Hi everyone - thanks again for the "helpful hints". Just returned from my non JY Rockies and Vancouver experience. No need to have worried about being weighed for the helicopter as the weather closed in! However I did get to stand up to my knees in snow on top of a Rocky Mountain! I did do a float plane trip whilst staying on Vancouver Island - sat with pilot - great for the experience but would recommend taking a window seat further back for best views as front windows were small and high up. Grinder and Coola were looking fat and well - you can check them out on their web cam 🙂
Went whale watching and saw - a whale! Also seals and sea lions. A first for me was a sea otter fishing just yards from our hotel on Vancouver Island.
BTW - the Capilano suspension bridge was managed by most of our group - even those who were most concerned - the tree walks on the other side made it well worthwhile - you can get your map stamped at various places in the park and present it for a certificate confirming that you have crossed the bridge!
The Rocky Mountaineer was a great experience - we were all seated in Gold class. The seats were comfortable and spacious, scenery on both sides easily viewable. The outside viewing area was compact but easily accessible - if a bit chilly at times. Food was excellent, well presented and well served. We were only held up for a freight train once - but did get to see some extremely long freight trains on parallel lines - up to 2 miles long?????? Not too much wildlife - curly horned sheep, some people spotted a bear, also osprey and bald eagles. My high spot was a bald eagle who flew alongside me whilst I was eating breakfast - not a foot from the window. The hotel (Sandman) in Kamloops was fine with views over the water - most people took a stroll round the water front park. However, perhaps because it was a Sunday evening it appeared that Kamloops was closed!!!! I had read that the scenery on the second day would be less interesting - no so - even the final run into Vancouver through miles of train yards.
There may be more chances of wildlife spotting if doing that stretch by coach, but we had already seen a black bear, several moose, various deer and small mammals, lots of birds big and small, in the Banff and Jasper National Parks. The Rocky Mountaineer is "an experience" a "one off" - so I am glad I took that option. Would love to return to the area but so much more of the world to see.......
