Follow that car

Day 22, 15th May – Jasper

This morning Tony and I made the trek up to the Avis Car rental agency. We had pre booked the biggest sedan that they had but in our hearts we knew it would be unable to contain the luggage that Alice and Julie had bought with them. To our relief they had two spare SUV’s available for an additional $20 a day. To assist with the driving Tony volunteered to be the extra driver and that only added another $10 per day. These car companies know how to add on the extras especially when we asked for the GySpy guide at a mere $185 for five days. What the hell, we are on holidays and want to make the best of it. When they printed out our invoice there was a cost of around $295 not counting the GySpy.  I did the sums in my head and thought that is way more than the $150 for the extras that we had asked for. It turned out that the extra cost was for not having to return the vehicle with a full tank of fuel. I told them to cancel that option and that I would return it with a full tank. The new calculation ended up costing us only $13 which was a massive saving. When in doubt it pays to question the makeup of the costs.

With our gleaming near new black Chevrolet Equinox SUV we headed off into the Jasper National Park. Our first stop was at the Maligne Canyon where we undertook a short hike. At the first bridge crossing we were fortunate enough to spot a nest perched precariously to the cliff face. There was a brood of baby black swiftlets happily waiting for their next feed from Mum. Further down the canyon the ice wall from the waterfall had begun to melt which made it look like a white lace curtain. As we passed Medicine Lake we stopped to admire a few mountain goats that were ambling down the road. Medicine Lake is vast but it acts like a huge bathtub by draining into the underground karst system when the weather warms and the ice melts.

Our final stop for this morning was the beautiful Maligne Lake. Maligne when translated from French means evil or wicked so one would wonder what would prompt someone to name such a beautiful location so. It is one of the most photographed locations in the world and is famed  for the colour of its water, surrounding peaks and the three glaciers that are visible from the small island in the middle known as Spirit Island. In summer you can take boat and kayak trips on the lake but alas or good fortune the lake was still covered in a thick layer of ice. It looked as bright as a brilliant cut diamond when the sun cast its mighty rays upon it.

After lunch the girls decided that they wanted to do Jasper. After dropping them downtown Tony and I had the chance to relax for a while. With the afternoon drawing to a close we picked up the girls and headed out to Mt. Edith Cavell. Unfortunately the road was still closed due to the amount of ice in the area so we opted for a trip to Athabasca Falls. The falls themselves are not very high but the volume of water poring through such a small gap into the canyon below makes it sound like thunder. Again there is still plenty of snow on the ground. We walked up the trail for a short distance and came upon a cross commemorating the loss of a young male. There was nothing to indicate how he had died. It was a sad reminder of how fragile life can be.

Back at the hotel and it is time to save a few shekels. Alice has cooked up a tasty pork fillet with roast vegetables and red cabbage for dinner. The gravy was a rich concoction from a packet whipped up by yours truly. Tony supplied a few beers and gave us a few songs on his travelling guitar. Julie made it a memorable evening by volunteering to do the washing up.

Day 23, 16th May – The Icefields Parkway

This morning we were up at a reasonable time for our journey down the 230 km Icefields Parkway. It is hard to describe what a wonderful a fantastic drive this is. From the moment you start there are magnificent mountain ranges on either side of the road that seem to rear up right in front of you. The sun is shining so brightly that it is a wonder that there is any snow left. At the 54km mark we stopped for a short stroll to view Sunwapta Falls. It is a torrent of plunging water and one of many that has been created by hanging valleys in Jasper National Park. Our major stop for the morning is the Icefield Centre at the 103 km mark. This is a stop designed to extract your hard earned money from you. We have opted for the $89.95 Vista Explorer package which includes the Banff Gondola, Glacier Adventure and the Glacier Skywalk.

The Glacier Adventure tour is about 1 hour and 20 minutes and takes you onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. Our mode of transportation was a massive vehicle designed for glacial travel. We had about 20 minutes on the glacier which was long enough for Tony and I to engage in a snowball fight. Alice collected some glacial water and I’m sure that after her and Julie drank it that they looked 10 years younger. After leaving this stunning alpine and glacial vista we boarded another one of the Brewster buses for a trip to the skywalk. This tour starts with a cliff-edge walkway that is filled with nature inspired interpretive exhibits. It is in a great position to take advantage of the glacial vistas and the canyon floor. The grand finale to this experience is a glass-floored observation platform that is suspended 918 feet (sounds more impressive than 280 metres) over spectacular glacier-formed valleys and rushing waterfalls. Alice and Julie showed some trepidation in taking that first step but once started they were fine. It is hard to escape that feeling of vertigo when you look down and can only see the abyss. Tony and I were happy to jump around and even enjoyed some pretend planking on the glass. It is an expensive tour but one that should not be missed.

Time was marching on and it was just after 2:00pm so we had to find a place to have some lunch. Our lunch date was interrupted by some huge mountain sheep grazing by the side of the road. They just looked us in the eye and sauntered across the road in search of more edible grasses.  On our map there was an indication of picnic tables 23km down the parkway at Coleman Creek. The entrance was still closed so we parked outside and took our supplies to a table overlooking the creek. Once the food came out we were surrounded by squirrels that were cheeky enough to saunter over to the table in search of small offerings. It was a great spot for lunch but time was marching on.

We had a few more stops at Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, Bow Glacier Falls, Crowfoot Glacier and the wonderfully named Helen Lake. Everything was still like a winter wonderland and the short hikes were closed due to the depth of snow on the ground. It was only another kilometer to the Trans Canada Highway (get out the old Gene Pitney classic) when we noticed a group f cars pulled up on the edge of the tarmac. We pulled over to investigate and were rewarded with the sighting of a big old Grizzly Bear foraging for ants and insects by the side of the road. Alice and Julie snapped a few good pictures from about 15 metres as the bear went about its business as if we did not exist. After about 10 minutes it ambled up the hillside and plonked itself under a big spruce tree where it dug for more goodies. That was a real highlight and sustained us for our 80km drive down the highway to Golden.

Our room at the Ramada for $90 is exceptional. I have to wonder if North Americans actually sleep together as the room is furnished with two queen size beds. The liquor store is on the other side of the highway so we drove across to avoid the 20 minute walk. The ABC restaurant was attached to the Prestige Hotel and was recommended by the staff of the liquor store. We were pleasantly surprised by the prices and menu selection. I thought I was in heaven when I spotted the senior’s discount, a pot roast that included desert for $12.95. It was just like being at Easts Rugby League Club.

Day 24, 17th May – Lake Louise and Banff

It was a slow start to the day as we only have about 160km to travel. Our first stop was at the little town of Field which is the gateway to the Yoho National Park. Field is more like a village with some beautiful small homes and a selection of B and B’s. We took a detour up to Emerald Lake which was frozen over. The backdrop of mountains known as The President and Carnarvon add to the splendor of the scene. There is great but I suspect expensive accommodation available here. On the same road there is a good stop to view the Natural Bridge that has the Kicking Horse River plunging through it. This is a magnificent area with plenty of hiking trails and well worth a visit.

Our next stop was the picturesque Lake Louise. We could not believe how many people were here visiting. The car park was full despite the fact that the lake was still frozen. When we reached the shoreline you could understand why it is such an attraction. Words cannot do it justice so I will have to attach one of our many photographs. Julie and Alice posed for pictures outside the imposing Fairmont Chateau while I contented myself with bombarding Tony with snowballs. Time was getting away again so we stopped for lunch at a picnic area that was still mostly covered with snow.

Back in Lake Louise Township Alice found a Canadian Post Office open on a Saturday. We purchased a box and filled it with clothes that we no longer needed as well as a few coffee mugs. The shipping of our 5.2kg package which included $300 of insurance cost us a mere $100. This may represent false value as Alice now has room in her suitcase for more purchases. Back on the road we enjoyed a leisurely drive through the national park to Banff. Along the way we followed the railway line and managed to see some Elk as well as an Osprey.

When we arrived in Banff I could not believe the traffic. It was like being at Noosa Heads at Christmas time. The traffic jams made it difficult to find our lodgings at the Banff International Hostel located on Banff Avenue. We eventually found it and were pleasantly surprised by the quality and size of our room which is costing $80 a night. The hostel had a barbeque going and for the princely sum of $2 we were able to enjoy a frank on a roll and a piece of corn. No need for an expensive meal tonight. The great weather that we have enjoyed to date finally deserted us. Banff has greeted us with a light drizzle which meant bringing out the poncho and umbrellas. It was still early so the girls decided to take a look at the shops while Tony and I indulged ourselves with a pitcher of beer. The sidewalks were crowded with people all trying to dodge the rain that has continued to fall.

Day 25, 18th May – Banff

A late start again today but there is no hurry as we are only travelling within the local area. The weather is overcast and at the moment the rain is holding off. First port of call this morning was the historic Banff Springs Hotel which is part of the Fairmont chain. It is built from local rock in the style of a castle complemented by huge turrets.

After lunch we headed out of town to a lake that may have been named in our honour, Lake Minniewanka. Along the loop road we were able to see some big horned sheep grazing by the side of the road. The lake itself was still partly frozen but is expected to be clear in the next week or so. After crossing a long causeway we came to Two Jack Lake which was the first lake that was not frozen. The lake had a beautiful emerald colour which makes you think how beautiful the other lakes will be when the ice thaws. It was a quick detour to Johnson Lake where the locals swim in summer and then it was back to the hotel for a well deserved rest. Did I say rest, Alice is washing clothes and Julie has walked down town for some shop seeing.

It overlooks the 27 hole Stanley Thompson designed golf course. Just up the road we joined the throng of tourists waiting to travel to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. The views became increasingly spectacular as we climbed 698m to an elevation of 2281m at the upper terminal. From our gondola we could see keen hikers trudging up the snow covered slope over endless switchbacks. This would be hard enough without having to contend with the snow. After only a few minutes as banks of cloud blew in and obstructed our view of Banff and the valley. Revenge is a dish best served cold and I mean cold as Tony got square by lobbing a snowball down my back. At the summit there is a 1 km boardwalk that leads to Sanson’s Peak. We were nearly to the top when we felt the first of the drizzling rain. That was the signal to turn around and head back to the SUV. Stopping at the Cascade Gardens in the grounds of Canada Parks we were able to take a photograph looking across the Bow River Bridge and up Banff Avenue towards the mountains. Our tour continued past the Bow River Falls and across a small bridge that spanned the Spay River. This road is not always open as it travels via a loop through the golf course and the national park. This was a great drive as we were fortunate enough to spot a few separate herds of Elk. They just love chewing on the lush fairway grass.