Primary tabs
2026 Events and Tours
Wednesday May 6, 2026
The Iconic Bow Valley Tour
Date/Time: Wednesday May 6, 2026, 10:00 am–4:00 pm
Location: Meet at the Coast Hotel front doors (Canmore)
Capacity: 52
Cost: $100.00/person
This coach tour is an overview of the famous Banff National Park along TransCanada Highway 1 through the Bow Valley. The day begins in Canmore with stops at several iconic locations. These include Castle Mountain, Lake Louise and the Lower Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint. The return trip will travel on Highway 1A (Bow Valley Parkway) with stops at Morant’s Curve, Johnston Canyon and Lake Minnewanka, ending back in Canmore.
The bus for this tour will be leaving from the Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre by 10:00am and returning by late afternoon, by about 4:00pm. Lunch, snacks and beverages will be provided. This entire tour will be approximately 5-6 hours long.
Lake Louise: a glacier-fed lake with the glaciers and ridgelines of Mount Victoria as a backdrop to the Plains of Six Glaciers at the far end of the lake. Overlooking Lake Louise is Fairmont’s Chateau Lake Louise, which was constructed at various periods in the early 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Lower Spiral Tunnel: Viewpoint within the Kicking Horse Pass National Historic Site. Completed in 1909, it was constructed as railway loops inside mountains to significantly reduce strain on trains as they ascend and descend the steep mountainous grades by doubling track length and halving the gradient. Similar to hiking trail switchbacks.
Morant’s Curve: one of the most famous photographic destinations for railway enthusiasts. It is a beautiful locale in which the railway passes alongside the meandering Bow River and mountains as a backdrop. It was made famous by Nicolas Morant (1910 - 1999), a staff photographer for the Canadian Pacific Railway who took numerous photographs of CPR trains through the mountains, many of which were used for international promotional materials.
Johnston Canyon: which offers picturesque views of the canyon, rushing waters, and the Lower Falls. There is even a promenade through a tunnel for a closer water-soaked view of the fall. It is an approximate 1-1.5hr roundtrip easy hike on a wheelchair accessible catwalk built into the limestone canyon walls that lead to the Lower Falls.
Lake Minnewanka: an expansive mountain lake often used for boating and scuba diving activities. The lake level was raised in 1941 when a power dam was constructed that submerged a resort town called Minnewanka Landing (1888 - 1941). Significantly, the shoreline was occupied through various periods of time starting approximately 10,000 years ago, based on cultural materials identified from site FiPp-33, a multi-component site found on its’ shores.
Student Meet & Greet
Date/Time: Wednesday May 6th from 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Location: Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre
Capacity: 40. Registration is appreciated to accommodate food selections.
Cost: Complimentary
A chance for students to meet ahead of the conference, and mingle over snacks and party/board games. All students attending the conference are welcome.
Thursday May 7, 2026
Women in Archaeology Wine & Cheese
Date/Time: Thursday May 7, 2026, 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Location: Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre
Capacity: 25. Registration is required.
Cost: Complimentary with light appetizers, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks.
Hosted: courtesy of the The Fairfield Foundation
The Fairfield Foundation is excited to host its fifth annual event at the joint CAA and ASA conference in Canmore, inviting women and all marginalized genders to attend an intimate happy hour focused on sharing our experiences in archaeology. This is a great opportunity to network and connect with other professionals who may share similar challenges and wins in the industry. We’ll discuss career paths, highlights, favourite parts of working in archaeology, and what day-to-day life looks like for people in the field.
Public Lecture: Bodies, Bones, Burials and Wrecks: Tracing the Archaeological and Human Legacies of the 1845 Franklin Northwest Passage Expedition
Date/Time: Thursday May 7, 2026, 7:00 pm–9:00 pm
Location: Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre
Capacity: 150. Registration is required.
Cost: Complimentary. Light appetizers and beverages provided.
Food Bank Donations Requested for:
Bow Valley Food Bank (Canmore, AB) and Ȋyahrhe Nakoda Food Bank (Mȋnȋ Thnȋ, AB)
Presenters:
Douglas Stenton is a Canadian archaeologist best known for his research on Inuit history and the 1845 Franklin Expedition in the Canadian Arctic.
Jonathan Moore is an underwater archaeologist with Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Team who has been involved in the search for and study of the wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror since 2008.
In May 1845 Sir John Franklin set sail from England with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror in search of a Northwest Passage through what is now Nunavut, Canada. The voyage ended in disaster, with the death of all of its men and the sinking of the two state-of-the-art ships. This one-hour presentation will describe over a decade of terrestrial and underwater archaeological fieldwork and research on the expedition. It will dive into the expedition’s historical context, previous studies (both on land and underwater), and some of the methods, analytical approaches and techniques used in both the field and laboratory. Key research progress and findings will be highlighted, along with the ways in which this work is contributing to a deeper understanding of people, places and events of this fascinating expedition.
Live Recording of the New Brunswick Archaeology Podcast
Date/Time: Thursday May 7, 2026, 7:00 pm–9:00 pm
Location: Grizzly Paw Pub (622 8th Street, Canmore)
Capacity: 60. Registration is required.
Cost: Complimentary (NOTE: Food and beverages can be ordered from the Grizzly Paw menu, but will not be provided by the event organizers).
Have you been looking for that perfect blend of entertainment and scholarly content? Was your session today and the business of the conference over? Or are you just looking for a place to put the final touches on your morning session paper tomorrow?
What better way to kick off your CAA-ASA weekend than sitting down with friends for a live recording of the New Brunswick Archaeology Podcast! Winners of the 2024 CAA Public Communications Award, hosts Gabe Hrynick (University of New Brunswick) and Ken Holyoke (University of Lethbridge) will be bringing the east to the west with guests, prizes, and lots of archaeology fun at the Grizzly Paw Pub in downtown Canmore.
Space is limited, so register here [insert RSVP event link here]. The event is complimentary, but as part of the fun, we’re offering exclusive NB Arch Pod swag to the first 20 people to make a donation of $25.00 or more to the CAA Scholarship Fund of your choosing.
Proof of donation can be sent to newbrunswickarchaeology@gmail.com.
Friday May 8, 2026
Janet Blakey Poster Session - Breakfast
Date/Time: Friday May 8, 2026, 8:00 am–10:00 am
Location: Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre
Capacity: 75. Registration is required.
Cost: Complimentary
This poster session honours the legacy of Janet Blakey—her love for and contributions to archaeology, and her gift for supporting and advancing archaeology by creating lasting friendships with and networks among her peers and colleagues. We invite participants from all stages and branches of the field—student, avocational, academic, consulting and beyond—to join us in celebrating Janet’s ability for making lasting bonds in her archaeological pursuits, along with her talent for creating effective and engaging conference posters. We particularly encourage contributions that highlight Janet’s passion for public archaeology, Alberta archaeology and what it means to be a consulting archaeologist. At the same time, like Janet, this session also welcomes contributions that make broader connections between archaeology and the many people for whom it holds meaning.
Indigenous Archaeologists’ Luncheon
Date/Time: Friday May 8, 2026, 12:00 pm–1:00 pm
Location: Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre
Capacity: 20. Registration is required.
Cost: Complimentary lunch buffet
Hosted courtesy of the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology
A room has been reserved for the Indigenous Archaeologists’ Luncheon. Buffet lunch will be provided. Attendees must register as space is limited. This is a great opportunity to network and connect with other professionals who may share similar challenges and wins in the industry.
Rat’s Nest Cave, the Explorer Tour
Date/Time:Friday May 8, 2026, 12:15 pm–4:00 pm
Location: Meet at the Coast Hotel front doors (Canmore)
Capacity: 24
Cost: $110/person
This cave is under Grotto Mountain and is a Provincial Historic Site (HS15252) with pictographs at its entrance, where two projectile point were reportedly uncovered, one of which was identified to be associated with the Pelican Lake Period (ca. 3600 - 2700 BP).
This tour is for those who are more adventurous and is a guided tour through Canmore Cave Tours, known for "wild caving tours”. For further information on the Explorers Tour see https://www.canmorecavetours.com/. It is slick, wet, cold, and dark inside, and you’ll spend time sliding on your butt, climbing and walking slick surfaces. The tour includes a caver guide, helmet, coveralls, headlamp, and a safety harness. Please wear good shoes, gloves, and a warm jacket.
Transportation will leave the Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre at 12:15pm. The tour will begin at 12:30 pm at the Canmore Cave Tour office for a safety orientation and equipment sizing. The entire tour is anticipated to take approximately 3.5hrs, returning to the Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre around 4:00pm. The trip includes a 30-45 minute hike up to the cave, which is approximately 200m elevation above the parking lot level. On reaching the cave the actual caving experience will then take about 2-3 hours (depending on size of group).
Lunch Buffet prior to leaving. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
“Lightning Round”
Date/Time: Friday May 8, 2026,, 7:00 pm–9:00 pm
Location: Canmore Brewing Company at 1460 Railway Avenue
Capacity: 75. Registration is required.
Cost: $5.00/participant NOTE: Beer Tasting and appetizers will be provided
At this year’s joint CAA and ASA AGM and Conference in Canmore, we are holding a special “Lightning Round” paper session.
Presenters have FIVE (5) minutes to speak to the audience on a topic of their choosing related to archaeology. It can be any topic, even if only very loosely related to archaeology, the CAA, or the ASA.
However, presenters must follow strict rules, and the time limit will be aggressively enforced! Each presenter must submit a PowerPoint presentation beforehand with exactly 15 slides. Once the moderator says “go”, the slides will automatically advance every 20 seconds. There are no pauses, no restarts, and no time extensions. The frantic pace of the presentations makes for an exciting and fun-filled session!
Space is limited.
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
Date/Time: Sunday May 10, 2026, 10:00 am–1:00 pm
Location: Meet at the Coast Hotel front doors (Canmore)
Capacity: 30
Cost: $25/person
This tour will have transportation leaving the Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre at 10:00am. The primary focus of this tour is a stop at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, where the history of Banff National Park began with the 1883 identification of subterranean thermal springs by CPR workers and the creation of Banff National Park in 1885. An entrance tunnel, bathhouses and a pavilion was constructed afterwards. This self-guided tour will be joined by speakers who will talk about the history of Banff National Park.
Your tour begins outside the Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the amazing underground hot springs that first put Banff on the map.
Next, pay a visit to a free museum documenting the internment camps that operated nearby during the First World War. Then begin walking along the easy, gorgeous Marsh Loop Trail. As you stroll, you’ll hear about the discovery of Banff’s famous hot springs and the dramatic legal battles that ensued. You’ll also learn how the discovery eventually led to the creation of Canada’s first national park.
Plus, hear about an ancient superstition about bears which forever changed the way we refer to them. Your walk will follow the bank of the Bow River, offering plenty of amazing views as you hear about even more of Banff’s fascinating history.
Finally, you’ll return to where you began. Your tour concludes here.
- This is a self-guided tour; no guide will accompany you. The tour operator’s app functions as a guide, an audio tour, and a map all in one
- After booking the tour, search your email for the phrase "Set up your self-guided tour now." Follow these instructions immediately to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Please don't wait until you are on-site
- Works perfectly without cellular or Wi-Fi with offline maps
- The audio stories play on their own based on your location. You can start anytime and pause anywhere
- Most stops along the tour have animated videos allowing you to visualize what you cannot see, such as snapshots from different centuries or interior rooms
The Cave and Basin National Historic Site is within the Banff townsite, and there will be opportunities to explore the town afterwards. Return transportation to the Canmore Coast Hotel and Conference Centre is scheduled for 1:00pm, but if you wish to explore the town of Banff longer on your own, you can use the Roam Transit 2025.Route-3.Schedule.pdf to return to Canmore any time in the afternoon.
