Canmore to Lake Louise - Lake Louise is inside Banff National Park which means NO advance reservations. Fortunately we don't have far to travel but it's still an early start to see how long the entry queue is! We arrive at 11.00 am, join the short queue and obtain a site for 13 nights. As this site only had electric hook-ups we filled up with water before making our way to our allocated pitch. We would have to take the RV to the Dump Station halfway through our stay and be sparing in our use of water, but after Peter Lougheed Provincial Park last month we are expert in "dry camping". To our surprise we managed to obtain a Satellite TV signal which we did not expect due to all the trees. A major disappointment to Linda was the NO FIRES sign dotted around, which meant she would have to cook during the next two weeks, something she had not had to do a lot of lately!,
Location - Lake Louise Trailer ParkBanff National Park This is an extremely popular location for tourists from all over the world, many of whom tour the Canadian Rockies in rented motorhomes. |
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| Lake Louise |
Nearby are two places most people want to visit during their stay - the beautiful Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. In an effort to prevent people from driving large RV's or other vehicles to these already overcrowded beauty spots, a regular FREE bus service runs from the village & campsite throughout the day.
The only downside to the campsite was the noise from the nearby railway. Every train that passed by blew it's whistle at least four times. During our stay the song that came to mind most nights was: "The railroad runs through the middle of the house", because it seemed to do just that during the night. One night we counted seven trains, which meant 28 whistles - and that's no exaggeration. The answer was to get enough exercise during the day so that even the Canadian Pacific Railway didn't disturb our sweet dreams.
During our stay we had quite a few short term neighbors from different parts of Europe, one of the first being a family from just outside London. When Linda heard their accent she was out of the RV pretending to get something out of the hold, just so she could strike up a conversation. It was their first time in Canada and the first time they had ever driven a motor home - they all thought it was wonderful, especially the children. These motorhomes have all the amenities to suit holiday makers, are small enough to get in some of the many smaller campsites - a luxury we don't have. Everyone we spoke to, young and old thought this was the best way to see The Rockies, and there are certainly many people travelling this way.
| One of the biggest tourist attractions this site had to offer during our stay was a resident male Elk with the largest antlers we have ever seen. With "rutting" time approaching we're sure he will win a few female Elk hearts. We saw him on many occasions and each time he was surrounded by photographers but he just continued eating the flowers & plants. |  |
To help in planning our hiking and sightseeing outings we visited the Tourist Information in the village for the three day weather forecast most days. Just like at home these were not always correct, thunder and lightning is common at this time of the year especially in the afternoons, so hikes are better started early.
Columbia Icefields - After very little sleep on one of those noisy nights and the head feeling like the weather a little cloudy, we decided on a relaxing drive along Icefields Parkway, hoping we would see the glaciers and beautiful scenery we missed when we travelled this route on July 4th in heavy snow. We were not disappointed - the further notth we drove the brighter it got, the clearer the mountains and glaciers became. By the time we reached the Columbia Icefields the sun was shinning brightly and the temperature had risen to the low 60's, it seemed an opportune time to visit Athabasca Glacier. Although very popular with queues at all the ticket windows we only had to wait 30 minutes for the start of our trip which indicates how efficient the whole operation is. A normal coach took us from the tour office to just short of the icefield to connect with the BIG wheeled bus (the tyres were taller than us and the top speed was 10 MPH) that took us more than a mile onto the Columbia Icefield, Athabasca Glacier. The Columbia Icefield covers 130 square miles has an average elevation of 10,000 feet, and an estimated thickness of 1,200 feet. The annual snowfall is a mere 23 feet - and we complain when we get three inches in Scotland? The Icefield is shrinking at a rate of 33 feet a year and not so many years ago was alongside the road. Feeling confident the thickness of ice would hold even our weight we were let loose on the glacier long enough to take photos, drink some of the purest and coldest water in North America, look into some of the deep blue crevices that have been carved in the melting glacier. Even with the bright sunshine it was rather cold and we were glad to return to the warmth of the bus. It was surprising how many people did not come dressed for the occasion - some had shorts and sandals on, no wonder they were reluctant to wander around. This is one of those tourist attractions that is different from the normal, walking on the Icefield, but very enjoyable not to mention educational.
Moraine Lake - We took the early morning free bus to Moraine Lake, a small deep blue lake nestled in the valley of the Wenchemna mountains, and said by some to be prettier than it's sister lake Louise. On arrival we were somewhat disappointed by the colour as it was not as blue as we expected - pretty yes, but not blue. It was not until we arrived back from our hike and the sun was fully on the lake that it showed its true colour and beauty - now we know why it's so popular!
Valley of the Ten Peaks/Sentinel Pass - Starting from Moraine Lake and listed as one of the premier hikes from our hiking bible this 7.2 mile hike has everything you could want. The most strenuous uphill part of the hike is in the first 2.2 miles when you are freshest, then just as you start feeling a little weary the forest gives way to Larch Valley. Meadows of brightly coloured wildflowers and shrubs backdropped by snow capped peaks and glaciers, Mt. Fay being the most prominent. Pass a couple of small lakes (Minnestimma meaning Sleeping Water) and view the path zigzagging up the slope to Sentinel Pass - it looks very steep and seems to still have some deep snow patches! This is one of those occasions where looks can be deceiving as the final ascent is not extremely strenuous but the spectacular views on reaching the top certainly took our breath away! From this fairly small narrow ridge we could see most of the ten big peaks, plus views down into Paradise valley (another Premier destination). With six other people already on the ridge we found a spot to settle for lunch and as most hikers do we compared hikes and all agreed that this would be added to our 'best hikes list'. This hike can be combined with the hike through Paradise valley making a sort of loop of 10.5 miles (complete the loop using the Lake Louise shuttle bus). There was however a Grizzly Bear warning for Paradise Valley and you needed a party of 6 people to hike there.
On the descent from the pass we realised just how popular this hike is as we passed numerous hikers ascending (all the best "dining tables" would be taken). We stopped to blether with a couple from California who were staying on our campsite. They had travelled to Scotland to get married and loved both Northern England and Scotland. We exchanged site numbers and they said they might drop in for a BBQ supper of Haggis? True to their promise they paid us a short visit in the evening for a drink and a blether, but we couldn't provide the Haggis (they are very difficult to catch!) they were moving on the following day which is one downside of this way of life, you meet nice people one day but they are gone the next!
Iceline Trail - It was on one of the days when the forecast was predicted to be just 10% precipitation that we decided to drive into Yoho NP for another of those premier hikes to the Iceline. It also turned out to be a day they got the forecast painfully wrong. The trailhead started from the very impressive 1200 feet Takakaw Falls (this means "magnificent", and the name fits), which is fed from Daly glacier so is at it's best this time of the year. Although we had an early start the heat/humidity made the first part of this uphill trek through forest quite demanding before arriving at open meadows giving a welcome breeze to cool our sweating brows. Suddenly the terrain changed to sheer rock and before long we were hiking beneath Emerald glacier - hence the name "Iceline". We crossed numerous streams created by the melting glaciers, passed a few small lakes which were still partially covered with ice, and to put the finishing touches a 360 degree view of glaciers and Mountain peaks (the President, Vice President, Whaleback & the imposing Mt. McArthur) and the valley below. We found a comfortable stone to sit on and take yet another lunch break with beautiful views. At this point in the hike we had three choices -
1. the longest, continue along the Iceline eventually looping down the valley to the car park,
2. the shortest, retrace our steps back along the Iceline,
3. drop immediately down into the valley to loop back to the Car park.
The dark clouds started rolling in and before long a few large spots of rain arrived as well, working on the principle that we would rather not be up at the Iceline in a thunderstorm, option three seemed wise. We were making good time and keeping ahead of the weather but took a wrong turning (Wullies map reading skills helped by confusing signs) and found ourselves looking at Twin Falls which we had not planned on visiting today. A check of the the map told us we were about to add five miles onto our hike (making 13/14 miles in all). However as we looked up at these magnificent falls we philosophically decided it was going to be worth it. This diversion brought some other pretty waterfalls into view as we descended alongside the Yoho river, unfortunately another waterfall not mentioned in the trail guides was encountered as the heavens opened accompanied by thunder and lightning. We still aren't sure where we went wrong, but we weren't the only ones, a group of six local people had followed us. They seemed to suggest we were responsible for their error (they had maps/trail guides) and they only had shower proof jackets with them, at least we were prepared. We hiked the last two miles in record time leaving the "wingeing locals" behind, luckily it was all on the flat. Linda really stepped it out without complaint but couldn't seem to accept that being called " a tough old bird" was a compliment! By the time we reached the truck the waterproofs were sodden, we wasted no time in removing them and heading for home as those people who seemed to think we were to blame for them getting lost would really be "peed off" now as well as drenched! In spite of the weather and the wrong turning, yet another terrific hike.
Lake Louise - Known to the Stoney Indians as "Lake of the Little Fishes". Named in 1884 in honour of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, daughter of Queen Victoria. At the end of the lake is the very impressive Victoria Glacier, plus another five glaciers that are hidden until you start hiking up the trail. At the head of the lake is Chateau Louise a large hotel and shopping complex, which is really imposing when viewed from the southwestern end of the lake. One of the best times to see the true beauty of the lake is early morning when the sun rises over the glacier and gives a beautiful mirrored effect of the peaks in the blue water. By the afternoon the colour changes to a milky green - different from anything we have seen so far.
Plain of the 6 Glaciers - This hike traverses the shore of Lake Louise and and climbs over 1000 feet to the Lake Louise tea house, the attraction for most people (tea in a polystyrene cup & some cake?) We are attracted by the views of 6 glaciers which include Lefoy & Victoria. On the way we heard what we thought was loud thunder, but as there were not many clouds around we wondered if we had been hearing right. It was not until we were taking the final step towards the end of the glacier path that we realised that what we had heard was an avalanche. When the ice cracks it sounds just like thunder. While we took a break for a sandwich by the tea room we heard and watched another small avalanche. We then made our way to Agnes Lake via Big Beehive lookout, 7,748 ft. - what a fantastic view of Lake Louise. From here the water was a very creamy blue/green, we could not believe what we were seeing. We took our lunch break here enjoying this glorious sight and recovering after the steep ascent. We made our way steeply downhill to the very pretty (but crowded) Agnes Lake yet another tea house. Linda fancied some chocolate cake, they are famous for, but it was all sold out. After a cup of lemonade we headed down once again towards Mirror Lake and then the final descent to Lake Louise.
Another great 10 mile hike with lots more glaciers, peaky mountains, Lakes Louise & Agnes views and as always a terrific display of wildflowers to keep us company.
Lake O'Hara - This area of Yoho NP is so popular that access is now controlled to protect the beautiful but fragile terrain from overuse. We tried to telephone the NP information office to get a reservation on the Lake O'Hara bus, the only way in other than by foot (8 miles slog through forest) but to no avail as the phone was constantly engaged After a night of thunder and lightning as well as the many CPR trains passing through the RV, when the alarm goes off at 7.15 am and the sky still thick with cloud we decided to turn over and have another couple of hours sleep. This seems like a good day to drive to Yoho NP information office. We were advised that all seats on the bus were booked until September so in order to get a seat we would need to queue outside of the office the day before we wanted to go as there were 6 day use seats available each day. We will decide when we want to get up early, as this hike is high on our wish list. The rain accompanied us back to Lake Louise Village where we called into the information office to check on the next days weather.
Helen Lake/Cirque Peak - An early start for the 25 mile drive to the trailhead opposite Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint off the Icefields Parkway, Banff NP. (For a superior, uncrowded view park in the trailhead)
The 9 mile round trip was all our bible promised. The start of the hike, although uphill through tree line, was very pleasant with lots of wildflowers lining the path and frequent views of glaciers/mountains and Bow Lake. The path opened into a very wide meadow of multi-coloured flowers (including Indian Paintbrush), and terrific views of those wonderful Rocky Mountain peaks. It had taken us longer than the estimated time to reach Helen Lake because of those colourful flowers that needed looking at en- route. We climbed to a ridge that overlooked the lake and gave us a 360 degree view including the Wapta icefield above Crowfoot mountain. Quite a lot of Marmots here, most liked their photos taken while posing on the edge of rocks. The intended hike was supposed to take in Cirque Peak but we were more than happy with the views we were getting without putting in the extra effort of scrambling steeply up scree. After lunch in yet another "Restaurant" with an incredible view, we had a chat with a couple from Texas who had been on some of the hikes we had already done, and some we hope to do in the next week.
| Lake O'Hara Alpine Circuit - With a thermos of coffee in hand we were up and out by 6.45 a.m. and drove the 25 miles to Yoho NP Information Office. When we arrived it was to find three people sitting on the doorstep under a downie, also with coffee in hand, they were more desperate than us. It was just like the people who queue for the annual sales, and that is something neither of us had ever done. Once we settled down and started talking to them we realised that our hopes for getting tickets were nearly hopeless as they wanted all SIX seats (but being optimists we stuck it out). As time went on the queue got longer, so we were not the only people that were going to be disappointed. The bus leaves daily at 8.30 and 10.30 a.m. from a stop about five miles along the road from the office. Just before 8.00 am a Ranger came out of the office and asked if we were all waiting for tickets for the following days bus to Lake O'Hara, if so, only SIX tickets were available. |  |
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Lake O'Hara + Ptarmigan |
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| Disappointed as we were we didn't stop to argue as most others in the queue did - we hurried out to the truck and drove the five miles to the bus stop to see if any of the people who had booked months ago had not turned up (second chance). Luckily for us and another three people we could take the trip to this mystic lake a day earlier than we planned. | |
The uphill 8 mile journey on a narrow dusty road with lots of potholes took about twenty minutes. We were dropped off at the day use area which also gave information on the many hikes in the area. The lake has a Lodge which also has to be booked months in advance as well as a walk-in (or Bus) camping area.
This was one of our shorter hike at 6.3 miles but also it turned out to be one which constantly provided beautiful views. It started with a stroll by the side of the Blue Blue Lake O'Hara whose mirror like surface gave reflections of the mountain peaks. The stroll didn't last long as the path ascended steeply 1625 feet in less than a mile up to Wiwaxy Gap (8300). Wiwaxy Gap sits between Wiwaxy Peaks and Mt. Huber (11,047 feet). The wonderful views of most of the Lake O'Hara region were augmented by those of Cataract Brook Valley and the peaks above Kicking Horse Valley. This standard of scenery was to continue throughout the whole hike. The trail descends to Lake Oesa from whose shores Mt. Huber, Mt Victoria, Mt Lefoy and Glacier Peak (10,000 to 11,000 plus) amongst others are visible. The route then traverses the Yukness Ledge route (not for the faint hearted) to the meadows of the Opabin Plateau, with lakes Hungabee & Opabin ringed by Mt. Yukness, Ringrose Peak, Mt. Hungabee, Schaffer Ridge and Opabin Glacier. The final spectacular part of the Alpine route is the All Souls alpine route which traverses the nose of Mt, Schaffer. We started up this trail but were put off by some local people we had met at Opabin Lake, who called up to us from below that it was a dangerous route. This of course made us stop and study the way ahead more closely. There were hikers ahead of us which made it easier to follow the trail visually. There seemed to be two patches of deep snow on the fairly steep trail which might prove tricky. The seed of doubt had been planted by well meaning people - we had already enjoyed so much breathtaking scenery we decided to make the steep descent back to the Lakeside. Listening to other hikers back at the Rangers office the snow patches had not caused any great difficulty so we could have managed it. During this hike, as if the magnificent scenery was not enough, we had very good fortune of spotting a Ptarmigan with three chicks. We have this bird in Scotland but we had never seen one. Wullie had always wanted to see one and later on in the hike we spotted another with 3 chicks as well! Although the hike was short in miles it took us nearly 7 hours to complete it was so outstanding. Just one hiccup to the hike, Linda had forgotten to take an extra film for the camera. Thank goodness we had the video film which we can take still photos from. A wonderful, wonderful experience which once again had us reminding each other just how fortunate we are to be able to visit such amazingly beautiful places.
The day we hiked Lake O'Hara was a lovely clear and sunny day, but the following day (the day we would have hiked had we got 2 of the 6 seats on offer) was dull and overcast?
Johnson Canyon - A cloudy morning meant an afternoon start, unusual for us. This very popular hike to waterfalls and inkpots was given as a good "shoulder season" hike (when you can't get into the high levels for snow). This is the only hike we have done from our bible that we both wished we had missed. It was extremely busy with people & dogs, and although the waterfalls were nice not all that impressive. We found that most of the easily accessible falls in the Canadian Rockies were only average, but then our standard of Good has changed during the past 16 months. A hard slog for not a lot of reward. We did have nice views of mountain peaks when we reached the inkpots, but nothing to write home about.
Bow Waterfall - This was a very nice hike as the path followed the shore of beautiful BLUE Bow Lake, then ascended to give good views of both the waterfall ahead and the lake we had left behind. We rested looking up at the 500 ft. waterfall which emanates from Bow Glaciers and is the start of the Bow river which runs through Bow Valley to Calgary and beyond. We had the company of a couple from Texas for half of the return journey. They had travelled quite extensively as he was an executive in the oil business. They lived for a year in London which was OK. They lived for two years in Glasgow and spent most weekends touring the North & West of Scotland which to this day remains one of their favourite places. On the way home we stopped at the very BLUE and beautiful Peyto Lake and got some photographs just before the heavens opened.
Lake Louise to Jasper - We started early on our journey to ensure a pitch at Whistlers Campground in Jasper NP. Glaciers shimmered as the early morning sun brought the peaks to life at the start of another day, low thin strips of cloud hung around the base of the mountains while the mist rose from the lakes giving wonderful photo opportunities for the many people who had ventured out for just that reason. What a beautiful day to be moving, all we wanted was to see some wildlife , but no such luck, they must all still be snug in their warm beds and who could blame them!
Whistler's Campground in Jasper National Park is another of those "first come first served" campgrounds.
On arrival we made our request for one of the 71 full amenity sites and were advised that we would need to join the end of the queue. Some of the previous night late arrivals who wanted upgraded had been waiting well over an hour by the time we got there so we joined the end of the queue and hoped. With only four people in front of us and a possible five vacancies which would occur between now and 11.0 a.m. we were quite hopeful. After nearly an hours wait we had what we wanted, a lovely site over 60 feet long, very wide, set amongst trees, and whats more, no RAILWAY nearby. How long would it take us to get used to sleeping without noise? not long we suspect!
Once we were settled we took a drive into Jasper for BRUNCH in a local hotel, another of Wullie's good ideas. Full and overflowing we had a stroll around Jasper, called into the NP visitor centre to check if any of our planned hikes had bear activity and also check out the weather for the next few days. No bears, and tomorrows weather looked promising for one of those mountain hikes.
Location - Jasper National ParkWe had been told that this campsite had large pitches, and it has. It's lay out is quite different as each section is horseshoe shaped giving plenty of room from your neighbor. In the heat of the summer the trees give welcome shade, but during our stay we would have welcomed some of those rays to heat the RV up - but you can't have everything. Numerous elks graze around the RV's - we had been told that a couple of years ago the herd got so large it had to be moved to another location. |
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| Jasper Campground |
Wilcox Pass - Up early in the bitter cold ( low 40's). In our hiking bible this is listed as a Premier hike and once again it lived up to its billing. The first part of the hike provided fantastic views over Athabasca Glacier where we watched the many buses go to and from the icefields. This hike is relatively easy and provides wall to wall views all the way, after the early ascent the hiking is easy even for non-hikers. In the meadows we saw and took photo's of a small herd of Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep before hiking through to the pass. Met a couple of schoolteachers from Manchester on a five week camping holiday. They were camping under the Athabasca Glacier? and had never felt so cold while camping (overnight frost). Unfortunately we had to terminate our hike as the weather closed in obscuring all the peaks to the North & West. On our return trip the sleet and cold winds caught up with us, at least we had our rain gear with us. All the literature says be prepared for the weather as it can come in very quickly, but some people did not have the right clothing with them even although they were hiking with kids? By the time we got back to the truck the weather had improved slightly, and by the time we approached Jasper it was positively hot - over 70 degrees. This was the only evening we sat outside during our stay in Jasper and felt quite warm. Wilcox Pass is another relatively short and easy hike (that takes most of the day because of the views, wildflowers etc.) that we highly recommend.
| Bald Hills - After reading our hiking bible this was a hike that appealed to both of us as it started from and ascended above Maligne Lake. Not much hiking in trees and when you reach the summit there are lots of side trails meandering from peak to peak with great views. Although it was in the low 50's when we started, the lack of wind made it feel a lot hotter. During the 3.5 miles ascent to the summit of Bald Hills, 2,000 feet of gain, alleviated by views of beautiful Maligne Lake, it did not take long to realise why this was another of those Premier hikes. | |
| We had our first lunch stop sitting behind a cairn to shelter us from the wind. We meandered along the unofficial paths which led us to more peaks which offered even more fantastic views. Every time we started to ascend another peak we were given views of more and more peaks and the ever present Maligne Lake. This was one of best hikes we took in the Canadian Rockies, some effort required to get up there but ever changing vista's easily reached from the top. Maligne Lake, a long Lake, with the mountains seemingly rising directly out of the lake is Wullie's favourite Rockies lake. You can take a boat trip halfway along the lake but if you have the health & fitness required climb Bald Hills instead - the views will blow your mind!. |  |
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Maligne Lake from Bald Hills |
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Jasper Town - The Canadian NP's often have towns within the park unlike the USA. Jasper had quite a few historic buildings, one being the lovely library. This building once belonged to the RCMP but was restored and made into a library. It's well worth a visit - the young ladies are very friendly and helpful. Internet access is provided at a small charge. Wullie replenished his reading library from their 50 cents a book - sale.
Miette Hot Springs - On our last full day at Jasper the weather outlook was not very promising so we decided on a short 3 mile hike in a canyon at Miette hot Springs. Just as we were leaving the wind became strong so down with the awning before we left, just in case it blew off while we were out. As we drove towards Miette the cloud started lifting and by the time we completed the 30+ miles there were patches of blue sky, although it was still quite cold. Not thinking the weather would hold for us to complete the valley hike we started very tentatively. The skies got brighter so we continued and completed the hike, although it did start raining quite heavy just as we started our return journey, but fortunately did not last long. Throughout the day we saw lots of wildlife, starting with two male elk both with big racks of antlers. In the carpark a few goats roamed in and out of parked cars, but the highlight was a black bear by the roadside as we approached the main road. Lucky for us it was on our side so we got more good video pictures of it eating the berries from nearby bushes. Linda was dying to see a male moose during our stay in the Rockies but it wasn't to be!
Jasper NP to Mt Revelstoke NP - Another reasonably cold and cloudy morning when we left at 9.0 a.m. The 286 mile trip ( our furthest so far), went really well. The mountain peaks on the Icefields Parkway and beyond had quite a bit of new snow on them, a sign that Autumn was upon us already. We were pleased to be moving to what we thought would be a warmer climate in BC, but when we arrived it was none too warm, although the mosquito's did not know that, they still bit us when we were setting everything up. The evening was clear but chilly.
This campground is within walking distance of Revelstoke town, and just a couple of miles from Revelstoke National Park. However it is also near one of those railways so we were back to the noise once again, but only for three nights. This pretty grassy site is very popular.
Mount Revelstoke NP - This must be the smallest NP in BC. The entrance gate office had numerous colourful hanging baskets making it one of the prettiest entrances we have seen. The only road into the park goes steeply upwards for 26 kms, passing a few viewpoints, to a large carpark. From here you can wait for the shuttle bus to take you another 1 km to a lookout point, or hike a path lined with flowers to the lookout points - this was our choice. We met up with a family from Nottinghamshire who were very interested in our lifestyle. On parting we gave them our WWW address and promised to keep in touch via EMail.
| Jade Lake Overlook - Not being armed with a great deal of detailed information on the hike we set out with mixed feelings but it far exceeded our expectations. The very well maintained path wanders through light forest with lots of meadow areas with a wonderful variety of flowers including Wullie's favorite Indian Paintbrush. At one point on the path a porcupine was ambling along in front of us. The video came out and we tried to get it to turn round for the camera, but no such luck. We had to settle for a rear view - but better than nothing. The hike led us past the very pretty Helen Lake where we started our ascent to Jade Lake overlook. |  |
| Jade Lake. Insert- Porcupine | |
| This fairly strenuous climb is well worth the effort for the complete view of the lake and numerous peaks and valleys. Scramble up a further few hundred feet to a ridge for even more extensive views of the surrounding mountains. We had our Lunch in another of those restaurants with a wonderful view before making our way back in brilliant sunshine, the best of the day. A super hike which we believe would be rated as Premier in our Rockies hiking bible if it covered this area. As we arrived home late we changed quickly and went out for dinner. Unfortunately we were out when the people we spoke to earlier in the day arrived to look at our RV. |
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Revelstoke to Summit Lake - A mere 70 miles with a short, FREE, ferry trip across Upper Arrow Lake from Shelter Bay to Galena Bay. With no railway transport in the Kootenays this ferry is well patronized by very large articulated lorries. We were one of the last vehicles to get onto the ferry - would have to have waited another 1.5 hours. Calm sunny weather made this short trip really enjoyable.
Situated between Nakusp (A really pretty town) & New Denver. A beautiful grassy spacious site by the lakeside. Swimming, boating and fishing were popular pleasure activities - Linda said she could stay here and relax for a month if the weather and time permitted.
Idaho Peak - The 11.2 mile very narrow, steep track from Sandon to the parking area was one of the hairiest roads Linda had been on, but then she was a passenger and not in control. When we finally arrived at the parking area someone was about to leave so we slipped into the only vacant space.(don't know what people do when the car park is full as there is no room to turn round and just a very narrow steep downhill track back to the fork, which we're glad we did not have to do in reverse?). The very easy hike to the lookout is a gem, easy enough for ANYONE (if they've survived the drive up). The 360 degree views would have been outstanding had the weather been favorable. We sat by the lookout had lunch looking down on Slocan, Goat, Kokanee & Valhalla mountain ranges as well as Slocan Lake and the villages of Silverton & New Denver. Once again the wildflower display was wonderful but two weeks earlier would have been even better. On our return to Sandon (Linda driving) we discovered another GEM - a "Don't Waste Your Time in the Kootenays" hiking book. If this is anything near as good as the one for the Rockies it's another well spent $18.
Wilson Falls - Way back in June when we first entered BC we went into the information office at Wasa Lake Provincial Park and were given a magazine "Our New Parks in BC". It included a photo that captured our imagination. - Wilson Falls in Goat Range Provincial Park. From that moment on we planned on visiting the falls if at all possible - today was the day. After driving the 11 miles on a forest road north of New Denver we got out of the truck and the first thing we heard was the roar of the waterfall in the distance. An easy 20 minutes hike through forest brought us out to this wonderful sight. Its not the height of the falls but the volume of water giving so much spray that it made rainbows appear in the sunshine. Wullie climbed onto a ledge halfway up the falls so Linda could take the same photograph as in the magazine. We were both glad that we had made this trip and were not disappointed in any way. Surprisingly we were only joined by one other couple at this beautiful, beautiful spot. The drive on the forest road is probably more difficult than the hike. A visit to Nakusp to the library for Internet access allowed us to have a look round this very friendly & pretty lakeside town.
| Petrol Prices - This chart is published on the petrol pumps in Canada, advising everyone how the price of petrol (gas) is determined: Crude Costs (should be the same as back home), Refining & Sales Cost (should be the same as back home) Profit (at 1% Petro Canada made multi-Billion dollar profits last year) Taxes (51%). As HIGH petrol prices are currently of great interest in the UK, (90p/litre!), it may be of interest to know that with Tax of 51% the cost in Canada is 32p/ litre! Can Tax in the UK be 150%? Are the oil companies making more than 1% profit? Are citizens of the UK being "ripped off" by their government & oil companies? |  |
The last week of this month will be included in September.
Miles travelled this month: 1,904
Accumulative miles: 31,673
Interesting Hyperlinks:
Mount Revelstoke National Parks
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