Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2007 - (Page 58) Tip: For information on group programs and early-booking incentives, contact Groups Manager Christa Patterson (christa.patterson @grandluxerail.com; 303-062-5392). We recently embarked on a nine-day Great Northwestern National Parks itinerary from Seattle to Jackson Hole, highlighted by visits to Mount Rainier, Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Shortly after departure, we joined fellow passengers at a champagne reception in the Rocky Mountain club car and later made our way to the gala welcome dinner in the Chicago dining car, where tables were bedecked with linen tablecloths, fine china and crystal. (Guests dine nightly on five-course feasts; open seatings are from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.) After dinner, many passengers head for the Seattle club car, where a pianist takes requests and leads sing-a-longs. Our favorite after-dinner hangout was the New York Observation Car at the rear of the train, where master mix- VINTAGE PULLMAN cabins feature two stacked ADVISOR INSIGHT: Sylvia Blishak of Accent On Travel U.S.A in Klamath Falls, OR specializes in train travel—95 percent of her business is rail-oriented. “Most clients who book the GrandLuxe are retired, upscale couples and singles who have been on previous train trips and are seeking a one-of-a-kind deluxe rail experience that’s heavy on nostalgia,” Blishak says. “Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Jack Benny and many other movie stars used to travel from coast to coast in chartered, private rail cars with appointments and amenities similar to those of the GrandLuxe.” Blishak also notes that the train “is not for bargain hunters, as there are no discount fares available.” beds and their own sinks and toilets. ologist Owen O’Farrell concocted marvelous martinis and mojitos. Tip: The preferred place to experience the essence of “romance on the rails” is around sunset in the Copper Canyon dome car, where there are spectacular panoramic views in all directions through the glass-enclosed dome perched high above the ground. Our first motor coach tour took us into the heart of Mount Rainier National Park (http://nps.gov/mora/), so named for the 14,400-foot volcanic peak that towers above the surrounding mountains. As the road ascended, we passed through dense old-growth forests with trees more than 1,000 years old and later got off the coach for a short walk to Narada Falls, a raging cascade that plummets 170 feet into the Paradise River. Upon arrival at the main visitors’ center 5,500 feet above sea level, we were fortunate to have a clear view of Rainier’s ice-covered summit, which is usually partially, if not completely, obscured by clouds. Few scenic routes compare with the dramatic 52-mile “Going to the Sun” Road, which traverses Glacier National Park (http://nps.gov/glac/) from east to west. One of the greatest drives in the world, the narrow strip of asphalt snakes upward along the edge of precipitous cliffs before reaching the summit at 6,600-foot-high Logan’s Pass. During the ride, we had magnificent views of deep gorges and valleys strewn with billion-yearold rocks left behind by mammoth receding glaciers that once covered the entire park. Although most of the glacial ice has disappeared, 25 glaciers still remain. Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park (http://nps.gov/yell), America’s first, is best known for its extensive thermal activity; more than 10,000 geysers, fumaroles, hot springs and paint pots scatter across 2 million acres. We stopped midway through our tour for a picnic lunch at Old Faithful, which spouts plumes of steam 150 feet into the air every 90 minutes. Yellowstone is also a haven for wildlife; herds of bison roam freely across the vast interior, which is also home to grizzly bears, elk, mountain lions, coyotes and bighorn sheep. The Tetons consist of a range of jagged peaks that rise more than 7,000 feet above Wyoming’s Snake River Valley. So, at our next stop, the scenic heart of Grand Teton National Park (http://nps.gov/grte), we were anxious to visit glacier-fed Jenny Lake and the Cathedral turnout, which offers stunning views of Grand Teton (13,770 feet). Here, keep an eye peeled for moose, bears, elk and pronghorns, which can run as fast as cheetahs. Tip: Additional recreational activities include float trips, hiking and cycling. Clients who prefer to bypass group sightseeing tours can contact their journey’s on-board concierge or Tour Coordinator John DuSange (toco@ grandluxerail.com), who can arrange a customized tour with a private car and driver/ guide at stops along the way, as well as a hotair-balloon ride and spa treatments (depending on itinerary and/or availability). 58 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | September 2007 http://nps.gov/glac/ http://nps.gov/yell http://nps.gov/grte http://nps.gov/mora/
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