Oh my, Canada is really something! We left Lake Louise and headed up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park in central Alberta. The journey up the parkway is billed as one of the world’s most spectacular drives. Even on a dreary, rainy day we could see the splendor. The road is 143 miles that traces the Continental Divide, and showcases 100 glaciers along the Canadian Rockies.
As we moved north we stopped at some of the major sights. As a result, the drive took around 6 hours to make the 143 miles - but it was well worth it. I could spend lots of words describing the sights, but as they say…a picture is worth a thousand words.
Starting up the Icefields Parkway in the rain
Crowfoot Glacier, named this because when first seen, there was a third line of ice along the bottom, but the glacier is melting due to global warming.
Peyto Lake, the water is such a brilliant green-blue as it is formed from glacial run-off.
Bridal Veil Falls
Tip of Athabasca Glacier, one edge of the Columbia Icefield. The icefield is 1200 feet deep in places and covers a total of 83 square miles.
Further along the parkway we spotted the Tangle Creek Falls and had to stop to take some more pictures. Of course, our decision was made a little easier when we spotted two more vintage Airstreams in the parking area. So we quickly turned off to have our own miniature impromptu Airstream rally. Turns out that the other two had spotted each other and pulled off to talk. Naturally we all had to stand out in the rain to chat for 30 minutes before taking tours of each other’s trailers.
Tangle Creek Falls
L to R: 1962 Globetrotter (Minnesota), 1961 Bambi (Canada), 1974 Excella 500 (us)
We finally made it to Whistlers Campground at Jasper National Park outside of Jasper, Alberta and got our place…boondocking at its finest, tucked into a stand of aspens with a peek at the mountaintops over them. The campground, one of 4 in the park, has 782 sites (493 without hookups and 289 with hookups). We got a spot at the last minute due to a cancellation! The park itself is one of the largest protected natural areas in North America, spanning 4,200 square miles. There are elk everywhere, including just outside our trailer windows, along with mountain goats and bears roaming through the countryside and campgrounds.
Home sweet home among the aspens
The first night in Jasper we took a little time to check out the town and settle in. We also met up with Buzz and Pam (our mates from Calgary and Banff) for a stroll around the park. Pam and I spotted a patch of wild strawberries and popped a few in our mouths. Wow, I know now why the bears like them so much! I have NEVER tasted a strawberry that had flavor quite so intense and sweet. Amazing for something that small, the biggest ones were maybe ¼” across. As Heinz pointed out, it would take me quite a while to pick enough to make a pie…needless to say, I didn’t pick that many, but I did go home with stained fingers and tongue.
Wild strawberries, tiny, but fabulous
The next morning the four of us planned to try for a bike ride around Lac Beauvert. That didn’t quite work out due to us missing each other on the way over to our agreed meeting site and a steady drizzle about the time we finally did manage to meet up. So instead we took off for Maligne Canyon for a nice hike. The canyon is a 165 foot gorge carved out by the Maligne River. The hike is along the river and crosses the river 6 times over various bridges.
Maligne River and Canyon
5th Bridge over the Maligne River is a suspension bridge.
Later that afternoon Heinz and I went up to Maligne Lake to look around. The road passes by Medicine Lake. The First Nations people called this lake Magic Lake because they believed it is inhabited by spirits. This is because the lake fills with water from the snow run-off, and then the water level mysteriously drops as summer goes on - there is no river or creek outlet. In some years, the lake completely empties - only then can one see that the lake drains though underground channels. Once again, we were caught by the rain and didn’t bother to hike around either lake.
We were up early the next day to head out for breakfast and the Jasper Tramway up Whistlers Mountain. This is Canada’s highest and longest aerial tramway. It starts at a height of 4,279 ft. and rises to 7,472 ft. After you reach the end of the tram ride, there is still the hike to the mountain summit of 8,088 ft. Whew, at that altitude the climb is sloooowww…with lots of stops for breathing. But, boy, is the view worth it.
Jasper Tramway headed up Whistlers Mountain
Trail to the summit…8,088 feet above sea level
View from the summit…Jasper in the valley, Lac Beauvert is the emerald lake to the upper right, Athabasca River to the right, Victoria Cross mountain range in the distance (each mountain is named for a recipient of the Victoria Cross).
On our last full day in Jasper we joined Buzz and Pam for a hike up Mount Edith Cavell. Named for an English nurse executed by the Germans for espionage during WWI, the mountain is 11,033 feet high and famous for its alpine meadows and wing-shaped Angel Glacier. We hiked as far as the glacier and Cavell Lake with floating icebergs.
Mount Edith Cavell from the town of Jasper
Angel Glacier above Clavell Lake
Icebergs in Clavell Lake
After we came down from the mountain, Heinz and I headed east to the Miette Hot Springs. The water comes out of the mountainside at 129 degrees and before filling two different wading pools, is cooled to 103 degrees and 118 degrees. There are also two cooling pools, at 51 and 64 degrees. This was a great place to relax and let the aches and pains soak away. It was pretty cool to see the age range and dress styles of the folks in the pools...grandmas and grandpas to babes in arms and skimpy bikinis (down, Heinz!) to ladies in long sleeves and long pants.
The next morning we were up early and heading for the U.S. We drove back down the Icefields Parkway and headed slightly west into the Kootenai National Park, crossing into Montana late that evening. We spent the night in Kalispell, but nothing interesting to report there except we took time to eat at the Sizzler and do laundry (yawn).
Athabasca Glacier from the north
Lake in Kootenai National Park, Canada
We'll catch you up on our Montana adventures on the next posting.
If you're interested, the remaining Canada pictures are on Photobucket starting on page 8 of the Canada album.
In the meantime, here's our friends (and idiots) of the day.
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