Day 23 - (08/10) Lynden, WA ... Day 2

We started the day with some chores ... currency conversion, grocery shopping, laundry and a propane tank refill. Carol then went to the Lynden Pioneer Museum while Dick did some blog updates.

We spent some time visiting with an Airstream family parked next to us. Frank and Tanyia den Hoed have two daughters, two dogs and a 2008 Bambi Special Edition that looks like it just left the showroom. The time for trailer tours and tips was great fun.

Our National Geographic Scenic Highways & Byways Guide provided a great driving adventure for the late afternoon. We took the Mt. Baker Scenic Byway. It goes deep into rugged high country. The last 10 miles gains 3,200 feet in elevation. The road seemed to be suspended as it switched and twisted upward. There were many sheer dropoffs where there was no berm and no guard rail. Wow!

This is one of the most exciting drives we've taken. Fortunately, it was late in the day and there were very few cars on the road.

Mt. Baker background

The climb into the clouds

Picture Lake reflects Mt. Shuksan

Artist Point - 5,140ft

It's August 10th and drifts are still over 10ft high.

Note: You don't dawdle in these rest rooms.

The road had some serious switchbacks

A peaceful view as we headed home

This was a good, fun and productive day.

Map Tracks

None for today.

Day 22 - (08/09) Lynden, WA ... Day 1

The light rain we had most of the night had stopped by the time we got up at 6:30am. The plan was to start early and stop when we got to Kamloops, BC. It's a fairly long drive through unknown territory and we could easily get back to the US by Tuesday. So much for plans ... it didn't turn out that way.

We were hitched and moving by 7:30am. We saw these mule deer on the way out of the campground.


We stopped at The Bear Paw Bakery in Jasper for sustinence. It came in the form of coffee and HUGE, just-out-of-the oven cinnamon rolls. We considered crawling back under the covers, but decided to hit the road instead.

The route took us through magnificent mountains, over passes and into deep valleys. Unfortunately it rained and we were in clouds most of the time. There were no scenic stops and we gained an hour (now in Pacific Time) when we entered British Columbia. We got to Kamloops much sooner than expected and decided to press on.

Though it took about 45 minutes to get through Customs, we were able to settle in at the Lynden, WA KOA Campground by 6:30pm. Lynden is on the outskirts of Bellingham, WA.

We had a nice dinner at the Fairway Cafe and went to bed. It was a long, tiring day.

FYI

Travel in Canada is expensive. Here are a few examples:

• We paid between $3.63 and $4.31 per gallon for gas.
• $11.99 for a 1lb canister of propane campstove fuel.
• $2.75 for a Coke
• $3.00 for a coffee (not Starbucks ... just a coffee)
• 1 day's wireless surcharge equalled Verizon's wireless fee for a month.
  

Map Tracks
Start: Jasper, Alberta

North from Wapiti Campground on Alberta 93 to Jasper, Alberta

Northwest on Trans-Canada Highway 16 to Tete Jaune Cache, British Columbia

Southwest on British Columbia 5 to Hope, British Columbia

West on Trans-Canada 1 to Abbotsford, British Columbia

Entered the US at Abbotsford border crossing

South on Washington 9 to Washington 542

West on Washington 542 to the Lynden KOA Campground

End: 471 miles @ Lynden, Washington

Day 21 - (08/08) Jasper, AB ... Day 2

Note: We're catching up on time in Canada. This post was entered on 08/27. It's the final piece of the Canadian story.

We planned a lot of touring for today. The Parks Canada Mountain Guide was a great help. We're going to Maligne Canyon, Medicine Lake, Maligne Lake, Sunwapta Falls, Athabasca Falls, and Mount Edith Cavell.

First, we drove to Jasper for breakfast at Palisades Restaurant. The meal was reasonably priced and quite good.

We then took Maligne Road southeast out of Jasper. Maligne Canyon was our first stop. Some places are so deep you can't see bottom.

Maligne Canyon

Maligne Canyon

Medicine Lake is beautiful and mysterious. Water disappears into a crevice under the lake and travels 17 kilometers (10.56 miles) underground before exiting into a river.

Medicine Lake

Medicine Lake - mystery

Medicine Lake - explained

Medicine Lake - actions

We saw this field of flowers along the road between Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake. We also saw caribou and mule deer, but didn't get pictures.

Lake Maligne

We drove back to Jasper and south onto the Icefields Parkway for the rest of our exploration.

We saw a convoy of three VW campers at a scenic overlook site. The camping van below is included for Dorrie & Karen Andermills. They had one and loved it.

The views along the parkway were many and awesome. Here are a few.

Mount Fryatt

Mount Kerkeslin

Sunwapta Falls had a complex flow path. We walked over and around the chasm. Carol saw a brown bear cross the path during our wandering.

Sunwapta Falls - entrance

Sunwapta Falls - exit

Sunwapta Falls - channel

Athabasca Falls had many different levels to walk around. It rained part of the time. Fortunately, we had our trusty ponchos.

Athabasca Falls - entrance

It's a long walk down to a lower level of Athabasca Falls.

Carol views the Athabasca Falls channel

Athabasca Falls channel

The last stop of the day was at Mount Edith Cavell. We drove a road with steep climbs and many switch-backs. We then hiked the 2 mile (round trip) trail to Cavell Lake and Angel Glacier. It rained and it was cold.

Cavell Lake from the trail

Cavell Lake from the trail

Angel Glacier

There's an ice cave under the glacier. We decided not to hike there.

The trail back shows the moraine left by the glacier.

Delicate flowers survive amid ice and stone.

We headed home for a hot dog supper. Then we went to Jasper to use the computer and to shop a little.

Map Tracks

None for today

Day 20 - (08/07) Jasper, AB ... Day 1

Note: We're catching up on time in Canada. This post was entered on 08/27.

What a drive to Jasper! We travel from Banff National Park to Jasper National Park on Alberta-93 (it's called the Icefields Parkway). This was a gravel road when Carol and her family made the trek years ago.

The day was overcast, with the mountains in clouds and the tops in the sun.

Icefields Parkway - on the way to Jasper

Bow Glacier

Looking south at the climb we've made on the Icefields Parkway.

We stopped at Icefield Centre and The Columbia Icefield just after we entered Jasper National Park. We're about half way to Jasper at this point. The Centre had a marvelous exhibit describing the life of glaciers. There is so much to learn and see. This is the place where Carol and her family rode a snow-cat on the glacier. We decided not to go onto the glacier. We had hot chocolate instead.

Columbia Icefield

Athabasca Glacier ... tours go onto the glacier in snow-cats

Looking north of Athabasca Glacier

Looking south of Athabasca Glacier

We found available space in the Wapiti Campground. The site was really tricky to get into and there were no hook-ups.

Carol walking along the river behind our site.

It's simple ... just back in from a narrow road and squeeze between a permanent picnic table, a drop-off and two trees.

We went into Jasper after getting set up. This is the biggest town yet (vs. Banff and Lake Louise). It's very nice. We found touring information and a place to eat (Jasper Brewery) across the street from the train station.

Canadian National engine on display

We found a wi-fi spot and did a little communicating back home.

We finished the day with a few games of Bananagram, which Carol won. Note: she insisted the last comment be included.

Map Tracks

Start: Lake Louise, Alberta

North on Alberta-93 (Icefields Parkway) to Jasper

End: 145 miles @ Jasper, Alberta

Day 19 - (08/06) Lake Louise, AB ... Day 2

Note: We’re catching up on time in Canada. This post was entered on 08/17.

Today was a casual wake-up. Around 10am we drove to the YOHO National Park for sightseeing.

The Trans-Canada Highway passes through the center of YOHO National Park. The Canadian Pacific Railroad closely follows the highway and is an integral part of area history.

The Kicking Horse Pass National Historic Site just east of Field offered an excellent story of how The Spiral Tunnels work. The tunnels were completed by Canadian Pacific Railway in 1909 and are still used. They reduced the railway grade from 4.5% (the steepest of any in North America) to 2.2%. We could see entry and exit portals of the lower spiral, but pictures really didn’t capture the view.

Spiral Tunnels

We then drove through Field. It’s a small, quaint railroad village. It has a few nicely kept homes, a few cafes and a railroad workers residence.

The Kicking Horse River created an eroded rock archway called Natural Bridge at a spot about 5 minutes west of Field.

Explanation of Natural Bridge erosion

Natural Bridge

Downstream of Natural Bridge

The Natural Bridge story

Emerald Lake is about 15 minutes from Field. It’s considered a jewel of the Canadian Rockies. It’s beautiful and more secluded than most lakes we’ve seen.

Emerald Lake ... ooh, the color!

We headed back toward Lake Louise and stopped at Takakkaw Falls. Takakkaw means “magnificent” in Cree … and they were. They are among the highest in Canada.

Takakkaw!

It started to rain while we were at the falls. We had our trusty ponchos … pretty smart, huh?

We saw an interesting effect after leaving the falls. The confluence of two glacier-fed rivers results in a mixing of colors.

River confluence

Map Tracks
Start: Lake Louise, Alberta
West on Trans-Canada Highway 1 to Field, Alberta and return
End: 43 miles @ Lake Louise, Alberta