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Going to start adding this to my new Canadian Rockies pages this summer. Have had quite a few requests for this kind of stuff, so will post here for future reference.

Great Topos at Tabvar

100’s of Canmore multi-pitch rock climbs, both trad and sport, just scroll down to routes

Best Eats in Canmore: Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company, all organic fare, not just a pizza place, but a true best of the best mountain local dining experience, great on site owner and customer service with a smile, not easily obtained in Canmore

Best Coffee in Canmore: Beamers, the locals favorite, super wholesome lunch stuff, local guys, no attitude on service

Best Climbers Hangout: Summit Café, most likely place to find me or my brethren shooting the bull about beta. Best breakfast place in town, good coffee as well, serve Mennonite meats from Valbella, which is the best place to buy free range products anywhere in the world, right here in Canmore.

Climbing Gear: All way too expensive in the Bow Valley, but if you must, Mountain Magic in Banff is far superior to service and actual knowledge about climbing than the two in Canmore.

Thank you Dow.

I will be in Canmore on Saturday for lunch and will be sure to check out your list.

One thing you forgot is where the best place is to view your collection of mountain photography...

~Lucky

Least I forget...but was reminded last night....

Best Eats in Banff: The Bison, all organic/free range fare, with a detailed description of their suppliers. Recently expanded (2010), I recommend sticking with the downstairs. Better menu, prices and social ambience. Maybe retire to the bar upstairs for sunset or late night. Bison chili is amazing!

Makes the 10 best eats for traveling the world for list, and I tend to agree. Knew of the owner/chef from the start. He has stuck to his values.

Looks like a good food list. The 2 Montreal spots are the best places to eat.

Dow Williams wrote:Least I forget...but was reminded last night....

Best Eats in Banff: The Bison, all organic/free range fare, with a detailed description of their suppliers. Recently expanded (2010), I recommend sticking with the downstairs. Better menu, prices and social ambience. Maybe retire to the bar upstairs for sunset or late night. Bison chili is amazing!

Makes the 10 best eats for traveling the world for list, and I tend to agree. Knew of the owner/chef from the start. He has stuck to his values.

Indeed! That bison chili was some good stuff. For fondue lovers I would also recommend The Grizzly House.

Are there any cheap places to tent or car camp? I know there is the ACC Hostel, is that the cheapest option in Canmore?

Dude, we only have like 10,000 trail heads in which to sleep in your car. But don't do it downtown somewhere, or these little enforcement people, they call them code enforcement, will come around and challenge your participation in the Canadian citizenry with a heavy fine and free lecture. Me, I am an egocentric American, so you can imagine how I roll....

There's a municipal campground in town that I believe is actually free. It's on the Banff side of town near the highway. There's signs and everything.

If self-congratulatory spraylords bore you to tears, the Bagel Co. downtown is a good place to meet more regular climbers.

to be clear, there is no free camping in Canmore, he is trying to reference Wapiti which is first come first serve, but cost as much as any camping....the RM Bagel factory is stocked full of tourist because it is on Main Street. Folks who actually live and climb here don't want to fight the crowd...

I was at Beamers, last week, for the first time. Indeed they have realy good coffe and other hot drinks and good pastry too. Nice service and a pleasant place to go, they even have a photo from Romania, country i came from.
Thanks.

Thanks Dow, my wife and I will be there the last week of Sept. Hope to see ya?

Troy

Marmaduke wrote:Thanks Dow, my wife and I will be there the last week of Sept. Hope to see ya?

Troy

Lets grab a coffee or beer when you get there. Cheers.

So far......"The Drake" is the friendliest pub in town and the burgers are excellent. Howie is an institution there (a patron) and a good guy. Wait staff..perfecto

"The Grizzly Paw" has the best beer and nice people with good food. Beer could be chilled a little more. Nice Place.

"The Wood" had a nice wait staff but service was poor and we sat at the bar. A quiet place and nice atmosphere. We didn't eat there so no comment, but the brews were good. Today when we drove by the outside patio was packed.

edit- "Grizzly Paw" not "Bear Claw"

easy Troy, before you start declaring "friendliest"; "best"; etc....you might better sit at every bar, eat at every restaurant and drink every beer eh mate? You hanging around drinking or getting up some peaks? (it is called the Grizzly Paw, not the Bear Claw, and he has been making beer for a long time and will have a new brewery location open this time next year)

Ironic...Barry was run up a tree by a grizzly for 3.5hrs the day I told you I personally do not carry bear spray...he doesn't (did not) either. Most of the time the client seems to be carrying it anyway, his client this day only had a whistle. Of course the question in this case, would spray have just gotten one in even more trouble? It is not a cure all by any stretch.

Unfortunately, against Barry's wishes and mine, the bear was destroyed...for being a bear. The confrontation makes for a harrowing story. You can google it or read about it in the local papers.

Dow Williams wrote:easy Troy, before you start declaring "friendliest"; "best"; etc....you might better sit at every bar, eat at every restaurant and drink every beer eh mate? You hanging around drinking or getting up some peaks? (it is called the Grizzly Paw, not the Bear Claw, and he has been making beer for a long time and will have a new brewery location open this time next year)

Ironic...Barry was run up a tree by a grizzly for 3.5hrs the day I told you I personally do not carry bear spray...he doesn't (did not) either. Most of the time the client seems to be carrying it anyway, his client this day only had a whistle. Of course the question in this case, would spray have just gotten one in even more trouble? It is not a cure all by any stretch.

Unfortunately, against Barry's wishes and mine, the bear was destroyed...for being a bear. The confrontation makes for a harrowing story. You can google it or read about it in the local papers.

HI Dow, I said, "so far" in referring to friendliest/best", we haven't left town yet. And have only hit The Chinaman and Rimwall. I thought we were then traversing to climb Windtower but I didn't read the beta correctly and we were at Lougheed. Discovered that was too much for us, we got back and I saw it was a 5.4, oh well. And on day 1 here just did Tunnel. One day it poured rain, then hailed and then snowed while headed to St Piran so that became a non-climb day. And my wife wanted to head south to the ice fields so we did that. We are planning to hit St Piran and Fairview tomorrow (Sunday). I wanted to do East Rundle today but my wife wants more of a walk and then to visit Banff.

We spoke with the brewmaster at The Grizzly Paw and yes he said they were opening a new plant- he migrated from Colorado to brew beer here and his girlfriend is a nurse from Calgary.

And we met a guy while coming off of Rimwall that told us about the bear at Louise and I did google it to read the story. I was wondering if you knew him. It is too bad about the bear, but that is what they often do in Yosemite, Yellowstone etc; but I think only after the bear has been caught, tagged and sent out into the wilds. Then if it returns they put it down. Met 3 people on the trails that are locals, all really nice people. We were also told something like a guy just did The Chinaman in 30 minutes then traversed to Miner's and Lawrence Grassi and back to the car in like 2 hours but I couldn't find anything on- line about that.

Really nice people here in Canmore, we will be back next year in EARLY September. Wish I got a little more hiking in but my wife is a good sport and I need to do some of the things she wants to do as well.