Jasper & The Icefields Parkway

We set the alarm for 7am the next day and actually got up. It was very cold. We had to break out our thickest coats for the first time.

We set out from Lake Louise to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway.  We stopped at Peyto Lake for a short walk to the viewpoint. Then we drove a little further and did a hike up to Parker Ridge. We set out on the hike wearing a lot of layers and were down to t-shirts by the time we reached the top, walking uphill. Then we had to layer up again because there was an icy wind blowing on the ridge. We had our hats on and I even had my thermal gloves. We had a snack in a rock shelter at the top of the ridge before we headed back down. It had been raining a tiny bit while we were hiking but almost as soon as we left the trailhead it started raining much harder. We had just timed it right.

Peyto Lake

The coats and hats are out

Icefields Parkway

Beginning the hike up Parker Ridge

Layering down

Cloudiness & a rainbow

Sheltering at the top of the ridge

Now the thermal gloves are out too...

We drove on to the Columbia Icefield Centre where we decided to take the tourist bus up onto the Athabasca Glacier. It was still raining hard and it was freezing up there. We were walking on the top of ice 250m thick. We saw layers of the glacier and the ice melting, it was possible to drink from the glacier but it was just too cold and slippery for us to get near it.

Hiding in the van for lunch in the rain.

On the Athabasca Glacier

The Ice Bus

Quick take the photo so we can get back on the bus - it's freezing!

We had planned to stop at two waterfalls and maybe do another short walk on the way to Jasper but because of the rain we drove straight through. We will be driving back the same way in a couple of days so hopefully we will be able to make the stops then.
We had a walk around Jasper town, bought some oil for the van and used a discount voucher we cut out of the Jasper tourist map to get pizzas because we didn't want to cook in the rain.

No outdoor cooking tonight - thanks Jasper map coupon!

We are staying at the Whistlers national park campground a few km from Jasper town. It is the biggest campsite we have ever stayed at - 781 sites and has a very confusing layout. We spent a long time wandering around in the trees with the campsite map trying to find the toilets and showers. It had stopped raining by then though and we found lots of fresh looking elk poo but no elk so far.

The next morning we set the alarm for 7 again but didn't quite make it up as early. I hadn't been able to sleep again after our nightly 3am trip to the bathroom so I was not as quick as getting up.
As we were leaving Jasper town we saw some elk on the road. We pulled over and I got out to take some photos. Then in the over excitement Rosie hit me with the van! (Or I wasn't looking and walked into the van - depends on who you ask). It was very gentle anyway, just a little nudge, I'm sure the bruises will fade by the end of the trip (joke)!

We took a 45km scenic drive to Maligne Lake and then did a short hike along the lakeshore and through the forest. It was raining a little and cloudy when we set off but it had brightened up by the time we had finished the hike. We saw a deer in the woods right next to the trail. I was a little scared but Rosie wasn't at all.

Maligne Lake

We exchanged our raincoats and woolly hats for sunscreen and sun hats and drove to Maligne Canyon. We hiked through the canyon to the fifth bridge (there are 6) and then turned around. We stopped for a picnic on the way. The canyon was very beautiful, we hiked alongside the rushing water all the way. It was one of our favourite hikes so far and it was a nice change from all the lakes.

Next we drove to Patricia and Pyramid Lakes. We were a bit tired by now but we accidentally parked the car in a place really far away from Pyramid Island where we intended to go. So we ended up doing another short hike. Unfortunately there was no teahouse on the island, so I had to revive Rosie with cookies and trail mix before we could hike back to the van. On the way back to the campsite we saw three elk or maybe moose sitting in the trees at the side of the road.

We were starving when we returned so we had an early dinner. We had just finished eating when the rain started again. I got my rain coat on and went to wash up while Rosie tidied everything away. We hid in the van until it stopped.

Looks like chilli again!

Later we went out to Jasper Town to get supplies and fuel. We have a long drive to Banff tomorrow.