Canada - Jasper

Jasper National Park, a long drive up the awesome Icefields Parkway, had a very different feel to Banff and Lake Louise. Whilst still beautiful and full of the classic turquoise lakes, it felt more rugged and was a lot less crowded - off the itinerary of many of the coach tours that invade the more popular spots (albeit for 5 minutes at a time!). Here we visited more stunning lakes and the impressive Maligne Canyon...

Where is the water? Er... there?! Medicine Lake normally drains through undergound sinkholes, leaving the riverbeds dry and the level pretty low in Summer - but not today! (apparently it had been one of the wettest Spring periods in a while).

Plenty of water for a refreshing dip! 

Spectacular evening light! 

Freaky Gollum Hand emerges from the Lake... 

The morning sun hits the boat house on Maligne Lake

The deep scary caverns of Maligne Canyon 

Lots of water gushing through! 

Spot the idiot on the bridge to give some scale 

A bit of white water rafting anyone?

Canada - Icefields Parkway

Built during the Great Depression to boost the economy, the Icefields Parkway is a scenic road through the Rockies which links Banff and Jasper National Parks. The spectacular road runs past more than 100 glaciers, waterfalls, rock spires, and emerald lakes - most visible from the road or within a few minutes walk... true lazy-man's sightseeing! We spent several days on the parkway both on the way up and down, as there was just so much stuff to stop and see. We did some walking around here too, hiking up to various cols and passes to gain better views of the icefields and valleys. 

Looooong open roads...

Putting our guidebook to good use on a tea stop - thanks Mary! 

Classic Icefields Parkway Scene: Flowers, mountains and MASSIVE RV! 

Bow Lake - one of many roadside wonders

The halfway point on the Parkway was also home to the world's most expensive supermarket. That's £7.20 for cheap white bread and milk! 

The incredible Peyto Lake, again only 10 minutes from the road! 

One of the most impressive and scary looking waterfalls eating its way through the rock. This was tucked away and hidden from the road this time, we only found it after a heads up from a fellow driver!  

Bridal Veil Falls

Crazy tree roots on the way up to Wilcox Pass

Morning shadows on Wilcox Pass

More lovely flowers peep out in the meadows! 

oooo I love flowers :-)

Another morning, another pass... It was a cloudy start as we slogged up to Parker Ridge, but we were lucky as the peaks poked their heads through...

Thankfully it cleared totally leaving us with a rather fine view, another glacier but this time hidden from the Parkway. Beautiful but stark evidence of global warming. 

The Athabasca Glacier creeping down to the road (note the car park at the base and coach track up the side!)

Not many glaciers can be reached in 5 minutes in jeans...

Sad evidence of how glaciers are retreating :-(

Snatching a quick cup of tea on our first day of rain! One day in 24 is pretty good going though - we expected the Rockies to be very very wet! 

Athabasca Falls - don't fall in 

Spot me on the bridge! 

The flat beds of the Saskatchewan River

Looking down on the Saskatchewan River Valley from Sunset Lookout. Reached by an hour's slog up through dense forests - tedious but well worth it! 

Canada - Banff and Lake Louise

Our first port of call in the "Big Four" National Parks was Banff. Access and camping here is fairly strictly controlled, with permits required just to be in the Park and expensive buses needed to access many of the hiking areas - not to mention prior booking (along with payment, booking fees and permits) for all the campsites, even if they were just patches of grass/gravel with no facilities! So our usual philosophy of waiting for a weather window and keeping a flexible itinerary didn't really fit in very well! However, we did do a fantastic three day hike in this area, appreciating why the area is so popular and why people are willing to navigate the red tape and pay the endless list of fees! Here's a few pictures...

Breakfast and a ruddy good organise at the Sunshine Village Ski village before our first multi-day hike

Slogging up the forest road to start... note the lazy people on the rip-off bus - it's only 5km!

Arriving at the lakes at the top of the Sunshine Ski Village 

Walking through beautiful alpine meadows on the way up to Citadel Pass

Approaching Citadel Pass, with views toward Mt Assiniboine (Canada's "Matterhorn" - the rocky peak in the far distance on the right, sticking up way above all the rest!)

Citadel Pass - Mt Assiniboine a bit closer now.

Animal proofing our food (in airtight containers 100m from the tent) it was a nerve wracking night wondering whether we'd a) find it again and b) find it intact! 

Thankfully it survived! 

Moody skies as evening storms brewed and rumbled... thankfully we weren't hit

The steep sided descent to Lake Magog. Concious of being in bear territory we sang all the way along this route... 

Arriving safely at the beautiful Og Lake (campsite number two)... conclusively proving that Adele, Bon Jovi and Phil Collins are successful bear deterrents!

A relaxing evening with my book :-) 

A less relaxing dip in the cold lake for Ali! 

Quality hot chocolate from our wedding suite ;-)

Morning calm and arty reflections 

So after a long slog back up to Citadel Pass and Back down to the Ski Village it was on to Lake Louise, one of the all time classic Rockies sights. Having seen many pictures of the lake I was convinced there must have been some photoshop involved to make it so turquoise, but I can confirm it really is that colour!  

Morning breaks over the lake (and I do another silly pose) 

We assumed we'd have the place to ourselves at 6am, but the lakeside hotel offers a "sunrise canoeing" package!

As the sun climbs the lake gets more turquoise...

Until it gets to this colour! Amazing. Shame about the hideous hotel, I genuinely think it looks like a prison! 

Then on to Moraine Lake - Lake Louise's smaller but still spectacular neighbour.

Another of the Rockies classic lakes.