Day trips around Jasper

Sunny and 12C at 8am. Eggs and toast cooked outside on the Coleman, then we headed the 48 km to the Miette Hot Springs. We saw an elk and sheep along the way. Our Lab had a (cold) swim.

Fox crossing the road

We got to the Hot Springs before they opened at 10:30. They open at 9:30 in the “summer”. I guess the lineup waiting for the 10:30 opening doesn't count as busy. $6 each, plus $1 for coin-operated lockers in the change rooms. There are 2 hot pools, one at 104F, one at 101F. Also 2 coolers ones, at 19C and 12C (not sure why the change in temperature units). We went in the hotter one for about ½ hr, then moved to the 101F one for another ½ hr. Very nice! Different than the ones in New Mexico, ie shared large pool instead of private rooms, but very nice anyway.

Then we had a nice drive back to Jasper, had burgers at an Internet hot spot cafe, and Cath had another browse at the quilt shoppe. 

The rest of the day we were just lazy at the campsite, one of the nicest sites we've had this trip (number 62K).

After supper we drove to Pyramid Lake and took a short hike out to an island in the lake. 

Our Lab was able to come with us on some hikes in Jasper Park, anywhere dogs weren't specifically excluded because of wildlife concerns mostly. Then we drove around to another road on the other side of Jasper, and got a real nice view of the Fairmont Jasper Lodge. 

Back at the camper we poured ourselves a drink and sat around outside until 10. Still mild, and very few bugs.

Lake Louise to Jasper AB

We left Lake Louise about 8am, 11C, cool and wet. It had rained almost all night, lots of puddles around. The interior roads are well graveled though. It was a nice stay, good to hike and bike around the cg.

We drove up the scenic road from Lake Louise to Jasper, the Icefields Parkway. A park pass is required for all vehicles on this road. It would have cost us $9.60 per day, each! At $20/day it doesn't take long to make a big dent in an annual pass, so we got the annual Family pass for $136 after all. It's good at almost (!) all of the Canadian National parks. 

This Icefields Parkway drive is a really nice drive, world-famous even. I have to say that we both enjoyed our recent Yellowstone experience more, although that's likely unpatriotic to say. Yellowstone is so different from anything we've seen before.

We stopped for a hike at the Athabasca Glacier. It continues to shrink at an increasing rate, so it's more of a hike than it was, not too many years ago. 

On the drive up to Jasper we saw a number of mountain sheep, 2 black bears, a grizzly, and a mountain goat. Lots of trees and mountain views.

There's a black bear way over there

Two sheep crossed in front of us. See the second head on the right? He made it too.

Apparently they REALLY wanted some of that green grass on the other side

We arrived near Jasper (town) to camp at the Whistlers cg. It's a huge cg, almost 800 sites. Good thing it's big, as it's the only cg open and was pretty busy! Unserviced site again, 3 nights @ $27.50. Very nice sites, large, wooded, quiet.
 
There are only 2 central shower buildings for the whole huge park, right beside each other near the office area.

We had a good browse around Jasper and got some groceries and gas. Jasper gas was a pleasant surprise, being lower than the BC prices (BC, like Quebec, has a provincial surcharge on gas). Higher than the usual prices we've seen in Alberta, but still – not the gouging I expected. The groceries were somewhat reasonable too.  Cath enjoyed the local quilt shop, and we stayed up reading outside without a light (!) until almost 10pm.

Penticton BC to Lake Louise AB

After several enjoyable days we departed from Donna's about 6am, 16C. Lovely lake drive for miles. We headed north on Hwy 97 and 97A, up to the Trans Canada Highway at Sicamous.

We did encounter some construction along the way, so it's going to be an even nicer drive soon. Near Sicamous we stopped for a breakfast buffet at Eagle Pass Landing, $10 seniors price, very good – pirogies, Eggs Benedict, oj, pancakes, French toast, waffles, bacon, sausage (even our Lab got a bit of sausage later). First BC gas fillup, $1.06.9.

A huge fresh-looking rock cut on the TCH

We drove through to Lake Louise cg, arriving about 2:45, taking an unserviced campsite. Just 24C now, it was up to 27C earlier.
I saw an interesting vehicle parked in the campground:

It was a Swiss couple, about our age. The fellow and I had some trouble communicating, English wasn't his best language and I don't know Swiss, German or Spanish. We did struggle along in Frenglish though, with lots of gesturing. They had started several months ago by shipping their camper to Argentina and working their way North from there. He built the camper body, compact and rugged.

So many of the National Park campgrounds, picnic area and trails are still closed, even though there is lots of traffic around. At least they didn't demand a park pass yet, that costs extra over and above the camping $$ in these National parks.

A few days at Donna and Bob's

Another nice visit with Donna and Bob. Donna and Cathie enjoy roaming around together, shopping, browsing and catching up.

Okanagan Lake, Penticton

We sat outside most evenings and mornings. It got up to 30C most days, warm enough to run the AC on the trailer during the hot afternoon. 

We all enjoyed the Penticton market Saturday. 

Street market in Penticton

I got the Tahoe AC recharged, about $250! With these temperatures we thought we might need AC on the way home, but didn't use it after all.

Coeur D'Alene WA to Penticton BC

Away at 5:20 PT, 7C.  We had breakfast at a Denny's near Spokane. We like the meal choices at Denny's, especially their seniors menu.

We got to the Grand Coulee dam area about 9am. Fresh cherries for sale in the area already, they looked ripe on trees. 17C at 9am. This dam site generates electricity from the Columbia River.

Then we carried on to Omak. When we were first through here back in 2005, we turned left at the Indian reserve and had nice drive following the river until it headed west. We took the more direct inland route this time, also a nice drive.
 

The Columbia River, downstream from the Grand Coulee dam

A banked curve in a large rock cut, unusual.

Once in Omak we stopped for gas and a Walmart break. 22C at 11am. 

We reached the border at 11:40 am, an easy crossing. Later the Oliver A&W appealed for lunch. Cath browsed the quilt shop in Oliver, and we chatted with the owner for a bit. She drives to Coeur D'Alene first when flying in the U.S., MUCH cheaper than flying from Canada.

About 2pm we arrived at Donna's place near Penticton BC. Donna is Cathie's sister, and we always enjoy visits with Donna and her hubby Bob.