Jasper & Banff BC

Off on our way to the famous Canadian National Parks of Jasper and Banff we took our time and spent an evening in the delightful BC town of Smithers where we stayed in the town's municipal Riverside Campground. This is a very pleasant and clean campground that was filled mostly with local Canadians who were very friendly. There are salmon running in this river even though we are many miles from the Pacific coast. Our next night found us at heading for a Wal-Mart in Prince George but local ordinances prohibit camping overnight there so we pushed on to Purdon Lake Provincial Park which had a nice swimming beach being used by many local families. Again a very nice and inexpensive park. The park contains many trails and of course the large lake that looked like it would be a great place to fish. Had our first Whoops on our way out of the park when making a very sharp right turn I rode over a large stone that struck the bottom of the side panel behind the right rear tire. No real damage but too close for comfort. Along the way we got the great view above of beautiful Mt. Robson in Mt. Robson NP adjacent to Jasper NP.(photo above)

Diesel prices had dropped to $.959 per liter when we filled up in St. Bride, BC. As we got to the entrance to Jasper NP we lost an hour due to time zone change. For an entrance fee of $32 CN we got a two day pass to the park. We pulled into Whistler Campground in the park and they had only dry camping spaces available for $24 per night. A big and very clean and busy park. After dinner in the town of Jasper we drove out to Maigne Lake area (see photo) to look for bears and the scenery. No bears but did see our first porcupine and of course some very beautiful scenery as the sun settled into the west about 10 pm.

Jasper the town is a very commercial tourist place but very pleasant and reasonably easy to get around in. It appeared to be very skiing oriented and there is a tram lift up to the top of a mountain where you can get a great view of the whole area.

Saturday morning August 27 we awoke and after breakfast headed south on the Icefield Highway toward Banff and Lake Louise. Our first stop was a Athabasca Falls. It is a beautiful and popular stop where you can walk directly out on nicely built walkways to see the falls and the many potholes the river has carved out in the bedrock. This is a must see stop if you are in the area. All along the Icefield Highway the scenery is really beautiful just as seen in all the books and literature for the area. It's no wonder that so many people from all over the world come to Banff and Jasper.

A bit further down the highway we stopped at the renoun Columbia Ice Fields area where we took a ride in a specially built giant enclosed tracked snow vehicle onto the Athabasca Glacier. This is still part of Jasper NP. The scenery along this highway is without a doubt some of the most breathtaking in the North American continent. Once again the good Lord has been on our side with the weather to take this portion of the trip. Today's temperature was in the mid to upper 60's and warmer in the brilliant sun, tomorrow they predict some rain. We arrived at the Lake Louise campground about 7:30 and settled in with electric and water service in this very large park.

Our XM radio service is working again, has been since and in Hyder, and we are starting to hear news of Hurricane Katrina which may damage New Orleans. (Little did we know then!) We drove to the city of Banff from Lake Louise via the Bow Valley Parkway which is a very scenic route with no commercial traffic. The weatherman had been wrong and today is another beautiful day! Had a great lunch in a Banff pub then shopped for several hours in the nice shops that fill the downtown area. Our return trip to the RV was again along the Bow Valley Parkway where Dick took photos while Pat drove. The mountains along this road are rugged with beautiful rock faces and provide an amazing backdrop to the aqua blue glacier fed river that runs the length of the valley.

Back at camp we unloaded the gifts we bought and took off for the beautiful Lake Louise Lodge and its mountain lake setting. We had visited this area in 1972 when our son was 3 and daughter was only 9 months old and we had loved the beautiful setting and particularly the beautiful flower garden with the reflecting ball. Most unfortunately the gardens were totally torn up and being replaced as the government had directed that the flowers be replaced with only locally native flowers! The staff we met sure weren't happy with that action. Makes no sense at all!! There is only a 4 month growing season here.

Next morning we awoke to rain and spent the AM listening to the XM Radio about New Orleans and the Gulf Coast tragedy that was occurring. Taking a down day today to catch up on postings and housekeeping. Next morning after hooking up the toad we drove to the Lake Louise Ski lodge and took the lift to the top of the mountain to see the view. The lift cost $28 CN each including a lunch buffet at the ski lodge. The temperature was only about 50 degeres and windy so very cold on the lift. Then we were off again, heading Southwest toward Radium Hot Springs to stay and then pick up highway 95 back into Idaho and the USA!