All in all a very nice trip, though I spent far more time sightseeing than hiking
Some practical things I learned--
1) If you are flying a turboprop into Toronta, avoid aisles 1-4. Your ears and sinuses will thank you for avoiding the vibration from the counter rotating props. Important***- If you have a photography equipment backpack, you probably wont be able to take it onboard the turbo prop unless there are empty seats. It will be checked at the gate. So keep a small bag for the camera bodies, delicate lenses, and batteries--something that will go under the seat. Wheeled duffel worked great. Air Canada's baggage rates are cheaper. Same amount in Canadian dollars as USD; try checking on the canadian site if you have a proxy and pay baggage fees on the canadian side. It seems to me that I had alot more room on Air Canada. Even had movies and map/gps in economy class.
2) Rentals for the winter and shoulder seasons- I strongly suggest you budget for a 4x4 unless you don't plan on leaving the highway. Not only that, but make sure the vehicle has winter tires. The firms keep some 4x4's with ordinary tires for use in Calgary. Some roads are closed off to any vehicle without snow tires, whether they are 4x4 or not. Get the windshield insurance...the Canadians have figured out that its better to use something like pea gravel rather than salt in wintry weather. Lost count of the terrible sounds made by rock versus glass, and got at least one chip.
3) You will probably want mobile data, although you can download maps from Google maps for off-line use. If you do not wish to get charged exorbitant fees, make sure you know how to keep the cellular side of phone "off"--especially if you are using free wifi at the hotel or restaurants.
International phone data roaming rates for ATT was terrible. For about 60 dollars, you can get a "ATT passport" for a limited amount of data 250MB and some minutes. If you go over these limits, your wallet will be bled..it was not clear if there would be a warning or not.
I found the best deal was to stop in Calgary and get a telus prepaid SIM for $11 USD and a bunch of pre-paid cards ($7 per 250MB) . Got about 1 gig of data + SIM and more minutes for less than the ATT passport. No way to exceed limits and get a horrendous bill. But I did lose an hour or so having them get the phone working with new sim card. I changed the SIM when I got back to the states, and everything worked perfectly.
4) Check trail conditions daily on the Parc Nationale Web Site. Some bears are still active--fighting for a den up in Lake Louise, or awakened by the smell of a carcass nearby. In fact, part of the herd trail up Tunnel Mountain in Banff was closed due to a grizzly feeding on a carcass. Cougar activity at Pipestone.
5) Banff traffic can suck. I'm glad I stayed in Canmore.
6) Hotel had bear spray, and even a few stoves. Always ask at the front desk. However, I could not find any insulation for my nalgene bottles, even at the more sophisticated outfitters.
7) Declination is EAST (17 deg); the shop in Lake Louise village had the cheapest maps suitable for GPS and/or compass. Its better to get these ahead of time from Amazon.
8) For photography, a good app like "The Photographer's Ephemeris" is necessary. The days are short and the peaks are high. There is frequent cloud cover, and often the light is flat. Bring your macro lens; be hopeful for sunrise and sunset. Searching for la faune, even bushwhacking along Bow Valley Trail (1A), is something I enjoyed.
9) Report any animal in distress to a ranger. They take this seriously and will attempt to fix the situation very quickly.
10) Some resources
Seasonal Closures/Restrictions
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/fermetures-closures.aspx
Important Bulletins
http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/scond/Rec_Rep_e.asp?opark=100092
PDF Maps
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/brochures.aspx
11) Fees- I believe that admission to ALL Canadian Parks will be FREE in 2017 (150th Anniversary). This does not include camping fees and the like.
12) Finally.. Just a few "tourist" pics...nothing special (Note- I have a 1200mm "equivalent" lens---I remained far away of course, except for the "mountain kitty")
https://www.amazon.com/photos/share/eN2M0W5u0vGmDUEc1TeI1we5qi59c1DlafBForo3L5t
