival – Nov. 5-6

Who ARE You Guys, Anyway?

Chelsea Turnbull, general manager, HI-Whistler pictured at Nigel Pass, Jasper Alta.

Get a glimpse of what it’s like to work for Hostelling International in Western Canada. For people like Chelsea Turnbull, being a born leader comes naturally.

Chelsea joined the Hostelling International team in March 2009 as the temporary hostel manager at HI-Lake Louise Alpine Centre. Her love of the mountains and HI’s casual and fun culture convinced her to apply for the general manager position at the new HIWhistler.

Opening a brand-new hostel like this is a demanding job that runs the gamut from hiring new staff to overseeing the installation of enough beds to sleep 188 people. Wayne Johnson, assistant general manager at HI-Whistler, can’t emphasize Chelsea’s gusto enough.

“Chelsea really made the opening of the hostel easy for everyone. She created a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, so that the new staff were immediately comfortable working together as a team. With the pressure of starting a new job relieved, everyone worked really well together, which was then reflected in our guests’ stay. It’s great to have a leader that really cares and supports us.”

With the HI-Whistler team behind her, Chelsea welcomed the first guests to the new hostel on July 1st.

Want to join the Hostelling International Team?
Visit hostelcareers.ca for our latest opportunities.

SHOULDER SEASON HI MEMBER DISCOUNTS
A Hostelling International membership card works year-round. Check out a few fall-friendly deals in Western Canada

Everywhere
Save 25 percent on Greyhound bus tickets across Canada.

Whistler
Save 15 percent on entrance to the Scandinave Spa hydrotherapy baths for off-season relaxation. Save 10 percent on massage services.

Lake Louise
Go admire the larch trees by car with 20 percent off rental and kilometre charges at National Car Rental at Samson Mall.

Banff
Relax before ski season with 15 percent off entry to the Banff Upper Hot Springs and get free public transit there if you’re
staying at HI-Banff Alpine Centre.

Penticton
Stock up on nibblies for your bike ride. Save 10 percent on all food at the IGA grocery store in town. Rent your bike from HIPenticton for just $25 for the day.

Learn about all of the HI discounts at discounts.hihostels.ca

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 9th, 2010 at 3:15 pm and is filed under Hostelling International. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site. Add to del.icio.us.