mile 9242

Hinton - Jasper - Columbia Parkway - Banff - Waterton National Parks

What can we say?  First it was worth while to sit out the rain in Hinton and do some necessary things such as laundry, some education like visiting a museum, writing postcards to those at home, and for the body taking a bath in the Miette Hot Springs.  So when finally the rain cleared and the blue sky opened up we continued our way South into Jasper and were surprised by the mountain range around us, hidden from us the past days by the low hanging rain clouds.  The deep turquoise coloured lakes, the wildlife around it in the meadows full of flowers against the strong contrast of the mountains is simply a picture one can't get enough of it.  But Jasper National Park served only as an appetizer as the way into the Columbia Icefield provided even more spectacular vistas and uncountable views to glaciers.  There are so many mountain peaks and glaciers, we need a map to locate them all by name, but why bother, the view is what counts, and that is definitely breathtaking.  We stopped at the Columbia Glacier and walked up to it, a little walk today, as the glacier is retreating very fast, and the forecast is that with the current rate the glacier will have vanished in about 100 years, and the place we stood will be perhaps a lake of the last run off water of the glacier.  Pretty sad to be so near it and knowing that we are loosing a vital source of our drinking water supply.  We follow the Continental Divide South, impressive to see how the two continental plates pushed each other up and down, a surreal picture thinking of the forces behind it.  Anyways, this divide guides us into Banff National Park, and the town of Banff.  It is like Petty's Market, or St, Moritz in Switzerland just on a smaller scale, but equally expansive and busy.  Of course being weekend doesn't make it any better, so we just stayed for the night and left the next morning back to the mountains and quieter surrounding.  A perfect day with crystal blue sky and crisp air created us, and we went South the Cowboy Trail, passed historic landmark "U-Ranch" and followed the Divide to Waterton Lakes National Park.  What a relief being back in the mountains and the tranquility they provide.

Jasper NP, Pyramid Mtn

Patricia and Pyramid Lake, Jasper NP

The Great Divide

Sunwapta Falls

Countless Glaciers, all have a name, don't ask me

Columbia Glacier

Banff, AB