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The
Icefields Parkway & the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge
The Drive Along the Icefields Parkway
continued
from page 1
Historic
Romantic Lodging Along the Icelands Parkway: Num-Tim-Jah Lodge
A very convenient lodge along the parkway and about half way between Banff
and Jasper is the rustic and historic Num-Ti-Jah Lodge. This establishment
is the only one located on the beautiful shores of Bow Lake, and was built
by one of Canada’s legendary figures, pioneer guide and outfitter,
Jimmy Simpson. Quite interesting is that even a mountain was named after
Jimmy called Mount
Simpson.
In 1898, when this great Canadian mountain man camped at Bow Lake, he
promised himself that one-day he would return and build his own shack.
It was twenty- five years later that he did in fact return, leased five
acres of land from the Parks Branch and built the first log cabin on the
site that also served as his permanent base for outfitting tours. If you
are wondering what Num-Ti-Jah means-it is a Stoney Indian word for a small
animal similar to a sable called pine marten.
It was not until 1937 when the parkway between Banff and Bow Lake was
completed, that the Simpson family began building their lodge. From six
rooms in 1940 it had expanded to twenty-five in 1950, and today, although
it is no longer owned by the Simpsons, little has changed for much of
the lodge has been preserved. It still has twenty- five rooms, some of
which share bathrooms. Don’t expect to find a telephone or television
in any of the rooms, and this is what makes the lodge noteworthy. Guests
are offered a true mountain experience living within a Rocky Mountain
culture. As the personnel of the lodge had indicated to me, all that we
need at the end of the day is shelter for the night, a hearty meal and
a warm bed.
After staying a few nights at the lodge, we could well understand why
honeymooners love this place, particularly if they are the outdoor type
or enjoy history and seclusion.
The lodge is an excellent starting point for as many as fifteen hikes
from beginners to advanced levels. There is also the moonlight walk along
the shoreline of Bow Lake, something we enjoyed immensely. During the
winter Alpine and Nordic skiing is very close at hand as well as showshoeing.
As for dining, the lodge offers their nightly signature Fireside Dining
Experience consisting of a five-course table d’hôte menu that
changes daily. Diners start off with an informal appetizer held in the
library of the lodge, followed by a plated entrée and ending with
a chocolate fondue.
Weddings
at the Lodge
 Many
an intimate wedding has been celebrated at the lodge, and according to
Lee O’Donnell, the lodge’s manager, all are unique. They prefer
to have the couples stage their own events by having them schedule such
activities as hiking, trips in and around the parkway, and even polar
bear dips.
If the weather holds up, there is nothing more beautiful they have the
ceremony outdoors with Bow Lake and the blue ice of Crowfoot Glacier as
a backdrop.
Jimmy Simpson may have summed up what the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge is all about
when he stated: "There is absolutely nothing in the city to give
us the same feeling as the great, mysterious things of nature though they
be stone and ice. It is only among them that we feel the utter helplessness
and insignificance of ourselves."
Additional
Information
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