DATELINE - - Alberta - - Philip Potempa is reporting from Canada this week while traveling.

As I mentioned earlier this week, while in Jasper, Alberta, Canada, I'm a featured guest participating in the 20th Anniversary Christmas in November event held at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge aka the Grand Rocky Mountain Lodge.

In 1923, this structure was touted as being "the largest single-story log structure in the world" and built at a cost of $461,000, an amount of money unimaginable during that decade.

A variety of Christmas decorations and twinkling lights cover every square inch of the lush, green mountainous landscape around the lodge.

This event gathers more than 500 people together to share ideas and expertise to prepare for the launch of the holiday season.

From decorating and craft ideas to recipes, culinary demonstrations and seminars on the latest cocktails, Christmas in November is Canada's salute to holiday entertaining at its best.

But why is it hosted at such a remote and secluded location?

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is tucked away in the middle of the Jasper National Park and has a very impressive history.

There's a reason computer billionaire Bill Gates, country music stars (and now very conscious of their safety) The Dixie Chicks, actors Sir Anthony Hopkins and John Travolta all vacation here.

The private cottages circle a beautiful lake and pine trees surround and protect for privacy.

Both Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore loved to golf on the property's exclusive world-famous 18-hole golf course and management sometimes even persuaded each of them on separate occasions to perform a song or two in the grand ballroom of the main lodge.

There are wonderful archive photos of both Shore and Crosby featured along the walls of the main dining room of the lodge, one has Crosby calming on the golf course holding a golf club while a large black bear stands just behind him.

(I'm told it's not unusual for certain holes of the golf course to have to be "temporarily closed" at intervals during the summer because of casual four-legged visitors making appearances, such as bears, mountain lions, cougars, wolves and porcupines.)

On the subject of Hollywood elite:

While legendary Marilyn Monroe and actor Robert Mitchum filmed "River of No Return" here with fellow actor Rory Calhoun in 1954 for Twentieth Century Fox and director Otto Preminger, Monroe and Mitchum cohosted the cast wrap party right here at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in the grand Point Cabin. Monroe is featured in some terrific photographs in the main lodge framed by two very happy Canadian Mounties.

But what is most impressive about this historic hotel property is its best/worst kept secret this is where the Royal Family of England vacations.

How did this ever happen?

In June 1939, King George and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother stumbled upon this lodge while in Canada for the occasion of the centennial celebration of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and they stayed in the first and farthest cottage along the forest trail, called Outlook Cabin.

Following their parents' vacation ritual, their daughter Princess Margaret came in June 1980 for a 10-day vacation staying in the same cabin, a tradition also observed by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

The Queen and her husband, who also holds the title of the Duke of Edinburgh, were last here in June of 2005. The lodge proudly showcases photographs of the Queen and Prince Philip standing outside Outlook Cabin in the same place where a historic photo of her parents was also taken and the two photographs now hang side by side both in the lodge and the Royal Family's cabin, which is available for other guests to also stay in while vacationing.

FYI: fairmont.com/jasper or call (780) 852-3301.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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