Category: Canada

July 1-5

Day 18. We continue moving north on Icefields Pky – it is very scenic making (easy) driving a pleasant experience on its own. But we are making stops on the way. First to visit Mistaya Canyon which is very nice. We got a good views of Mistaya River and falls from different angles. Next was Saskatchewan River Crossing, a small travel stop serving tourists, to get coffee and gas (most expensive of the entire trip). The Parkway now runs along North Saskatchewan River. Views of the river and surrounding mountains are impressive. Big Bend Viewpoint is located on 180º highway switchback.

We are getting closer to famous glaciers flowing down from Columbia Icefield. To see Saskatchewan Glacier we hiked on Parker Ridge Trail in Banff NP through alpine landscape with rewarding views from the ridge (6.5 km return, 440 m total gain) — very beautiful. Later, we stopped briefly at Columbia Icefield Visitor Center in Jasper NP (packed, long wait to get coffee) and parked for two nights at Wilcox Campground (packed full).

Day 19. All about Athabasca Glacier in Jasper NP. We first walked up Wilcox Pass Trail for views from across the valley (7 km return, 330 m total gain). Only the edge of Columbia Icefield can be seen. Weather on the pass was fog and drizzle, but improved soon. Special heavy busses transport visitors to the glacier’s edge (dirt road on top of lateral moraine), but we parked our car near Sunwapta (glacier) Lake and walked across gravels of old terminal and bottom moraines, crossing streams and pools. This area was all under ice 70 years ago. 180 years ago the glacier extended all the way to the Visitor Center which sits on top of the old terminal moraine. Polished bottom rock and old lateral moraine indicate what once was. With micro-spikes and walking poles we were ready to explore, slowly gaining confidence as it was our first time on glacier. Exciting and easier that we expected. Dinner at Altitude Restaurant (next to the Visitor Center), Wilcox Campground.

Day 20. We are heading to Jasper. First stop at Sunwapta Falls — the river flows from Sunwapta Lake at the base of Athabasca Glacier. Second stop at Athabasca Falls. Icfields Pky runs now along Athabasca River all the way to Jasper. Third stop to watch brown bear grazing along the parkway. Stopped briefly at Jasper Visitor Center to talk to rangers about hiking. Settled at Becker’s Chalets cabin (recommended) for two nights (we were lucky to get the cancellation as everything was booked). It was comfortable and relaxing stay, badly needed (restocking, laundry) after camping for 11 straight nights. We were in Jasper before this summer fire, fortunately the Chalets survived.

Day 21. Maligne Lake. We were learning about underground caves and channels draining water from Maligne Lake to Medicine Lake to springs in Maligne Canyon. It was slow going as the road serves only tourists. We watched two eaglets on high nest at Medicine Lake, not quite ready to fly. Then came a grizzly bear on the shore looking for something. Then another grizzly with two cubs and black bear walking on the road. Another brown bear feeding along the road. Most bears we have seen in a single day. Some spectators getting off cars and way to close, bumped into our car when grizzly scared them with false charge.

We walked a 8km loop that day, first along Maligne Lake and then to Moose Lake. We stopped in Jasper on the way back to Becker’s Chalets and saw big elk bull grazing along the road. It was beautiful day, great views and so many animals.

Day 22. Maligne Canyon Trails are very popular with visitors. Most of the time it looks like a slot canyon, but in fact these are remnants of old underground, glacial run-off water plumbing with tops now collapsed so they are open. Such underground channels connect Maligne and Medicine Lakes to this day, and then run through cave system to re-surface 16 km downstream through springs in Maligne Canyon. We spent several hours walking up and down the canyon/river. We arrived at Mount Robson Park in early afternoon and secured camp site for two nights at very large Robson Meadows Campground (recommended) before it started to fill-up. We had time for a short walk from the campground along Fraser River to Overlander Falls.

June 24-26

Approaching Banff we were prepared for crowds as the National Park is very popular. Not a big surprise, scenery all around is fantastic. It was crowded, but not overwhelmingly in most places. Fewer people further away from main atractions along roads. Normally we find campsites at the end of the day, but here we secured sites a day or two in advance or in the mornings when campers leave, and sometimes switched to different sites that we liked more.

On day 11, with car packed, we drove a short distance from Two Jack CG along Two Jack Lake to Lake Minnewanka. As we were walking along the lake (crowded), we decided to hike along Cascade River into Stewart Canyon (fewer people up there) – just easy 6.5 km. We did not spend much time in Banff itself, other than talking to rangers at the Visitor Center about day-hikes and possible backcountry backpacking. Higher elevation trails that we were interested in were still closed because of snow. Of course we stopped at the famous Banff Springs Hotel at the end of the day. For the night, we moved to Tunnel Mtn Village I CG located outside Banff with Tunnel Mountain Rd and Banff Ave wrapping around it – you get great views already from the roads (photos below).

Johnston Canyon is worth visiting, but it was packed with visitors (not even weekend). Walking in line and waiting 20 mins to get to viewing platform at Upper Falls. Beyond this point, along Johnston Creek and around Ink Pots, the crowd thinned quickly making for a nice walk. Springs bubling quietly in the pots are fun to watch. Rocky mountains all around. Good, easy walking (12 km, almost 500 m up and down).

Our Lake Louise campground was called “hard-sided” (cars and campers, but no tents) in case bears come knocking on your door. Trail along Bow River neaby was closed to protect their habitat. Bear warnings are everywhere and park rules for camping are quite strict (same for all parks from now on) – pretty much nothing can be left outside when nobody is around to watch/protect. For us it meant extra packing.

Time for Lake Louise, another popular destination. We took community bus from the village, inexpensive and convenient (good advice from Visitor Center). Parks Canada shuttles were all booked (to Moraine Lake also ). Lake shore near the parking lots and Fairmont Hotel, another famous building, was quite crowded. But we quickly started walking on trails to Mirror and Agnes Lakes and Little Beehive. Still many hikers, but not too bad. Each lake is different and views from the trail higher up are realy nice. With little time to spare (to catch last bus back to the village), we made it a 12-km loop, 550 m up and down. Now we felt like we were hiking in the mountains.

For the second night we moved to soft-sided part of Lake Louise campground complex protected by electric fence. Plus showers. Campgrounds in Banff NP are very good.

June 20-23

Day 7 and 8 were all about driving 1300 km across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and into Alberta. Endless flat highway, small green hills, fields and pastures. We stopped briefly in Winnipeg to retorque car wheels and then at Portage Spillway PP MB for driver’s nap and watching pelicans and gophers. Very good Echo Valley PP Campground SK was almost empty. After walking around the park in the morning we were back on Trans-Canada Hwy. Stopped for lunch break in Moose Jaw, passed by sodium sulphate mine in Chaplin SK, another driver’s nap in Swift Current SK. With weather deteriorating we decided to park for the night at Tel Star Motor Inn in Brooks AB.

Day 9 and 10 were all about dinosaurs in Alberta badlands. We liked it so much that we decided to stay an extra day in the area to have enough time for both ☞ Dinosaur Provincial Park AB and then Willow Creek Hoodoos, ☞ Midland Provincial Park and ☞ Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller AB. Hours of walking the badlands and studying fossils at museums. Interesting and worthwhile even on very hot days (walking) and in sometimes crowded spaces (museums). We found refuge camping in very quiet and “local” Little Fish Lake Provincial Park.

But end of the day brings dramatic change of scenery. We are in Canadian Rockies camping the first night at Two Jack Campground in Banff National Park.