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Canadian Rockies ~ September 2000

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Day 1. Flew into sunshine in Calgary and checked into the hostel.

Day 2. After a good nights sleep we started our holiday with a filling Canadian breakfast in the rotating restaurant at the top of Calgary Tower. Trudi wanted a table with a view of the mountains - we explained "rotating". Having filled up on maple cured bacon and pancakes we leapt into the car and headed for the hills. Our first stop was Canmore, but all the interesting trails were closed - "aggressive grizzly in the area". A bit of a disappointment, but none of us wanted to see a bear that badly (except perhaps Trudi).

 Calgary - a view from the tower
Calgary - a view from the Tower

Mt.Rundle from Tunnel Mountain		 Next stop Banff where we climbed Tunnel Mountain, a small hill overlooking the town and giving wonderful views of snow-capped peaks all around.
The Hoodoos, Banff
Day 3. A cry of horror from the tent as Helen discovered her mascara was frozen - this trip is not the sophisticated cultural tour she was expecting! Although cold it is bright & sunny, a thirst for views sent us up the Sulphur Mountain Gondola. Japanese a plenty at the view point, but few on the trail behind. Dave and Helen tried to kill themselves on the precipitous limestone ledges (Ali couldn't watch).

Banff from Sulphur Mountain
Trail on Sulphur Mountain

Johnston Canyon
The Ink Pots		 The afternoon saw us at Johnston Canyon, a fascinating limestone gorge with a huge wall of travertine (a kind of algae/limestone living rock). Dave & Trudi walked on to see the Ink Pots (fascinating pools of spring water in differing bright shades of blues and greens).
Day 4. Woke up to find it pouring down. This was desperate. We spent all morning trying to find dry accommodation (along with everyone else) - ended up in the YWCA, which was not recommended. Tried to do walks which made the most of the appalling weather as there were no views at all. Dave and Trudi succeeded in spotting a wolf (from quite a long way away) at Vermilion lakes.
Day 5. To cheer ourselves up we headed to "Jump Start" for best muffins and coffee in town. The weather is still a bit moody so we hiked through forest to Boom Lake. With falling snow, jingling bear-bells and fir trees, it felt just like Christmas! Forest had loads of fascinating fungi, but even Trudi dared not eat them. On to Lake Louise and coffee at the very posh Chateau. Far too smart for us, so on to Mosquito Creek hostel. Huts in the woods with no plumbing, no washroom, smelly pit toilets, but friendly common room, charismatic warden, and great atmosphere. H said it was her favourite hostel.
Mosquito Creek Hostel

Waterfowl Lake & Mt.Chephren		 Day 6. Woke up to sunshine and ankle-deep snow. Wonderful! In the absence of showers Dave manfully rubbed himself down with snow, the rest of us stayed warm but stinky. Spectacular views of mountains where there had only been cloud when we arrived. The Icefields Parkway was closed for a couple of hours until the snow plough came through. No problem, it would take us that long to get past all the view-points!

Peyto Lake 		Peyto Lake was gorgeous, eliciting squeals of delight from the Japanese sliding to the icy view point. Only the few Brits struggled through the snow drifts to the upper viewpoint for the classic picture-postcard views. Yes the lake really is that colour.
The brave did a snowy walk to Parker Ridge for views of Saskatchewan Glacier. Perilous icy decent.

Hilda Peak from the Parker Ridge trailhead on the Icefields Parkway		 Athabasca Falls Hostel was another set of rustic cabins in the woods. An Internet terminal has been installed, but still no indoor plumbing. We were told that a bear had been visiting the night before - made those night time trips to the outhouse more adventurous!
Athabasca Falls Hostel
Day 7. Our guidebook picture of Cavell Meadows showed a girl in shorts skipping through the alpine flowers. Our visit was a little different. First we walked to the toe of the Cavell and Angel glaciers and their melt-water lake - stunning in the snowy conditions. Next it was up to Cavell Meadows for those classic views of the Angel Glacier. At times the snow was knee deep.
On the Cavell Meadows Trail
Below the Angel Glacier

Mount Edith Cavell Hostel		 Mt. Edith Cavell hostel: Another mountain hut experience, no plumbing, no drains, no electricity. Outhouse labelled "shower" sounded good - turned out you had to fill a plastic bag with water and hold it above your head. Instructions promised a relaxing shower, but none of us were brave enough. On Trudi's evening walk along the shore of Cavell Lake she saw droppings and was convinced they were bear scat.

Cavell Lake		 She discussed this at length over dinner and the strength of our fellow hostellers' stomachs was tested to the limit. Trudi and Helen learnt to chop firewood. Well, Trudi staggered around helpless with laughter waving an axe with log stuck on it, if this counts. Spent evening reading by gaslight: "Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance". Vivid descriptions of people having their arms ripped off. Didn't go out to the loo that night.
Day 8. We all went down to Cavell Lake to see the bear scat (it wasn't). Breakfast in Jasper at "Deiter's", which Trudi insisted on calling "dieters", much to Dave's horror! Next a tour of the Maligne River, including Medicine Lake (the amazing disappearing lake - drains into underground caverns in the winter), Maligne Lake and the amazing Maligne Canyon (50m deep and 1m wide).
Maligne Lake
Day 9. Another day with super visibility, so it was up Whistler's Mountain on the Jasper Tramway for an icy walk to the summit with amazing views for miles around. Trudi headed off into wilderness beyond the end-of-trail sign, listening to hoary marmots whistling (how the mountain got it's name) and heading for hills she thought looked like the Coniston Fells (but turned out to be much bigger!). That evening we had a guided historical walk around Jasper Townsite. We were told that in the spring 200 elk had been shipped out of town for being a nuisance. Judging by the racket in our campsite some of the elk were back with a vengeance. There were huge bull elk mournfully bellowing (like a badly-played flute) and marking trees with their antlers - apparently something lady elk find very attractive. This made visits to the loo more hazardous, but we figured at least elk aren't trying to eat you. We eventually managed to light the smallest, smokiest campfire on the site to toast our marshmallows.

Jasper Tramway
Trail to The Whistlers summit
View from Whistlers

Athabasca Glacier and the Snocoach road		 Day 10. Helen had to negotiate a herd of rutting elk and wildlife photographers on the way to the shower. We all headed to the Columbia Icefields and whilst the rest of us grockled on the Athabasca glacier in snow-mobiles, Trudi risked life and limb hiking to Wilcox Pass. Fantastic evening with more picture-postcard views. Booked in at Lake Louise hostel and ate at "Bill Peyto's" - must be the best café at any hostel in the world, ever! The staff sing and dance while frying huge quantities of delicious food.
Day 11. To Moraine Lake for the famous views of the Ten Peaks reflected in the stunning blue lake. Helen and Trudi risked the bear warnings to hike the Larch trail. It was a legal requirement to walk in a group of six or more (to reduce chance of bear encounter). The climb was to a coll with incredible views of rock pinnacles into Paradise Valley. Larches only grow at a particular altitude, and this valley has an abundance, just turning to their golden yellow autumn colour. Dave and Ali climbed the rock pile beside the lake and saw Helen in a canoe gliding elegantly around the lake with no calamities whatsoever. 100 Japanese camcorders may have recorded a different story, but her socks soon dried out.
Moraine Lake

Sunrise at Lake Louise		 Day 12. Up early (much to Helen's horror) to watch sunrise at Lake Louise. Perfect symmetry and reflections as the Victoria glacier turns pink. Returned to the lakeside after a substantial breakfast to do The Big Beehive - a seemingly-insurmountable crag (easy route round the back!); Lake Agnes, with its tea house, golden larches and more reflections; eventually arriving exhausted at the tea house on the Plain of the Six Glaciers. Refreshed by lemonade and chocolate cake Helen and Trudi set off at break-neck speed to the end of the trail at the toe of the glacier. We were still at Lake Louise at sunset!

Lake Agnes
The Big Beehive and Mirror Lake
Summit of the Big Beehive

Whiskey Jack Hostel		 Drove into Yoho National Park, British Columbia, to Whiskey Jack Hostel (Trudi's favourite). Friendly hostel with spectacular gorge and waterfall close by. There was an evening campfire and Olga (the Warden) made popcorn for everyone.
Takakkaw Falls

The Leanchoil Hoodoos		 Day 13. Trudi set out to walk the Iceline Trail, while the others visited the Big Hill and the Spiral Tunnels on the Canadian Pacific Railway, and saw a train looping under itself. On to see the Leanchoil Hoodoos - a stiff climb, but well rewarded by views of these amazing slender rock pillars with huge boulders balanced on them.
Day 14. Visit to Kootenay National Park to see the Ochre Beds and Paint Pots - natural springs and pools coloured red and green. Heavy rain cleared just in time for our walk up picturesque Grotto Canyon near Canmore to see Indian pictographs. Drive back to Calgary for the flight home to rain, traffic jams and petrol queues.
Dave, Ali, Trudi, Helen
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