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Tag: Limited Mobility

  • Jasper, before the Fires, with Limited Mobility

    Jasper with Limited Mobility

    I’ve been putting off writing this post because it makes me sad.  Roughly two weeks after our visit to Jasper, much of the town and many of the places we visited were destroyed in the wildfires.  As a result, I cannot say how much of this post is still accurate.  Jasper was our favorite town on our Grand Western Canadian adventure, and I hate thinking that those beautiful places were destroyed or damaged by the fires.

    Still…eastward to Jasper!

    Canadian National Parks – The Discovery Pass

    Like Banff, Jasper is located within one of Canada’s national parks, Jasper National Park.  To visit Canadian National Parks, you will need a park pass or permit.  Prior to departing for Canada, we purchased a Family/Group Discovery Pass online, which hangs on your rearview mirror and grants access to over 80 destinations, including Jasper, Banff, and Yoho National Parks.  Current Family/Group Discover Passes cost CAD$151.25 plus CAD$4.50 for standard shipping to the USA.  Purchase at least a month before your trip as standard shipping can take up to 20 days.  The pass is good for one year.

    Maligne Lake Cruise

    Our first big adventure in Jasper was a guided cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island.  This excursion was incredible.  The boat tour takes roughly 1.5 hours; however, the drive to Maligne Lake can take up to 1.5 hours from Jasper and is an experience in and of itself.  While in Jasper, we again relied on our friendly GuideAlong tour to give us information about all the cool things we were seeing so I encourage you to use GuideAlong in Jasper as well.

    While the boat tour is not cheap (prices vary from CAD$98-CAD$108), the ride to Spirit Island is worth every penny.  You will want to book your cruise in advance as the cruises do sell out.  The view of Spirit Island is iconic.

    Maligne Lake from Spirit Island dock by Megan

    Two of the boats used for the Maligne Lake cruise are wheelchair accessible; however, not all of them are.  If you need a wheelchair accessible cruise, reservations must be made in advance by contacting their central reservations at +1.888.900.6272.  Because Dave and Peggy are both able to walk short distances, we were able to book online.  

    For us, this was an unforgettable experience, and we would say that Maligne Lake should not be missed.

    Evening Wildlife Search

    The second don’t miss activity of our visit to Jasper was the Evening Wildlife Search, a 3 hour long, vehicle-based tour where you hope to see elk, bear, moose, sheep and deer with a knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide.  The tour doesn’t make any promises on what exactly you will see, but they state that they succeed in spotting wildlife on 95% of tours.

    During our tour, we spotted multiple elk, several deer (including mule deer and white-tailed deer), a marmot, and several black bears.  It was quite an experience.  Your driver will ask passengers to keep their eyes peeled, and Ken happened to be the initial spotter on several of our animal sightings.  During our visit, the black bears were gorging themselves on dandelions so I think Peggy will be telling us to look out for bears for the rest of her life anytime we pass a dandelion patch.

    The tour picked us up at our hotel; however, if they don’t stop at your hotel, you can be picked up at the central meeting location.  The time of your pickup will be based on the location of your hotel, but the official start time of the tour is around 5:30 pm.  We suggest eating before or after joining the tour, but you may wish to bring a small snack.  While there was one bathroom break, there are no scheduled stops during the route. 

    Photo of a black bear

    The bus for this tour is not wheelchair accessible, but it’s a great option for people with limited mobility like Peggy and Dave.  The bus holds a maximum of 24 passengers, but they only sell to 21 passengers to allow extra room for guests to move around during stops.  

    There is no set route, and the guides follow information on wildlife movements and will do their best to maximize your chances of seeing a variety of wildlife.  The wildlife tour runs CAD$79 per adult and is not recommended for children under 5 years old.

    Jasper Skytram to Whistler’s Summit

    Like Whistler, Jasper has a skytram, which ironically is to the summit of Whistler Mountain.  The skytram is fully wheelchair accessible and transports passengers to an elevation of 7,425 feet in roughly 7 minutes.  The skytram is located roughly 10 minutes outside of Jasper.

    Photo by Redd Francisco on Unsplash

    Accessible Trails in Jasper (all appear to be open post-wildfire)

    There are several accessible trails in Jasper.  The first trail we took was Pyramid Island, a .4 mile unpaved loop with views of Pyramid Mountain, Mount Kinross, and Cairngorm.  While this trail was unpaved, Dave’s wheelchair was able to handle the trail, and Dave, Ken, and I quite enjoyed this short walk and the views.

    Dave and I also enjoyed a short walk along Lake Annette Loop.  The Lake Annette Loop is roughly 1.5 miles on a paved trail around the lake.  There is a slight amount of elevation gain and loss (roughly 280 feet total) so keep in mind that it is not entirely flat if using a manual wheelchair.    My research also suggested that other good accessible options include the Mary Shaffer Loop on Maligne Lake beginning at the boathouse.  There are a number of interpretive panels that will guide you along this loop.  We skipped this one as Peggy was not interested, and we didn’t want a second hour long drive out to Maligne Lake.  Only a portion of this trail is paved and wheelchair friendly; however, this may be a good option for those who can walk but cannot do hikes with much elevation gain.  The paved portion of the trail is only 400 meters long.

    Miette Road and Miette Hot Springs

    One Jasper attraction we skipped was Miette Hot Springs, located out Miette road.  Miette Road is a well-known spot for sighting black bears, and Miette Hot Springs are the hottest springs in the Canadian Rockies.  You can soak in the hot springs pools after they have cooled to a comfortable temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit.  Miette Hot Springs is wheelchair accessible with an aquatic wheelchair available upon request and the Hot Springs may be entered via a ramp with a handrail.  The cold pools and second hot pool are not wheelchair accessible; however, they have four steps with a handrail in the middle.

    Admission to the hot springs costs CAD$17.50 per person for a single entry or CAD$27 for a day pass.  Towels and swimsuits are available for rental. 

    Non-Accessible Trails Megan Hiked (closed post-fire)

    I am a big hiker, so I got up early to hike a couple amazing trails on my own while everyone else was sleeping in or getting ready to face the day.  If you can get up early and hit the trails in Jasper, you will have them entirely to yourself.  I didn’t attempt anything too strenuous as I didn’t want to keep Ken, Peggy, and Dave waiting, but a couple of amazing trails that I hiked were the Valley of Five Lakes (closed as of this writing) and Maligne Canyon Loop (closed as of this writing).  Both of these trails are within the areas impacted by the wildfires, and it is unclear when they will reopen.

    Valley of Five Lakes by Megan
    Valley of Five Lakes selfie by Megan
    Maligne Canyon Loop

    Jasper Continued

    You may have noticed that I am leaving off an important part of Jasper National Park: the Columbia Icefields.  I will cover the Columbia Icefields and drive along the Icefields Parkway in a separate post.

  • Limited Mobility on the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler

    The Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler with Limited Mobility

    Our next stop on our Grand Western Canada Road trip was Whistler, British Columbia via one of the most beautiful roads in the world, the Sea to Sky Highway.  The drive is truly breathtaking, with views of Howe Sound on your left and the Canadian Cascades to your right.  Even if you don’t have time to stay in Whistler, we highly recommend making the drive.

    If you make this drive, we recommend bringing your handicapped placard, if you have one, as there are many places in Canada where you will have options for preferred parking with a placard.  We left ours at home, and it was a real mistake.

    Take your time to do this drive.  There’s no rush, and so much to see.  The stops are worth it, and this is truly a beautiful place to explore.

    GuideAlong

    Again, we used the previously downloaded Canadian Rockies + Vancouver bundle from GuideAlong to guide us on this drive.  As mentioned in our previous blog post about Vancouver, GuideAlong (formerly known as GyPSy Guide) uses GPS tracking via your cell phone and provides audio narration for nearby landmarks, attractions, or even just local history. Just download the app and tour content before you hit the road, and you can access the tour even offline.  By the end of the trip, we were calling our GuideAlong “virtual guide” our dude friend and were always so happy to hear him chime in to give us information.  As in Vancouver, the virtual guide was very helpful on our drive to Whistler.

    Lions Gate Bridge

    As we left Vancouver and head towards Whistler, we crossed the Lions Gate Bridge, named after a pair of mountain peaks north of Vancouver.  You will pass a pair of cast concrete lions on the south approach to the bridge.  The bridge was built by the Guinness family (of Guinness beer fame) and was sold to the province of British Columbia in 1955 for the cost of construction. 

    Shannon Falls

    Shannon Falls photo by Megan, Photo of Dave and Ken at Shannon Falls

    Our first stop along the Sea to Sky Highway was at Shannon Falls.  If you are making this stop, be patient.  There is limited parking and the wait can be long.  There is no parking fee. We almost turned around due to the wait for parking, but in the end, we were glad we stuck it out.  There are accessible toilets near the parking area. Additional accessibility information on the park is available.

    We ate lunch at one of the picnic tables here.  The walk to the viewpoint is about 350 m on a gentle gravel path.  This walk was too much for Peggy, but Dave had no problems with his wheelchair.

    If you are going to the Sea to Sky Gondola next, there is a walking path between the two, and it might be easier for those without mobility restrictions to walk rather than wait for parking at Shannon Falls.  You also can catch partial views of Shannon Falls from the Gondola, but the view isn’t nearly as spectacular as from the viewing platform.

    Photo by Megan, Shannon Falls with Dave and Megan

    Sea to Sky Gondola

    Photo by Megan, Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge with Dave and Ken

    Our second stop on the drive was at the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish.  The gondola is fully wheelchair accessible, and the staff really seemed to know what they were doing to support people with limited mobility like Dave and Peggy.  The Gondola takes you to near the summit of Mount Habrich.  If going in the summer, like we did, you can grab a meal at the Sky Pilot Smokehouse or take a walk across the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge.  The bridge gets crowded.  While Dave’s wheelchair probably would have fit, it would have been a real challenge as no one would have been able to fit past him.  Both Dave and my 78-year-old father, Ken, enjoyed walking across the bridge.  Peggy watched from a safe distance at the café.

    During the summer, if you have more mobility, there are several options for hiking trails and even an option for a Via Ferrata, but those things were well beyond Dave and Peggy’s capabilities.  If you visit in the winter, there are also options for tubing, Nordic skiing, ski touring, and winter hiking.

    At the time we visited, prepaid tickets cost $67.95 for an adult and $64.95 for a senior; however, prices may vary by date. 

    Photo by Megan, View from the sky Pilot viewing platform
    Photo by Megan, Megan on Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge

    Brandywine Falls

    Photo by Megan, Brandywine Falls

    Our third stop along the Sea to Sky Highway was at Brandywine Falls.  Again, here there is limited parking, but we didn’t find the wait to be as bad as Shannon Falls.  There is no parking fee. There are accessible toilets near the parking area. Additional accessibility information on the park is available.

    The walk from the parking lot to the falls is about 500 meters, or about 10 to 15 minutes, and is on a flat gravel trail.  The walk was a little too long for Peggy so she waited for us at a picnic table.  Dave’s wheelchair could generally handle the trail; however, there was a bump when entering and exiting the bridge over the river that was too much for his wheelchair to handle so he had to stand up to get past that bump. There is a viewing platform that should be accessible but may have a slight lip. Brandywine Falls are really beautiful, and we were glad we made the stop.

    Photo by Megan, Dave and Megan on the viewing platform at Brandywine Falls
    Photo by Megan, Ken and Peggy on the bridge to Brandywine Falls

    Remainder of the Drive to Whistler

    Along the Sea to Sky Highway, there are a number of good pullouts with views across Howe Sound and the Tantalus Range.  You can also stop in the town of Squamish.  In the winter, this might be a good place to spot bald eagles, as they are known to spend their winter here, feeding on salmon.

  • Vancouver with Limited Mobility in a Day and a Half

    Starting Our Canadian Adventure

    For our second trip of 2024 with Dave’s wheelchair, we set off on a family road trip with Megan’s parents across the Canadian Rockies, starting in Vancouver with stops in Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper, and Banff (note that this trip took place shortly before the wildfires in Jasper in 2024 so some things may have changed). Like Dave, Megan’s mom, Peggy, has limited mobility due to arthritis in her feet, a previous foot fusion, and artificial hips and knees. We like to say that Peggy is bionic below the waist. At the time of this trip, Peggy did not have a mobility device, but she has difficulty walking long distances. The entirety of this spectacular Canadian road trip will be covered via multiple posts, so this first post focuses only on our first stop – Vancouver, BC.

    Vancouver was a great city for all four of us for a short visit. I wish we had more time
    here! Due in part to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, it is a highly accessible city with good sidewalks, curb cutouts, and friendly helpful people.

    Accessible Budget Minded Hotel that Gives Back

    Megan’s parents are budget minded travelers, and the most reasonably priced hotel we could find in the heart of downtown Vancouver was the YWCA hotel. The price was extraordinarily lower than any other comparable hotel we could find, with clean, spacious, accessible rooms, full kitchen availability for cooking your own meals, and friendly, accommodating staff. We can’t recommend the YWCA highly enough – a perfect location with easy access to numerous city attractions. In fact, if you are catching an MLS game, a CFL game, or a concert, BC Place Stadium is right next door. Our hometown MLS team was actually playing there on the night we arrived, but our long travel day left us too wiped out to add the game to our itinerary. One last note about the hotel before we get to the fun stuff: The YWCA hotel is a social enterprise hotel and primarily serves as a fundraiser for the YMCA. All of the revenue generated by the hotel supports YWCA community programs and services for single moms and families.

    Photo of Lions gate Bridge

    GuideAlong and Stanley Park

    Now, onto the road trip fun!

    Before hitting the road, we downloaded the Canadian Rockies + Vancouver bundle from GuideAlong, which was the best money we spent on the entire trip. GuideAlong
    (formerly known as GyPSy Guide) uses GPS tracking via your cell phone and provides audio narration for nearby landmarks, attractions, or even just local history. This is especially useful given how often national parks are devoid of cell or Wi-Fi service. Just download the app and tour content before you hit the road, and you can access the tour even offline. Your GuideAlong “virtual guide” also provides helpful, specific suggested routes to maximize your fun, and minimize your traffic jams while on the road.

    Totem Pole Park

    Our first stop in Vancouver was Stanley Park. The GuideAlong tour gives you step by
    step instructions on where to drive, down to which lane you want to be in to make stops and turns, along with useful commentary on what you will see and instructions on where to stop. You will need to pay for parking in Stanley Park, and you can do so in a parking app.

    We drove the loop around Stanley Park, stopping at the Totem Pole Park, Siwash Rock, and Prospect Point. The walk from the parking lot to the Totem Pole Park is short and easy to navigate for both people with limited walking stamina and for those in a wheelchair. While Peggy had to take a seat upon arrival at the Totem Pole Park, she was able to enjoy the Totem Poles and hear about some of the history. This is definitely worth a stop.

    We also really enjoyed the stop at Prospect Point. Prospect Point is the highest point in Stanley Park and has great views out to the Pacific Ocean, Lions Gate Bridge, as well as a peek at the cruise ships in the harbor if that’s something you enjoy. The upper part of the lookout is a short walk from the parking lot, which was challenging for Peggy, but no problem for Dave’s wheelchair. Prospect Point has a café and ice cream shop as well as accessible public restrooms.

    There’s a ton to do in Stanley Park, and you can easily spend a day or more just
    exploring all it has to offer. For those who enjoy an outdoor adventure, there is a paved bike path that runs all the way around the park’s seawall, roughly 10 KM. It is a concrete surface that can be traveled one way, counterclockwise, around the park and is wheelchair accessible. We didn’t have time to do the seawall path, but it’s a great option if you have more time than we did.

    Another stop that we didn’t have time for is the Vancouver Aquarium, Canada’s largest aquarium. For those with physical disabilities, the Vancouver Aquarium offers
    wheelchairs, noise cancelling headphones, strollers, and walker rentals, and the
    Aquarium allows accredited service dogs with proof of certification except in the free
    flight Amazon gallery. For people with sensory disabilities, the Aquarium offers comfort kits, weighted blankets, and sensory friendly hours. Disabled guests who purchase a full price ticket can invite an attendant to join them for free.

    There are so many fun things to do in Stanley Park, and it is very accessible for those with limited mobility!

    Lunch Time!

    For lunch, we had reservations at the nearby Little Bird Dim Sum. Little Bird is listed in the Michelin Guide as a Bib Gourmand restaurant. This was Ken and Peggy’s first time trying Dim Sum, and everyone really enjoyed the food. We tried so many things, and we all were stuffed when we left for a really reasonable price. I believe there is one step required to get into the restaurant so it may not work for those who are primary wheelchair users, but it was easy for Dave and Peggy to navigate.

    Whale Watching – Orcas, Seals, Sea Lions, and More

    The boats are open, which is better for viewing the wildlife, but it was cold out on the water so bring warm layers with and be prepared for rain. Our boat was the Explorathor II, which is not wheelchair accessible. Getting on and off the boat was near the limit of Peggy and Dave’s mobility, and Dave had to be extra careful stepping off the boat as he feared falling. This is not a stop for someone who is
    a primary wheelchair user who cannot ambulate at all. There is no ramp for entering
    and exiting the boat so you will need to be able to walk up a few steps to board this
    boat.

    Best Breakfast in Town!

    The next morning, we walked/rolled to Jam Café on Beatty Street. I am not
    exaggerating when I say that this was the best breakfast my dad had ever had, and he is a breakfast connoisseur. Get there before they open. We arrived shortly before they opened, and we managed to snag the last table inside the restaurant once they opened.

    There are a couple of steps to enter the restaurant, but I believe they told me that they had an accessible entrance in the back. Call to confirm if you are not at all ambulatory. The restaurant is tight and would be hard to navigate while in a wheelchair. They graciously stored Dave’s wheelchair for us out of the way while we were dining. If you have a sweet tooth, you absolutely HAVE TO try the Cinnamon Bun pancakes, which we shared for the table.


  • Our Favorite Tools for Ambulatory Travelers with Limited Mobility

    ver the past few years, we have done a lot of traveling, not letting a pesky spinal fusion get in the way of maximizing our PTO!   Here are a few of our favorite things that have made traveling easier with a newly-bionic back.

    1. Travel set of dressing tools that allow Dave to dress unassisted and don’t take up too much room in his suitcase or backpack: a collapsable travel dressing stick, a foldable grabber, a sock helper
    2. For deep sand, we purchased the four wheeled Wheeleez Beach Walker Conversion Kit for Dave’s travel walker. These wheels made a huge difference for our trip to Anna Maria Island and on our last Caribbean cruise, allowing Dave to visit beaches more independently.  The wheels easily fit in a carry-on size suitcase, but they do take up most of the room in the suitcase.  We plan to test these out at Michigan City, Indiana in 2025 to see how they hold up to the dunes.  One thing to note, the wheels come all installed on the same side of the tube, and we needed two wrenches to take two of the wheels apart so I could switch the direction so that they worked with his walker.  
    3. Foldable quad-cane that easily fits in the water bottle pocket of Dave’s personal item backpack.
    4. A toilet seat riser for low toilets.  For people who struggle to get up from low seats like people who recently had knee replacement or spinal fusion surgery, and/or when staying at an Airbnb or hotel room that isn’t ADA compliant, a toilet seat riser  makes a big difference in allowing someone to keep using the bathroom as a solitary endeavor. We’re blessed to not to need this with us anymore, but it was essential when we really needed it.  
    5. Travel Wheelchair. While there are many different travel wheelchairs or mobility scooters out there, after testing out a couple options and doing a lot of research, we settled on the Golden Cricket.  The Golden Cricket is only 33 pounds without the battery and joystick, and it folds up like a large stroller, making it easy for Megan to lift in and out of the trunk of almost any car.  The Cricket collapses with the pull of one lever and is super easy to gate check, fit in a cab, or carry onto a car rental shuttle.  We also purchased a cupholder (the Pride Jazzy cupholder works on the Golden Cricket) and a foam walking stick holder to attach Dave’s cane to the back of the wheelchair.  We also carry an extra battery as a backup just in case the primary battery runs low (this has only happened once after going up too big a hill).
    6. A good backpack that fits both batteries and the joystick.  We currently use an Osprey Daylight backpack as Dave’s personal item/medical device bag to carry Dave’s quad cane, both wheelchair batteries, and the joystick on the plane.  When you gate check a motorized wheelchair, you need to remove the battery and joystick and carry them on the plane.  Having bag space designated for these items makes gate checking easier.  The Osprey Daylight is our backpack of choice after some experimentation as (1) its water bottle pockets are a good size to hold Dave’s quad cane, (2) the sternum strap allows it to be securely attached to the back of the Golden Cricket, and (3) there’s just enough room inside for both batteries, the joystick, and Dave’s laptop/Kindle/iPad/headphones.  It works as both Dave’s personal item and to hold his medical devices instead of needing two bags for those tasks.
    7. Alternative: A cheap travel walker.  Thanks to only one color being available when it became apparent a walker was at least a near term necessity, we jokingly call this walker Dave’s Pink Cadillac.  It is widely available at most Walgreens, and it folds up easily to go in the overhead bin on any airplane, even the smallest regional jets. Before we got the wheelchair, this walker saw us through trips to Oregon, Nashville, New Orleans, Anna Maria Island, and Gatlinburg. The downside is the walker skis don’t last long, and we advise carrying an extra set which can be purchased at most Walgreens or CVS if they have a pharmacy, when a trip will involve a lot of walking.  It was certainly a fun travel challenge when Megan was wandering around the French Quarter in New Orleans, trying to find a Walgreens with replacement walker skis!  
    8. Lidocaine patches.  We never know when Dave’s back is going to act up, and so, we never travel without lidocaine patches.

  • Welcome to Gait to Gate Travel with the Grosenbergs! A Guide for Those Traveling with Limited Mobility

    Hi!  We are Dave and Megan, together we are the Grosenbergs, & welcome to “Gait-to-Gate Travels”!  As you may have guessed, we love to travel the world and are fortunate to take many exciting adventures throughout the US, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, & Europe.   Our blog’s name is a play on the mobility challenges Dave experiences as a result of both a lifelong cerebral palsy (CP) diagnosis, as well as a more recent spinal stenosis diagnosis that necessitated 4-level spinal fusion surgery in 2022. While it’s been an adjustment going from walking unassisted full-time, to now bringing some combination of a cane, walker, rollator, or even a wheelchair when leaving the house or traveling, we haven’t let that keep us from experiencing all of the amazing stuff the world has to offer.  And that’s the goal of our blog – to share our tips, tricks, & experiences with you to show everyone that mobility challenges should not mean getting less out of the world. All it should mean is, “Hey, maybe we’ll have to do some of this differently, but, LET’S GO!!”