F6 EZ EE THE WASHINGTON POST . SUNDAY, MARCH 22 , 2015
The Impulsive Traveler
BY KELLY MERRITT
Crafting a novel is like building a rela-tionship, with all of the ecstasy and flawsof a human union. Some days are allswooning and rapture while others arealmost abusive, delivering a cripplingdose of writer’s block. For me, a snowyscene has always been the best antidote.Infusionsofcrispair, remoteaccommoda-tions and the mighty silence of a moun-tainous landscape make the words flow.
I fled to the Post Hotel & Spa in Cana-da’s Banff National Park earlier this year.Manuscript illuminated by the light fromablazing fireandglassofwhiskey inhand,I thought: Now this is how to write a book.Turns out this hotel is a longtime alphabetaphrodisiac and I’m about 10 years late tothe party.
“I keep a set of cross-country skis at thePost Hotel and a suitcase of clothes, so Ijust show up with my laptop and they say,‘It’s February, Douglas is back,’ ” saysDouglas Kennedy, the best-selling authorof 11 novels who has been writing at thehotel every year since 2005. He worked onhis upcoming novel “The Blue Hour”there as well as his “Leaving the World,”which is set partially in the CanadianRockies.
Kennedy found the Post Hotel andwhat he calls the area’s “epic grandeur”somewhatbyaccident.Onacross-countryski vacation in a neighboring area, rainprompted him to go searching for snowytrails that hadn’t been as affected by theprecipitation.
“I was immediately sort of enchantedwith this splendid isolation with nothingbetween Banff and Lake Louise,” he says.“I thought I’d see how I got on for twoweeks, and while there, I doubled myquota of words.”
A veteran world traveler, Kennedy hasbeen to 57 countries. He is attracted toplaces that have a huge sense of space andemptiness, and he says one of the bestcross-country skiing routes is about afive-minute drive, from the front door ofthe Post Hotel to the Continental Divide.
“I’ve been skiing out there for 14 yearsand I never tire of it — a park ranger oncestopped me to say, ‘Just saw a wolf pack,might want to turn back,’ and I thankedhim for his warning but kept pushingforward,” he said. “I was thinking, ‘They’llprobablyhavevanishedbythetimeIshowup on skis,’ which, as it turned out, was thecase. The Canadian Rockies remain thetrue call of the wild.”
Nestled into Alpine scenesThe Post Hotel sits on the banks of the
picturesque Bow River. It feels miles fromanywhere, but it’s actually just off theTrans Canada Highway in Banff NationalPark’s Lake Louise Village, a straight shotabout two hours west of Calgary in Alber-ta,which is fastbecomingmyfavoritepartof Canada. This is one of only a few placesto stay and ski in a national park.
Small pleasures like being able to walkacross a charming little bridge just out-side the hotel to village ski shops andeateries contribute to feeling ensconced,which is the point of a snowy writer’sretreat. The library — where the Alpinearchitecture is evident and bookshelvesare brimming with colorful book jackets—wasmyfavoriteplace todevelopscenes.And how lovely to write in the laid-backlobby until time for afternoon tea and aspin on the outdoor ice skating pond justoutside the front door. Something aboutthe history of the property helped, too. Itopened in 1942 as the Lake Louise SkiLodge, was then bought by Sir NormanWatson, the English founder of the LakeLouise Ski Club, in 1947 and sold to itscurrentowners,SwissbrothersAndréandGeorge Schwarz, in 1978.
The one day I did venture off the prop-erty was for a chance to ski with André,oneof theworld’sgreat ski icons.Hewrotethe manual that forms the foundation ofCanadian downhill ski techniques and
teaching methodologies and establishedthe Post Hotel as the hub of modern skieducation.Hehadthemisfortuneofbeingin the Sir Norman Lounge at the sametime as I was. I hadn’t planned to ski, butwhen I heard that he loves to ski withguests, I couldn’t resist.
“Well, let’s go hit the Hill,” he said ofwhat locals call the Lake Louise Ski Hill, ashort jaunt from the hotel. Schwarz, 70,then revealed why he is known as thegodfather of modern ski education.Wreakinghavoconeventheeasiestbegin-ner hills, I careened across each one in apanicked fashion followed by sittingdown abruptly. Miraculously, he neverlost patience, and through his coaching Ilearned more in one short run than inyears of lessons. The best part of it wasgetting towatchSchwarzcruise the slopesas though he were born with those twopieces of wood fused to his feet.
Later, outside the Lake Louise Villageski shop, I happened upon some ice carv-ers practicing for a nearby competition.Feeling the ice spray on my face anddrinking a hot chocolate with snow-cov-ered trees all around, I listened to thelocals. They were sharing stories abouthiking uphill for hours to ski the wilder-ness by the dark of the moon. Surroundedby the sugary snow-covered forest, it wasoneof those travelmoments inwhichI felttotally alive and connected. I went back tomy room, built a fire and pounded out1,000 words like it was nothing. Kennedyis right about those quotas.
Feelingexhilarated, Igrabbeddinner inthe main dining room. Although this seri-ous cuisine is not inexpensive, the atmos-phere was unpretentious and open-heart-ed.Kennedyaptlydescribes this intoxicat-ing combination in his opinion of diningat the Post Hotel: “It’s a very much refinedhotel but not stupidly opulent — SwissAlps with a North Canadian feel to it so itmarries those two worlds.”
I would put Swiss-trained ExecutiveChef Hans Sauter’s food and GeorgeSchwarz’s 25,000-bottle wine cellar upagainst any Michelin-starred restaurant.Schwarz personally selects his wine andhas probably forgotten more about winethan most experts know in a lifetime. Hecan recall accompanying his father onbuying trips to Châteauneuf-du-Pape as achild.
Could I top devouring such dishes asroasted Northwest Territories caribouwith Chef Sauter’s traditional schupf-nudeln (rolled noodles) and possibly thebest trio of tartare, Balik and maple mari-nated salmon I’ve ever had? But the nextnight was reserved for Fondue Stübli, atiny separate dining area open for dinneronly and featuring traditional Swiss-stylefondues. (Make reservations for dinnerherewell inadvance.) Iordered thecheesefondue, but next time I plan to try thebourguignon prepared with beef tender-loin cooked in hot oil. Both places werewell worth the calories and expense.
Precious few snow weeks remain inLake Louise. The final day of the 2015winter season is Sunday, May 10. It beginsanewinlateNovemberorearlyDecember.
In 16 years of culinary travel writing,I’m used to getting attached to places. ButI’ve never been so forlorn about departinga place as I was the Post Hotel. Kennedyperfectly describes how it feels to bid itadieu.
“They seem happy to have me as part oftheir woodwork,” he says. “Next year I’mgoing for three weeks, and I was very sadwhen, after my last visit, I was sayinggoodbye and driving away.” Indeed. Thefictitious characters that seemed to danceinto my notebook in Canada ran for coverwhen I landed in 80-degree weather backin the Southeast with no fondue or fire-places in sight.
Kelly Merritt, author of “The Everything FamilyGuide to Budget Travel,” is working on her firstnovel, a travel thriller.
If you goWHERE TO STAYThe Post Hotel & Spa
200 Pipestone Rd., Lake Louise
www.posthotel.com
403-522-3989, 800-661-1586
Luxury lodging, full dining and spa.Midweek two-night ski packages perperson, double occupancy (standard roomabout $340; deluxe room with one kingbed around $370.) Package includes twonights’ accommodations and two days’ lifttickets at Lake Louise ski area.
Three-night ski packages per person,double occupancy (standard about $508per person; deluxe around $555 perperson). Three nights’ accommodation,three days’ lift tickets at Lake Louise skiarea and breakfast for all three mornings.
Through March 29: Standard rooms fromabout $250 per night; suites from about$417 per night depending on season. Callfor rates on riverside cabin rentals. Low-season winter rates March 29 to May 10from about $213 (rooms) and $382(suites).
WHERE TO EATThe hotel has a variety of diningpossibilities.
Fondue Stübli, specializing in traditionalSwiss-style fondues, is open for dinneronly. Entrees from $85 for cheese fonduefor two. Sir Norman Lounge is a popularfireside gathering for après-ski, pre-dinnercocktails and small bites from $17.50. Live
piano music Thursday, Friday and Saturdayevenings. Open from 2 p.m. daily. In themain dining room, jackets are optional;athletic attire is discouraged. Breakfastsfeature a cold buffet with pastries,homemade jams, cereals, Swiss muesli,fruits, cold cuts and cheeses from $18.Guests can also order hot items a la carte,including traditional Swiss potato Rostiwith bacon, gruyère cheese and two farmeggs for $17. Lunch entrees from $22.50.Dinner entrees from $42. Outpost Pub isa casual fireside setting with multiple TVstuned to sports. Open weekdays from 4:30p.m. and on weekends from noon, from$10.50. Afternoon tea is served in hotellobby daily from 2-5 p.m.; tea and coffeecomplimentary for guests, desserts from$8.50.
WHAT TO DOAt the Post Hotel
Outdoor ice skating: Just outside frontlobby. Skates available at Wilson MountainSports just across adjacent bridge. All-dayskate rental $12.
Temple Mountain Spa Therapeutic torelaxing body and facial treatmentsincluding massage, beauty services, alsowith gentlemen’s spa services in the lobby.Open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Aquatic facility: Roman-style salt-waterpool, steam room and whirlpool. Open 6a.m. to 9 p.m.
At the surrounding area
Downhill skiing: Complimentary shuttlefrom hotel to Lake Louise Ski Hill lift base(www.skilouise.com), about a five-minutedrive. Four thousand acres of ski terrainamong four mountain faces including openbowls and tree-lined runs. More than one-third are expert runs, but every lift stopconnects to a beginner run. Lift ticketsrange from $17 for children after 2 p.m. to$89 full-day adult passes.
Equipment rentals: Wilson MountainSports (www.wmsll.com). has boots, skisand poles for one-day rental $49, skis only,$39.
Cross-country skiing: Multitude of trailsadjacent to the hotel and Lake Louisethrough the Canadian Rockies. Equipmentrentals: Wilson Mountain Sports.
Cross-country one day rental skis, polesand boots $25.
Snowshoeing: Guided, with commentaryon the history of the region and naturestories. Great Divide Nature Interpretation,403-522-2735, www.greatdivide.ca. Grouptrips run on weekends, $69 per person.Private snowshoeing excursions run sevendays a week for up to eight people from$250 per couple, $300 for up to fourpeople and $64 per person for up to eightpeople.
INFORMATIONBanff National Park: www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/index.aspx
ANDRÉ SCHWARZ
MICHAEL SOROKA
A creative avalanchefor a writer in Banff
The exterior of the refined but cozyPost Hotel on a spectacular winter day,above. Owner George Schwarz’s winecellar, left, and the hotel’s cuisinecould go toe-to-toe against anyMichelin-starred restaurant.
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