Rocky Mountain Adventure

(This is the view from Lineham Ridge)

For 17 glorious days last summer Bier Goddess also was Mountain Goddess. Her time was spread out to cover Calgary, Banff National Park, Canmore, Waterton Lakes Provincial Park and just over the US border in Glacier National Park (also called the International Peace Park) in Montana.


Now don't you think that just because she was out in all of nature's glory that there was a lack quality beer. No, just the opposite in fact. In Calgary I can recommend the following liquor stores with great beer selections: Willow Park (south end of Calgary at 10801 Bonaventure Drive S.E.), Liquor Depot (north end of Calgary at 831 Edmonton Trail North, unit 117) and Kensington Wine Market(mid-town at 1257 Kensington Road N.W.).

In Banff, there is a suprisingly descent stock of beer at the tiny liquor store on behind the main street on the north side called Liquor World at the back of Cascade Mall (202 Wolf Street). The Irish pub almost directly opposite that liquor store has excellent draught offering (and the best fish & chips I've ever had).


(A view from Canmore looking up at Three Sisters)

In the town of Canmore there is probably the best liquor store outside of Calgary. It's called Alberta Spirits (1120 Railway Avenue, located at the edge of town just off the Trans Canada Highway). The staff there have excellent product knowledge and sometimes will let you try stuff out before purchasing. Also worth a visit while in Canmore is the Grizzly Paw Pub Brewing Company (622 Main Street also called 8th Street). In the pub you can try their line of beer on tap. They can all be tasted as 2oz tasters that come on a tray so you can pick your favorite. Most of their beers are bottled so you take some to go. (website: http://www.thegrizzlypaw.com/)


When Bier Goddess was in the tiny town of Babb, Montana just outside Glacier National Park where there is steakhouse called The Cattle Baron Supper Club. It's hard to miss since it is the biggest building in town with hardly any buildings. Entering the restaurant is like stepping into a place that time forgot. The first thing you see is the big,wooden wrap-around bar where one can spy the very decent selection of bottled beers in the glass fridge (American micro o-plenty) and the variety of excellent draft they have tapped.


Continuing inside, there was lots of wood panelling on the walls, slate floors, a huge curved staircase upstairs to the dining area and mounted on high on the wall on the second floor is a replica model of ancient aborignal hunting area, Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump - very cool.


(This is the view from the path up to Lake Bourgeau early in the accent.)

It was nearing the end of the mountain adventure. Bier/Mountain Goddess had enjoyed numerous hikes, plenty of wildlife sightings (the highlight was the cougar), a day of spelunking, a dip in the hot springs, concerts, an art show, miles of heart breakingly beautiful countryside, scrumptious food and of course her fill of tasty beers (both regional micros and American & European imports). There was enough time for one last hiking challenge - Lake Bourgeau/Mt. Bourgeau.


It's funny how even the most modest of accomplishments can give one a sense of wellness and joy. This hike marked my personal best - I had grunted & struggled up my first vertical mile (1400m vertical gain from the starting altitude). The day was long and dusty. By the time I got near the top, I was exhausted and my legs were really spent but I was so happy. Yes, maybe not anything really special to anyone else but for me, it was a moment I won't soon forget. I felt like I was on top of the world.

It was bitter-sweet on the last night before heading home to Toronto. To toast another great trip, a Rattlesnake E.S.B Ale was chosen as the celebratory drink. Just a note, beer foams quite a bit when pouring into a stainless steel cup. If you rinse the cup with cold water, it helps a bit but it would still be wise to pour slowly.


Written on the BC Beer's website was:

"Rattlesnake E.S.B. Ale (Bitter, 5%) - While it doesn't fit the traditional E.S.B. profile in terms of colour (too light) or alcohol content (too low), it does have a good smack of hop bitterness to it. Can have a somewhat astringent graininess, but worth it for the hops."
For More information on British Columbia microbrews see this link: http://www.bcbeer.ca/default.aspx