After too long of  a wait due to cool and wet weather I was able to get back kayaking on the Kicking Horse and Columbia River this week. What a treat.  And with all the wet weather the river is still pretty high and changing day to day.  Friend  Patrick joined me for a paddle.  And yes, we got wet as you will see in the video.  
Reminder we are taking reservations at Vagabond Lodge for the upcoming ski season. You can book direct off our website and get the best rate. You can also email me at info@vagabondlodge.ca or give us a call at 250 344 2622. 
Vagabond closes for the off-season on September 27 and reopens on December 7th. 

I love this time of the year.  It is starting to quiet down and this is the best time for some exploring. We did a great hike with some of our family to the top of Kicking Horse.  One of my favourites is along the north ridge.  We did it after a big rain storm the day before and there were all sorts of weather fronts rolling around.  Some amazing cloud formations. 
Vagabond is having a special Autumn in the Rockies Special until closing date with 10% discount if you book direct.  And if you are planning a ski trip this winter, our Early Bird Savings is good until October 31st. Again you need to book direct. Give us a call at 2560 344 2622 or email info@vagabondlodge.ca or 
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It has been a great summer for kayaking in our area.  Not only the Columbia but the Kicking Horse which runs right through the town of Golden BC.  And every day the river changes and so do the rapids.  We don't do big rapids or anything crazy.  Just enough to get some rock and roll and a little wet at times.  And the other day it was definitely some rock and roll.  And staying dry was not an option.  
A reminder you can book your stay directly with Vagabond Lodge for the best rate guaranteed.  We have added a booking engine directly to our website and as a result can pass our savings by not paying commission to the likes of Expedia and the rest of the big name hotel booking engines to our guests.  Give it a try.  Just click here which will take you directly to Vagabond Lodge. You can also give me a call at 250 344 2622 or email info@vagabondlodge.ca 

The Columbia River flows right through Golden.  It is one of the major rivers in North America and starts just south of Golden about 2 hours away.  It eventually ends up on the Pacific Ocean in Oregon.  This time of the year especially with all the rain we have had so far, the water level is nice and high.  One of our favourite trips is from Nicholson which is just about 5 minutes or so south of Golden to just below Kicking Horse Resort.  It is about a 2 hour trip.  Because of the wide valley the river creates a number of small lakes where you can pull in and go for a swim or take a break.  
We did it a few days ago with some friends and it was a perfect day.  So much fun. 
We can hook you up with a rental if you interested.  You can book your stay directly at Vagabond Lodge for the best price guaranteed.  Check in out.  We have a special 10% discount for August if you put in the code 123 when you are booking. 
You can still give us a call at 1250344 2622 or email info@vagabondlodge.ca
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I have hiked some of the trails near Bow Lake in Banff National Park for years.  I have driven by the lake and been in awe of the beauty hundreds of times.  Now I have had the experience of seeing the beauty from the water itself.  I had just spent a few days camping and kayaking with family just down the road at Waterfowl Lake.  On my way home the lake was just too appealing to pass by.  I did a u-turn and after finding a parking spot which wasn't easy, I took my kayak out on Bow Lake for the first time ever.  It wasn't the greatest weather as a storm was starting to blow in.  I had to scramble to get across the late in order to find shelter before the storm hit.  And I was down to the wire when it hit with strong winds and rain.  But I made it with minutes to spare to find some shelter.  But it was definitely worth it.  A great experience. 
Bow Lake is about an hour and 15 minute drive from Vagabond Lodge.  I would suggest to go early in the morning for the great light and less traffic but anytime is worth it. 

One of the many amazing places we have near Vagabond Lodge is Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. It is an easy 45 minute drive to the lake and it a hotbed for sightseers.  The bulk of the people who stop there get out of their cars for a few minutes or unload from a tour bus and walk for a few minutes, take a few photos and leave.  One of the best ways to really enjoy the area is to go for nice hike either around the lake or the the end and back and it won't be that busy.  Once the snow disappears from the higher elevation the hiking is some of the best in the world.  
A great way to see the area is from the lake.  You rent a canoe  which is nice.  We are fortunate to have our own kayaks which are inflatable.  And once you are out of the lake it is so amazing.  It gives an entire different perspective to the area. 
​Highly recommended. 

Summer in this area means hiking, rafting and mountain biking.  Golden and area has been a mecca for mountain biking before Kicking Horse was here.  And every year the Golden Mountain Biking Club gets funding to develop more and more trails.  Most of them are more technical which means narrow trails, switchbacks, and narrow bridges.  I have done a few but they don't appeal to me that much as they are a little too intense.  I like to enjoy the scenery.  The single track for the most part means keeping your eyes pealed straight ahead and nothing else.  But they do have a few that are a little less demanding.  One is from the top of Kicking Horse called scallimag.  There are a few bridges but not narrow and the trails are wide enough to enjoy the ride.  And with my ebike it is great and a good workout if you want.  If you don't want, you can always use the peddle assist more.  Good times.  Video is of a ride on that trail the other day with friend Patrick.  Both ebikes and regular mountain bikes are available for rent across the road from Vagabond at the base of Kicking Horse Resort. 

It is one of the most enjoyable things to do.  I love kayaking.  We started doing it a few years ago and bought some awesome inflatable kayaks from advanced elements.  They are so easy to get in the water without the lifting on and off a roof rack.  It probably takes about 10 minutes to get them inflated and they are light enough for one person to carry.  Our favourite spot for a quick and sometimes wet ride is down the Kicking Horse River that runs through Golden.  Further upstream there are some crazy rapids that the whitewater rafting companies use.  It is one of the  top rafting areas in North America with class 4 rapids.  But for us, we are on the bottom end of the river as it enters into the Columbia River.  We have a few small rapids and we do get a little wet a times but nothing serious.  The thing about kayaking on the Kicking Horse is the river changes every day. You need to figure out routes that are the safest. 
We had our first trip of the season the other day and it was absolutely fabulous.  One of our favourite is also the Columbia River.  It is more of a gentle float but on a nice sunny day, there is nothing better. 
If you are looking for some adventure come and check it out.  You won't be disappointed. 
Give us a call at Vagabond at 250 344 2622 or email info@vagabondlodge.ca 

Another summer is almost here at Vagabond and Kicking Horse Resort.  We are both going to be open this long weekend.  One of the many things you can do in our backyard is mountain biking.  The biking in this video is a little extreme for me.  But once the snow melts on T2, which is part of Kicking Horse  bikers carry their bikes up and then ride all the way down to Golden.  There are a lot easier places to ride than this but it looks pretty amazing.  The hike without the bikes is great too and that is what I do.  A little less hazard to your health.
Daily operation of the resort which includes the grizzly bear refuge, eagle's eye restaurant,  kicks off on May 24th until September 29th.  Downhill Mountain biking as well as the Via Ferrata starts later in June.  So plenty to do right here and if you don't mind a few minutes drive there is golf, whitewater rafting, hiking in our area as well as in Glacier National Park, Yoho National Park, kayaking, fishing and more. You won't be bored. 
   Give us call at 250 344 2622 or email info@vagabondlodge.ca to book your stay. 

It's that time of the year when the  bears come out of hibernation and looking for some good eating.  The perfect spot right now is along the road side between Vagabond and Golden where it is starting to green up, in the ditch.
Yesterday there was a mom and 2 cubs and a few second later a single black year.  My record is 13 bears in one drive of 9km.  Crazy.  
There is no issue with the bears around as long as people don't start feeding them or leaving garbage around.  Once they get a taste of garbage they end up getting killed.  A few years ago in Revelstoke  something like 9 bears had to be put down over the course of a few months.  Very sad and it al had to do with people either feeding them or garbage laying around. 
Video is from my drive yesterday.  
Vagabond is closed for a few more weeks and will be reopening for the summer on May 24th.  The gondola also opens for the summer season.  Although there will still be snow at the top there are some great hikes along the ridge in both directions.  Here is a link to more information on the summer season at Kicking Horse Resort. 
Downhill mountain biking usually kicks in later in June once the trails are free of snow. 
Reminder if you are looking for a great spot to base your sightseeing and hiking for the summer give us a call here at Vagabond 250 344 2622 or email info@vagabondlodge.ca 
Vagabond is located about an hour drive from Lake Louise, 1 and a half hours from Banff, 45 minutes from Glacier National Park and 45 minutes from Yoho.  All those parks have some fabulous hikes.