Waterton, the U.S. Border, and BEER!

[Jayems]

Hey folks,

Taking a trip down to waterton on the long weekend, hoping you folks could suggest some things to see/do around there.

I am also looking at hitting the US border for some Coors Original at duty free. Couple Questions:

1) Would they even have the Coors Original at the border?
2) Are there rules at how long you have to stay over the border before you can come back in with beer?
3) How much can you bring back?

I am under the impression that there are no towns on the US side for quite some time. Can anyone shed some light on that?

Cheers, and I'll post some pics in the never ending pic thread when I can,

James.

[Clever_Iggy]

You must stay in the US at least 48hrs to include alcohol in your personal excemption when you come back to Canada.

Youre allowed to bring back (free of duty):

1.5 litres of wine
1.14 litres of liquor
a total of 1.14 litres of wine and liquor

OR

24x 355ml cans or bottles (maximum 8.5 litres) of beer.

The exceptions are also personal (your friend cant transfer his excemptions to you). In addition, your duty free excemptions for goods other than alcohol/tobacco are: 24hrs ($50), 48hrs ($200) 7 days ($750).

For anything else:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/...44-e.html#P035

Cheers.

[JD]

BUT, as soon as you cross the border you'll hit quality towns such as Bab and St. Mary's. You can get beer and ice cream at either location, but the cross-border limits as noted above do apply.

Since you're in Waterton, try the Crypt Lake hike, if it's open this time of year. Simply spectacular.

[Jayems]

So basically, I can't go over the border, turn the car around, go get beer and go back into Canada?

Even for American beer?

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Jayems

So basically, I can't go over the border, turn the car around, go get beer and go back into Canada?

Even for American beer?

You can but you'll probably get taxed like you've never been taxed before on it.

Unless it's something unique you can't get in Alberta, there's no point.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by JD

Since you're in Waterton, try the Crypt Lake hike, if it's open this time of year. Simply spectacular.

Agreed. Crypt Lake is a must do even for the non hikers out there. I've hiked throughout the world and that hike is probably the best one I've ever done for variety and stunning scenery.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by Jayems

So basically, I can't go over the border, turn the car around, go get beer and go back into Canada?

Even for American beer?

Unfortunately not. The only commodity Ive seen worth crossing the border for (and one that you can actually get away with) is gasoline. Lots of residents of Windsor and southern Ontario used to cross over into Detroit to fill up... it's cheap (er).

[Azure]

Go to Red-rock Canyon as well...pretty cool. Cameron Lake....

Bears hump if you want to climb straight up....overlooks Waterton Town once you get to the top...pretty nice.

And I 3rd Crypt Lake. All I can say is....wow.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

The only commodity Ive seen worth crossing the border for (and one that you can actually get away with) is gasoline.

I go over for the ice cream mostly. WAY cheaper to get Ben & Jerrys or Haagen-Daaz on the other side of the border with a much better selection.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

I go over for the ice cream mostly. WAY cheaper to get Ben & Jerrys or Haagen-Daaz on the other side of the border with a much better selection.

Haha. Gas and ice cream... I forgot.

[Top Shelf]

If you can swing down into Glacier National Park, I would highly recommend the Going to the Sun road. Very, very cool stuff.

Linky...

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by fotze

Milk products are really cheap in the states, probably because of their supercows from rGBH.

I always knew cheese was cheaper down there, I didnt realize ice cream and all milk products were.
I dont really know about these supercows from rGBH, haha, does anyone have any information on why milk products are cheaper?

[Jayems]

Thanks for the info everyone!

[Buff]

I love Waterton. We usually go a couple of times per year. There is a hike that starts at Cameron lake and you'll end up in the Waterton town site. We did it one year, there was 7 of us and it took 9 hours. It can probably be done quicker if you don't have to stop every 30 seconds for some lazy ass wimp, but it is a long hike and I recommend you start in the morning and pack a lunch. At the highest point of the hike you'll be able to see something like 7 lakes in 7 different directions.

Are you camping or lodging? For camping my wife and I have always enjoyed Crandell Lake Camp Ground. There is no campfires allowed in the townsite campground. Since it is the long weekend it'll be packed and you may have to camp at one of the campsites just outside of the park. We had to do this twice, and both times we encountered people having sex in the bathroom stalls. I don't know much about the lodging as I've only camped in Waterton.

If you plan on biking you'll find some good bike trails too, but I can't think of the names of them.

Since you asked about beer, I've actually never drank in Waterton, but you can get plenty drunk at the Thirsty Bear.

Ice cream. You can't go to Waterton and not get ice cream. There is the place next to the RCMP station or the place next to Zum's.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Jayems

So basically, I can't go over the border, turn the car around, go get beer and go back into Canada?

Even for American beer?

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

You can but you'll probably get taxed like you've never been taxed before on it.

Unless it's something unique you can't get in Alberta, there's no point.

Just to clarify- that case of Coors will end up costing you about what you'd pay here for Kokanee. And seeing as you can't buy Coors up here; if I was that close to the border I would go across for a beer run to get some Coors.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

If you can swing down into Glacier National Park, I would highly recommend the Going to the Sun road. Very, very cool stuff.

Linky...

Absolutely, great scenery and you are sooooooooo high up. You can do it either direction, so if you are staying in Waterton, you would start east at St. Mary's and go west and come out by Columbia Falls. Then you can come home through Eureka and up through Canada through the Crowsnest area. Also go through the great old hotels there, one at St. Mary's , other by Douglas lake??? something like that. The timbers they used are unbelievable, something like 800 or 900 years old.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by redforever

Absolutely, great scenery and you are sooooooooo high up. You can do it either direction, so if you are staying in Waterton, you would start east at St. Mary's and go west and come out by Columbia Falls. Then you can come home through Eureka and up through Canada through the Crowsnest area. Also go through the great old hotels there, one at St. Mary's , other by Douglas lake??? something like that. The timbers they used are unbelievable, something like 800 or 900 years old.

If you get to Columbia Falls you can look out into the Flathead Valley and ooooh and aaaah over notoepik and Displaced Flames Fan's home.

I miss it so much it hurts.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

If you can swing down into Glacier National Park, I would highly recommend the Going to the Sun road. Very, very cool stuff.

Linky...

I second that, VERY MUCH. The scenery is absolutely amazing.

I've been there at least 10 times...and still love it everytime.

Of course it helps when I'm only a half hour away from Waterton...and a hour away from the border.

[redforever]

Quote:
Originally Posted by redforever
Absolutely, great scenery and you are sooooooooo high up. You can do it either direction, so if you are staying in Waterton, you would start east at St. Mary's and go west and come out by Columbia Falls. Then you can come home through Eureka and up through Canada through the Crowsnest area. Also go through the great old hotels there, one at St. Mary's , other by Douglas lake??? something like that. The timbers they used are unbelievable, something like 800 or 900 years old.



If you get to Columbia Falls you can look out into the Flathead Valley and ooooh and aaaah over notoepik and Displaced Flames Fan's home.

I miss it so much it hurts.

and if you do get this far, go to BigFork, just a few minutes drive, very neat arts town, nice shopping.

[notoepik]

Going To The Sun Road is closed for now. There were several areas washed out by flooding last Fall and many repairs need to be made before it opens. They are shooting for July 1 for that.

For now, you have to use Highway 2, which only takes in a small area of the Park, but can get you to the Flathead (Columbia Falls, Bigfork, Kalispell and Whitefish)

As for the beer, I know that I can take 24 cans or bottles of beer across the border into Canada. Coors is $12-15 UDS for 18 bottles.