Parks and more parks

I have to begin this blog with a tribute to our very special friend we lost today, Jake Castelli. he was My dear bud, he looked so much like my brother Darby and fought cancer with a vengeance for four years. We will miss you Jake. Mom will write the rest tonight.

The last three days we've been in Canmore, 20 mi from Banff, AB. we didn't spend much time in Canmore, our park was a spot to lay our heads and watch 24 at night as we had no TV and little wi-fi. However, it was a great place to use as a home base for visiting 2 national parks and 3 provential (like state) parks that were each different and beautiful.

Our first day we went to Kootenay National Park. The park lies in the BC side of the Canadian Rockies, bordered by Banff. Just one road passes through Kootenay, hwy 93 for 58 miles; the park had 2 fires, 2001/2003 that left 40% of the park scorched.  Our first stop was Marble Canyon, an ice-carved, marble streaked canyon you reach with an easy 0.6 mi hike each way. The walk takes you back 500 million years, following a fault in the limestone and marble bedrock.  as the canyon narrows, water roars through it in a series of falls.

Next we had planned to stop at Paint Pots but a washed out bridge left that for another trip. Our next stop was Numa Falls where the Vermilion River tumbles over exposed bedrock.

next we went through an area that was supposed to have lots of wildlife...afraid this fellow was it!

However, the views were once again beautiful...

We left Kootenay and took our favorite Bow Valley Parkway home and once again hit the wildlife. This time Elk, whom we hadn't seen this trip at all!

We ended the night with a beautiful sunset, picture taken sometime well after 10pm

The next morning we set our sights on Kananaskis Country, comprised of 7 provincial parks of 1640 sq mi. 

Bow Valley was a small park along Bow and Kananaskis Rivers. 

We did an unremarkable hike around Many Springs Lake, but the wild flowers were very pretty.

Next we traveled up to Canoe Meadows, a day use area where white water enthusiasts use a stretch of the water as a slalom course with man made obstacles during racing days.

Continuing up the trail, we passed by Barrier Lake and our first Big Horn Sheep.

As we made our way north, we hit the winter resort Nakiska, where the alpine events were held for the Calgary Olympics in 1988.  You can see the ski paths mirror the diagram of the many ski trails.

We found our way to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, home to two magnificent bodies of water, Upper and Lower Kananaski Lakes.

As we made our way to higher and higher elevations, mountain goats interrupted our drive many times.  Except for the babies, they are wildlife only a mother could love, pretty ugly fellows. We reminded ourselves that last year a park ranger told us they eat rocks to get the minerals...must be what Remy is doing sometimes:)

finally we made it up to Highwood Pass, 7239 ft, the highest road pass in Canada and a pretty view.

And off we went, 90 miles back home, a long, but interesting drive!

Our final day in Canmore we went back to another National Park, Yoho in BC, north and east of a Banff. As soon as Hwy 1 left AB we noted a marked deterioration, interestingly, the mountains seemed to get more rugged and the facilities more primitive than AB. Still, this is also a beautiful park.

Our first stop was Takakkaw Falls, a very impressive waterfall, the claim is the highest "continuous" falls in Canada at 830 Ft. The temp started at about 65 but was in the forties by the time we made it to the falls.  The trip up included a windy hairpin road...

next we stopped at a "Confluence of two rivers," the picture of the rivers doesn't show the uniqueness you see in person, but the board explains...

Next we headed to Natural Bridge. now coming from VA and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, THE Natual Bridge, this one was a bit of a let down but still shows the power of water!

Then we made it up to Emerald Lake, a jewel of the Canadian Rockies...and yes the water is truly this brilliant aqua color. The lake is covered in ice 9 months of the year, but comes alive in summer.

A great end to our time in some fabulous parks.  Next we make our way up the Canadian Icefields Parkway. we have had our share of wifi issues, so if this posts we will soon follow with the Icefields and Jasper National Park!

Banff National Park...a Very Special Place!

Mom says she has hardly seen a place prettier than Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. From the moment we came into town we knew were in for something special...the Canadian Rocky mountains that surround Banff take your breath away! The peaks are much more jagged than US Rockies and since we are seeing them earlier than last year's trip west, the snow peaks are much more vivid!

Our campsite in Banff was right in the National Park with full hookups and a fabulous view of Mount Rundle. The air was crisp, smelled of fresh pine and cedar, and the campground was very quiet and peaceful.  The crowds don't start until July but the weather was just great, about 65 deg, more sun than rain, but always lush! Here are some views from our Tunnel Mountain campground...

And with it staying light until 11:00 at night, we took this picture of Mount Rundle from our campsite about 10:00 p.m. Mount Rundle is one of the iconic mountains in Banff!

Our first day Mom and Da decided to head up to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Mom rread that the lakes were beautiful...I would say drop dead gorgeous is more like it. They had a bit of a cloudy and somewhat  rainy afternoon, but imagine if it had been clear.  The water is such a gorgeous aqua blue, created from Glacier Melt! First are several pictures of their hike in the rain around Lake Louise.

It was amazing to see the thick glacier that is still there in late June

The Hotel at Lake Louise is very fancy, old world Cosmopolitan. Many Asian and Eurpoean visitors at the hotel and lake.

Next Mom and Dad headed up to the smaller Morraine Lake.  The trip up was spectacular as the sun began to come out!

Moraine Lake, although smaller, was just as beautiful.

Leaving the area Mom and Dad ran into their first wildlife and really weren't sure if it was a coyote or wolf. Originally they leaned toward Coyote, but after discussing differences with a Park Ranger they now think he was a Wolf!  They learned at the Banff Museum that wolves have longer legs, wider ears at the base and Cyotes have rings in their fur.

That night we went out in search of more wildlife, we only saw this deer but even better was this beautiful rainbow!

The next morning Mom and Dad headed out in search of wildlife down the Bow Valley Parkway. The parkway is closed from 11pm to 8am so you miss the really good dawn and dusk time. We found the protection of wildlife much more strict than in Yellowstone or Rocky Mount.  Here, pathways and roads are regularly closed for bear. At first I thought it was for the people, but even cars were not allowed to protect the bears.  It was mating season, hence the careful watch!

Mom was so excited, they hit paydirt right away, with the big enchilada...a huge grizzly at 8:30 in the morning who crossed on the road right in front of their car.  See his distinctive bump on his back! They watched him munching berries and leaves on the side of the road 5 ft from their car!

Next Mom and Dad went on a hike to Johnston Falls, both the lower and upper falls. The lower falls was a pretty easy hike and the upper, not much worse, just a bit of elevation. Most of the walk was on a boardwalk out over the falls so it was really pretty.

You'll notice Dad had on Va Tech clothes...once again small world, they met two folks from Richmond, Va, at the falls, first Virginians we have seen!  The upper falls were just as spectacular as the lower...

On the way back they stopped several places along the Bow Valley Parkway, pretty scenery, but no more wildlife!

The next day we had rain in the morning so Mom and Dad decided to hit downtown. They went to two museums, one on the Park animals and one on the history of the area. neither was great, but good rain morning activities.  By afternoon, the sun was out again! Downtown is so much bigger than we anticipated, lots of cute lodges, shops, restaurants, like a large ski town!

Next Mom and Dad went over to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, built by William Van Horne, VP of the Canadian Pacfific Railroad to encourage customers to travel the railroad.  It is one of the most opulent mountain resort hotels in the world! In 1888 it was the largest hotel in the world with 220 rooms and by 1911 it had 22,000 guests.

That evening we went in search of wildlife.  dusk is so late we had to go out about 9p.m.  we found a couple of black bear friends although the pics aren't great as they were a ways away. One of them had some type of molting disease.

The next morning we went out in search of more wildlife.  first we found a big ol' moose right outside the campground. These pictures are all with the small camera, we do have some better ones with the big camera but with limited wifi Mom hasnt transferred to our IPAD.

next up was another black bear and some deer. we found him off of Lake Minniwanka, the biggest lake in Banff.

Mom and Dad's final hike in the park was right from our campsite to the Hoodoos, rock formations formed from the glaciers years ago.

They returned to find me, their little man, patiently waiting for Mom and Dad!

Although we loved staying here, it was hard to get time in the National Park so we had to move our campsite 20 mi down the road to Canmore. our next post will be about our next three days visiting some other parks in the area. we could easily stay here a month, so much to see...and maybe in a month Mom would get her fill of bears!