I wish it was WDW instead trippie - UPDATED WITH MORE PICS!

[mandymouse]

I'm loving your trippie Carol and you've got some fab photos too

Mandy

 

[natalielongstaff]

stunning photos Carol the kayaks look like fun

 

[DisneyJo]

It looks absolutely gorgeous Carol

 

[KayleeUK]

Lovely pictures of the lake

 

[Claire L]

Oh sounds like a great time. The covered wagon reminds me of being in Jackson Hole in 1995

Claire

 

[carolfoy]

well the weather wasn't kind today and I was a bit shattered after all the driving around yesterday (although the CPS system was a great help). We spent the day today literally mooching around the shops and restaurants in Banff. Seriously if you ever do the Rockies be wary of tours that only give you one or two nights here, Banffs such a beautiful place and is worthy of a weeks stay (if you can afford it - its the most expensive resort this time of year!) There are a lot of shops and bars etc. I would have taken pics of the town centre but they were digging it up so it didn't look very photogenic at all.
Callum and I retired to the hot tub in the hotel for the afternoon as we were botha little bit achey after the white water rafting and kayaking.
Then it was a case of packing up again and getting ready for the move up the Icefields Pathway (the main road that leads from Louise to Jasper).

Day 7: The Icefields pathway and our first real wildlife

 

[carolfoy]

well the weather wasn't kind today and I was a bit shattered after all the driving around yesterday (although the CPS system was a great help). We spent the day today literally mooching around the shops and restaurants in Banff. Seriously if you ever do the Rockies be wary of tours that only give you one or two nights here, Banffs such a beautiful place and is worthy of a weeks stay (if you can afford it - its the most expensive resort this time of year!) There are a lot of shops and bars etc. I would have taken pics of the town centre but they were digging it up so it didn't look very photogenic at all.

bye bye banff!

Callum and I retired to the hot tub in the hotel for the afternoon as we were botha little bit achey after the white water rafting and kayaking.
Then it was a case of packing up again and getting ready for the move up the Icefields Pathway (the main road that leads from Louise to Jasper).

Day 7: The Icefields pathway and our first real wildlife

 

[saratogagirl]

beautiful pics hon, it looks like you had good fun kayaking

 

[carolfoy]

breakfast and check out from hotel,, we're on the road in the pimp mobile for around 9:00. Taking the Trans Canada Highway as far as Louise then onto the Icefields Pathway with our eyes well peeled for bears.
Have to note here that the wildlife is VERY cultured in Canada, there are numerous crossings marked along the highway, each stating either Bears crossing, Caribou crossing or Elk crossing. How they know to read the signs and cross only in their designated spots is beyond me - very clever!
We stop at a few scenic places for pics (and cigs in my case!) but our first real break is at Peyto lake, one of the most photographed spots due to its outstanding glacial colour. Its a bit of a hike up to the top but well worth it.

We drive then to the Columbia Icefields, the sky has hazed over but the view out to the glacier is still fairly clear

we take the bus out to the toe of the glacier then join a Brewsters tour coach to travel out on to the actual glacier.

The Brewsters tour was very informative and they showed us teh different glaciers that meet at this point (the triple continental divide)

we spend a while out messing about on the ice

after we leave the icefield the sun breaks through (isn't that always the way?) but we stop and enjoy a lovely soup in the icefield centre before the late afternoon drive to Sunwapta Falls where we're spending the night.

the weather has cleared up a lot so we walk out to the waterfalls before retiring to the resort for our evening meal

this was the only place in the tour where we were all sharing a room, consequently it was the smallest room and bathroom of the lot
never mind, only one night.


edited to add: nearly forgot to say we actually saw a real american grey wolf whilst driving to the icefields, he was loping through the trees at the side of the road but there were too many darn r.v's behind us to stop quickly, also he was probably gone in a split second anyway
day 8: Jasper

 

[natalielongstaff]

what a fantastic Trip Carol, you and Cal look like you are having a ball

 

[irongirlof12]

awesome photo's, what a great trip.

 

[wickesy]

Great trip Carol. Did you get to drink any of the water while you were on the glacier?

We had problems with RVs on our trip as well but generally they were in front of us getting in the way!

 

[florida sun]

Fantastic photos hon

 

[scottishsue]

Your trip must have been fantastic Carol, and the piccies are lovely !!

(Had a friend who lived in Banff for a while and she loved it).

 

[carolfoy]

we check out of the Sunwapta Falls resort and head on up towards Jasper stopping to take in the sight of the beautiful Athabasca Falls, the waterfalls created by yesterdays glacier.

we arrive in Jasper again too early to check into th ehotel but go in and fill out the paperwork anyway before heading into town to have breakfast. callum is completely smitten by the artefacts in a shop created by and owned by the native americans (or Indians, or first Nations, or whatever the politically correct name is). He falls in love with a cherokee talking stick
which is basically a coyote skull on a stick covered with fox fur and tassles and beads used by the 'wise person' of the tribe to nominate who can talk and who can't. 'dead dog on a stick' as it became known was subsequently purchased and has been giving me the heebie jeebies ever since. (I banned him from talking for the rest of the trip as I had to pack it away immediately and very carefully, he had no stick, so hence couldn't talk didn't stop him though!)
We took the car out to Edith and Annette lakes and had a long walk around

(how many more bloomin lakes are there?)
then moved on to see Patricia and Pyramid lakes, all the while keeping the eyes peeled for bears. None spotted!
back to the town so I could check out where the national car rental shop was so I could drop the car off there tomorrow night.

the car place was right in the train station so that was convenient.
We popped into KFC for dinner as we were all steaked out. then back to the hotel for the evening.

 

[carolfoy]

wow! day 9 already, our full day in Jasper, unfortunately it had clouded over so the tramway was out of the question, we really should have done it yesterday afternoon!
we went down town for breakfast again, callum looked in the indian shop, again! but fortunately didn't purchase any more dead animals.
We went out to Maligne lake today, stopping by Medicine Lake and the Maligne canyon whereupon we encountered some very useful information on how to avoid a bear attack.
apparently if they are 'attacking' you have to lie down and play dead, if they are 'defensive' you should definately NOT play dead but talk to them. (it was at this point we decided we'd ask them if they really sh*t in the woods) and if they are 'protecting' you should run away. now, I don't know about you but by the time I'd seen the bear, got the leaflet out, decided which position the bear was in, had a discussion about the mode of said bear I'd have probably been eaten anyway.
no real pics today as i was a little pissed off with looking at water,, did have a very nice bowl of soup at maligne though so it was worth the drive out just for that.
Back to Jasper for 5 at which time I had to drop the pimp mobile and bid a fond farewell, would miss my entourage and the need to wear a lot of bling but wouldn't miss constant 'bonging' noise of many gadgets and gizmos as they did whatever gadgets and gizmos in 'luxury' cars do.
Was slightly reassured of own dumb blondeness as the nat car rental girl couldn't figure out how to start the darn thing either!, breathed a big sigh of relief as it wasn't just me being stupid.
Back to hotel after dinner and packed up again for early start tomorrow.

day 10: 1st day on rocky mountaineer and a bear-y nice day!

 

[carolfoy]

check in at rocky mountaineer railstation was at 07:30, so no breakfast as we get that on the train.
a slight panic as callum fears he's left his wallet in the room and rushes back to the hotel where by we find it in his backpack

fuzzy pic taken by Callum!

I must admit to dozing a lot on the train today, it was so nice to let someone else do the driving!
we had a lovely breakfast on the train and a great commentary, there are observation cars and you can actually lean out of vestibule windows to see things as they pass by.
I woke from a very nice nap to stare out the train window into the face of a bear! 'bbbber beeeer bbbear bear! ' I squeak as I'm still half asleep, luckily some other people saw him too so I wasn't dreaming.
We went on to see another three that day but unfortunately for as long as you sit staring out the window, camera ready, the minute you put it down to go to the loo or take a drink you can guarantee you get bear sightings.
Arrive early evening into a boiling hot Kamloops and check into the Thompson hotel for the night.
Wandered a couple of blocks to 'boston pizza' for dinner then I was ready for my bed, all that sleep on the train had tired me out.

day 11: 2nd day on RMR

 

[natalielongstaff]

Have you got any bear photos !!!! i think your lake pics are lovely i am not bored of them !

 

[carolfoy]

Have you got any bear photos !!!! i think your lake pics are lovely i am not bored of them !

I was bored daft of them Nat, see? you so should have gone instead of me! and no, didn't get any bear pics at all, I have some from a few years ago so I'll try and hunt them out at some point and get them scaned in.

 

[tennisfan]

Fantastic pics, it looks like you & Callum enjoyed yourselves