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YVR destination photo
YMM destination photo

YVRYMM

Our Recommendation
8.8

Left Side of the Plane

The left side offers unparalleled views of the dramatic Coast Mountains immediately after takeoff, followed by the rugged peaks of the northern interior and the best perspective of the Athabasca River on descent.

Left Side Highlights
8.8
🏔️

North Shore Mountains

Dramatic views of The Lions and the rugged peaks rising directly from the Pacific shoreline.

❄️

Garibaldi Provincial Park

Stunning glacial expanses and turquoise alpine lakes visible shortly after reaching cruising altitude.

🌲

Wells Gray Wilderness

A vast expanse of untouched boreal forest and volcanic plateaus in the BC interior.

🏔️

Northern Rockies

The jagged limestone peaks of the Canadian Rockies transition into the rolling foothills of Alberta.

🌊

Athabasca River

The massive, winding waterway that defines the landscape of the Wood Buffalo region on approach.

Sit on the left for the best sunrise views on early morning flights. Upon departure from YVR, look for the 'Lions' peaks immediately to the north. As you approach Fort McMurray, the left side provides a better view of the massive Athabasca River valley, especially if the plane approaches from the south or west.

Right Side Highlights
7.2
🏙️

Metro Vancouver

Aerial views of the Fraser River delta, Richmond, and the dense urban core of the Lower Mainland.

🌋

Mount Baker

On clear days, the massive ice-capped volcanic cone in Washington state is visible to the southeast.

🏜️

Fraser Canyon

The deep, arid carvings of the Fraser and Thompson rivers as they cut through the interior plateau.

⛰️

Alberta Foothills

The unique transition where the mountains flatten out into the vast western Canadian prairies.

🌳

Boreal Muskeg

The intricate patterns of northern wetlands and black spruce forests characteristic of the YMM region.

The right side is excellent for seeing the 'Big Sky' of the prairies as you cross the BC/Alberta border. During winter months, the low southern sun will illuminate the right side of the aircraft, which is great for photography but can be bright; bring sunglasses. If the flight lands towards the north, you may see the outskirts of the Fort McMurray townsite.

Top Activities in Fort Mcmurray
Route Information

Distance: 1,151 km (715 miles)

Approximate Flight Time: 1 hr 32 min

Departure: YVR (49.193901061999995, -123.183998108)

Arrival: YMM (56.653301238999994, -111.222000122)

Route Type: Domestic

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