Kootenay to Jasper

For our second day in the Banff area we headed out from our hotel in Canmore up through Banff and and then south through Kootenay National Park to Radium Hot Springs. We then drove north to Golden and then through Yoho Natiaonl Park.


Vermilion River in Kootenay NP.

Short hike to Paint Pots

Love the glacier melt colors of rivers and lakes.

Hike to Hamilton Falls.

Emerald Lake

Will wanted to go canoeing, so we did. Lot's of fun in a beautiful setting.

Photos by Marie.

Yoho River

Kicking Horse River joining the Yoho River




What do you do when the canyon is too steep for safe descent, you dig circular tunnels into the mountain to flatten out the rail path.


Upper train tunnel openings.

Lower tunnel openings. I didn't wait for trains to emerge for a more dramatic photo, but other tourists had been sitting for over 30 minutes waiting for a train to come.

Next morning we left Cranmore and headed out for our last journey through Banff National Park. During our park drives I liked to ask the boys what they would name certain mountains if they were the initial explorers in the region. When I asked what they would name this mountain they offered no suggestions. I then came up with Crayola Mt. because from more of a distance it looked like four crayon tips sticking out of a crayola box of crayons.

Lake Louise was pretty spectacular.

I had initially planned to hike up to Lake Agnes, but we opted for the more gentle shore walk along the whole length of the northern shore of Lake Louise.

We watched one climber (center of photo) ascend.

Some day I'd love to ski Lake Louise Ski Resort (in the distance).

We went into the Lake Lousie Chateau to buy post cards and stamps to mail to Sarah. Marie liked these chairs.

Crow's foot glacier.

We then headed north along the Icefield Parkway through the northern section of Banff and into Jasper.

Saskatchewan River. Its waters eventually enter Hudson Bay and then the Atlantic.

Athabasca Glacier was amazing.

A lateral moraine

Canada is not afraid to confront the challenges of climate change.

We enjoyed our hike up to the toe of the glacier.

We did not spend our money on a ride up onto the glacier.

We think these are scratches from the glacier moving rocks over this base rock.

Waters from the Columbia Ice Field flow into three oceans. Very cool.

Dome Glacier. Nice view of a lateral moraine (lower center)

Athabasca River, flowing north to the Arctic Ocean.

Athabasca Falls.

Whirlpool.

We spent the night in the town of Jasper. Next day we drove through the beautiful forested mountains of British Columbia to Vancouver. We had assumed that somewhere in our visit to eight National Parks we would see a bear or two. Didn't happen. But an hour out of Jasper National Park we happened upon this beautiful black bear. Marie felt fulfilled.