Seeing North America

June 5 – David Thompson Campground to 20 miles west of Grand Prairie, Alberta

We rolled out of the campground sometime after 8 am heading west then north towards Jasper. First stop was were we met the Icefields Parkway at a camp store / gas station / motel where we filled up on gas at $1.99 / liter. In rough terms the works out to close to more than $6/gallon US funds. It’s the most expensive gas so far. We do expect it to be higher as we head north.

Leaving Jasper we saw up close several big horn sheep along the roadsides. Other than that we spotted several deer including one that played chicken with us in the car. We all parted ways unscathed. We did come across a dead moose on the roadside. After leaving Jasper heading east on 16 we then proceeded north on route 40 to Grand Cache. The route was labeled as the “scenic route to Alaska.” It was scenic and to Grand Cache we had the road to ourselves. On the section from Grand Cache to Grand Prairie where it was 180 km to the next gas the road started out deserted. Then 5 pm came and pickup trucks came out from everywhere (this part of Alberta as many oil rig operations that mostly you don’t see other than the turn offs to them). It was quitting time and we were in a very fast moving line of pickups. We stocked up with supplies in Grand Prairie and headed west and are now at a campground about 60 miles east of Dawson Creek, where Mile Zero of the Alaskan Highway sits.

June 4 – David Thompson Campground to Jasper and Back

Spent the morning traveling the Ice Fields Parkway toward Jasper. Did not see any wildlife yet with all the views all you can say is WOW! At one of the passes we had snow and the temperature dropped to 32 degrees. That’s the lowest we have seen on the trip so far while we were in the truck. After a good lunch in Jasper we started back south on the Icefields Parkway. We took a short hike to visit a falls then back to truck. Not long afterwards there was a mountain goat in the road. We got a good view but not any great photos.

My inspiration to bicycle to Alberta in 1975 was from a photo on the cover of Bicycling Magazine (my memory says in was the April 1975 cover shot) of two cyclists with their bikes on an overview of Peyto Lake. It was an iconic view of the Canadian Rockies. I could not find the location and the Peyto Lake seems to be renamed to Bow Lake. I am not sure if things changed so much or was it just my memories changing. Well, no luck there but just before we gave up around the next turn was a grizzly bear in the middle of the road! We got great views but did not linger as to disturb the bear. On back to the campground after traveling over 300 miles.

Calgary, Alberta to a bit west of Cline River, Alberta. We left Calgary with a short stop to purchase a few supplies including two gas containers for heading north. Traffic was a bit overwhelming yet we managed. We mostly took smaller roads as we head west and north finally hitting the Forestry Trunk Road. I had often gone along this road while fishing when I lived in central Alberta. Saw a few deer and one coyote. We are now camped maybe twenty miles east of where Banff and Jasper National Parks meet.

June 2 – Radium Hot Springs to Calgary, Alberta

We left Radium Hot Springs after nine in the morning starting towards Calgary with the trailer in tow. There are two significant climbs on the trip and the trailer handled both the climbing and descending well. An attempt to stop in Banff failed due to the slow and heavy traffic in the village. Not a fun place to pull the trailer. After that it was an uneventful journey to the Calgary Airport where we left Frits and Lynette where they picked up their rental car. Then it was on to find Ken and Thereasa. Our GPS made easy work of getting around in the northern parts of Calgary. The city has at least tripled in size since I was last there close to forty years ago.

We found their place with little problem and were welcomed. I last had seen Thereasa in the late 1970s and she had not changed at all. We had only been in touch with Christmas letters and an occasional email. They made us so welcomed. It was a short yet delightful visit.

 

June 1 – Today we traveled from our campsite near Radium Hot Springs to Lake Louise. The entire 136 km was in Canadian National Parks. We started in Kootnay National Park which adjoins Baniff National Park where Lake Louise sits. Along the route Marsha and Lynette spotted a grizzly with two cubs. They scampered into the woods before Frits or I could see them.

I was looking forward to seeing Lake Louise. The last time I was there I had biked up the 2 km steep hill to the Chateau Lake Louise. It’s o ne of the most iconic spots in all of Canada. Being June 1^st we did not expect to see many people but we were so wrong. The parking lot was mostly full and the walking area by the lake in front of the Chateau was crowded. The four of us took the hike (really a long walk) to the far end of the lake where we could look back to the Chateau.

After our hike we enjoyed a late lunch in the Chateau Lake Louise. This satisfied one of my lifelong bucket list items. In the next 1970’s while visiting Banff I decided one day I wanted to enjoy a beer at the Banff Springs Hotel, another iconic hotel built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad at the end of the 1800’s. Well our lunch was in the Chateau Lake Louise but there was no view to the outside. Here we were in one of the most amazing locations in the world and there was no view to the outside. I determined having a beer at the Banff Springs Hotel would be a similar experience. Thus I no longer need to enjoy a beer at the hotel.

On our return to our campground all four of us got a good view of a grizzly mom with two cubs! No photo though, but we saw them. Near the campsite yesterday we saw plenty of big horn sheep. Today I did not see them, but did great a view of a gray fox. Tomorrow we are off to Calgary.

May 31 – Waterton Lakes National Park to Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia

Overnight the temperature dropped and it starting raining. This is really only the third day with rain. All morning the temperature hovered in the mid to low 40s (6 to 7 for our Canadian friends). We made plans to travel through Crows Nest Past westward to British Columbia. From there we could go north and it a few days head east to Baniff and on to Calgary.

As we headed into British Columbia it stopped raining and warmed up to close to 18 (low to mid sixties for our US friends). We are now camped in Kootany National Park just on the outskirts of Radium Hot Springs. Plan for tomorrow is to explore parts of this national park or maybe head into Baniff National Park. We are staying here two nights. Next move will be Saturday morning when we head to Calgary dropping off Frits and Lynette at the car rental place then Marsha and I will stay overnight with Thereasa and Ken in Calgary.

May 30 – Waterton Lake

Headed to the Park to catch a 2 hour boat trip down and back Waterton Lake. I think of the lake as a Finger Lake with mountains up to 6,000 feet rising directly out of the water. The southern half of the lake is part of Glacier National Park. At the southern end of the lake is the US Ranger Station, Goat Haunt which is the most remote station in the Park. This is where I visited a friend who was stationed there as a National Park Ranger back in the mid 1970s. Again, many fond memories. A highlight of the trip was a pair of Golden Eagles that flew around near the boat for several minutes. I hope to post a photograph or two at some point.

After a nice lunch in the village we went for an easy two hour hike into a burned over area. The grasses and wildflowers are thriving.

Looks as if tomorrow we will be moving onward still deciding to head into British Columbia or stay in Alberta. We are dropping Frits and Lynette off in Calgary, Alberta on June 2.

May 29 – Left East Glacier to the border. I was expecting a slow crossing traveling with friends from Europe, yet it was quick and easy. First stop was Cardston, Alberta for supplies. I thought back to when I visited a friend living in Cardston back in 1975. Seeing Cardston reminded me of many fond memories from way back when.

Next we traveled towards Waterton Lake National Park, found a campsite at Crooked Creek Campground, left the camper and traveled into the Park. In September of last year the Park was hit hard by a huge fire covering many thousands of acres. It had threatened destroying the village of Waterton Lake and the world famous Prince of Wales Hotel one of the iconic Canadian hotels including the Baniff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise. The area was saved only due to an amazing effort of firefighters. About two thirds of the park remains closed this year. We looked for the Visitors Center only to find out later that it had was destroyed in the fire. The rest of the day we spent walking around the village.

Then it was time to head back to the campground where we had a camp fire. Lynette enjoyed her very first s’more of her life.