BANFF TO VANCOUVER

 We were happy to get back on the train for our final two-day trip back to Vancouver.

These were two long but very interesting days on the train. As soon as we left Banff we started seeing more wildlife than we had seen the entire trip.  Here is a mother elk swimming the river with her two calves.

As we continued our route we saw many bald eagles, bears, and big horn sheep.  It was virtually impossible to grab photos as the train was moving and our glass dome very reflective. 

Our route was almost always alongside rivers or lakes. This makes sense as the track elevation is very minor and the water level change matches the tracks. It made for beautiful days of scenery, even in the rain.

After spending the night in Kamloops, we made our way on the train to Vancouver. This was a thirteen hour ride as we had delays when the rail traffic became heavier. This train was 22 coaches long and we could often see it ahead as we were the last car.

By the end of the day we were tired, but, we had had a most wonderful trip!

 Now it is on to Seattle.

ON TO BANFF, ALBERTA

 From our stay at Lake Louise, we traveled on to two days in Banff. We backtracked a bit into Yoho National Park for a bit of sightseeing there.  Our first stop was at a natural bridge where the powerful water had eventually made its own way through the rock itself.

We traveled on to an overlook where you could see the famous Swiss-engineered spiral tunnels.  I remember standing in this same spot in August of 1993 and you could see the tracks and follow the train all the way through the tunnels.  Now the trees have grown until there is only a glimpse.  (This made the model very helpful to look at while you heard the train almost under you.)

We made a stop at Emerald Lake and then on to the charming city of Banff.  We had a full extra rest day here, and we needed it.  We mostly walked around town, ate at a wonderful New Orleans restaurant (with a full gluten- free menu) and rested.  

The day ended with a bagpiper playing on the grounds of our Fairmont Springs hotel.  

A needed restful stop.

Tomorrow we are back on the train toward Vancouver.

LAKE LOUISE, ALBERTA

 We got to stay for a delicious two days at beautiful Lake Louise.  

All along this trip the Rocky Mountaineer people have has us staying at Fairmont Hotels.  This brand must surely be the finest in all of Canada and our stay at Lake Louise certainly measured up.  The lovely front lawn of the hotel bumps right up to the walk around the lake.

Trish and I needed a day of rest after the unending days of travel, so, we simply spent the day enjoying the grounds and food at our hotel.  The flowers here are spectacular.

We have begonias like this at home, but ours are only about a foot high.  These are magnificent.

The hanging baskets were as tall as Trish and still growing.

This bed had everything from Foxglove to Artichokes filling it wonderfully well.

You can see why we stayed here for our day of rest.  It was a very visually nourishing and renewing day.

ICEFIELDS PARKWAY

 I am somewhat slow in describing our travels yesterday as there are no adequate adjectives to cover all that we saw.  

When we were planning this trip, we wondered why we were traveling by bus rather than by train from Jasper to Lake Louise.  Once the trip was underway, we understood totally.  There is no way we could have seen what we saw yesterday without driving down the Icefields Parkway.

The highway goes down what feels like a gigantic valley from Jasper to Lake Louise with imposing mountains rising up on either side the entire way. The mountains range from glaciers and snow to solid rock and often look unreal.

Early on the way we stopped at Athabaska Falls, a giant waterfall, especially in water power, that went down and down so far through the rocks that you could not see the entire waterfall from one viewpoint.  The sound was almost as good as the sight!

Back on the road our longest stop was at the Columbia Ice Field where we got to go up onto the glacier and get out for a visit. The monstrous glacier rovers that took us there were almost beyond human construction but they made a visit possible that we could not have done otherwise.

The glaciers enormous weight and grinding power sands the rocks they contact until they create what is called glacier bloom.  It is powdered rock as fine as flour which is somewhat suspended in the melt water.  This creates lakes that are sometimes brilliant blue depending on the weather clarity and sunshine.

At the end of the afternoon we arrived at Lake Louise.  The day has been simply beautiful with clarity and sunshine enabling a feast of vision.  We are here for two days…a bit of rest amidst indescribable beauty.

JASPER, ALBERTA

 We had a splendid day today in Jasper, located within Jasper National Park in Alberta.  There was wildfire here two years ago and the town is rebuilding after about 30% was destroyed.  The fires are necessary and the firefighting is to protect property, infrastructure and human life.  The forest is much healthier after the fire and so are the animals.  Part of nature. Here is a view of the burned forest after only two years recovery.

The town of Jasper is small but lovely.  We traveled around for the day.  One beautiful spot was Patricia Lake…Trish claimed this one as her own.  (There is also Patricia Avenue in town.) 

We spent the afternoon taking the Skylift to the top of Whistler Mountain.

From the top you could see very close to forever!  

It was a wonderful day, but, after several such full days we are very tired.  Early to bed and in to Lake Louise for a TWO DAY stop and rest!

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER, DAY III

 

Our car is at the very end of the train. At the back of the car is an outside vestibule where you can really take in the out of doors. It is a wonderful place for a stretch break or to take a few pictures.  The people who designed these cars really thought of everything.

Today we travel from Kamloops to Jasper where we will go from British Columbia into Alberta. It is to be a full ten hour trip in the train.  Before long we have left the valleys and lakes and are moving into the higher mountains. 

Going into the higher mountains we see periodic waterfalls. This one, right beside our tracks is called Pyramid Falls, named as you can see from its pyramid-like shape.

As we get higher, the rivers begin to turn to smaller streams and creeks.  This is when the beavers take over maintenance of the water system.  This is just an edge of a vast beaver system that is regulating water in a whole valley.

They feed us all day on the train. This is our downstairs dining room where we go for major meals between being constantly nourished and watered in our normal upstairs dome seating.

Before arriving in Jasper we travel for a good bit of time along by Mount Robson, At 12,972 feet it is the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. Yes, there is a trail to the top. We rode past it for many miles.

We have two nights in Jasper and tomorrow will be exploring the area.  It is great to be able to sleep late after a few long days.

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER, DAY II

 This morning we got up in Whistler and reboarded our train.

Because of the wildfires, our route for today is somewhat altered.  We will be going on the normal route as far as the village of Lillooet.  The train cannot go from there on to Quesnel as planned due to these fires.  From Lillooet we board busses and travel to Sun Peaks Resort, about an hour above Kamloops.  From there we will continue to Jasper tomorrow.

This improvised campground is one of the staging areas for firefighters from many countries who have come to fight the wildfires.  Beside the field of tents was another one of campers.  On our way we also watched a helicopter dip a giant bucket of water from a lake beside our tracks and head out toward the nearest fire.We learned that there are firefighters from all over Canada here, plus 300 from Mexico,  more from Australia and New Zealand, but there are no firefighters from the United States…why?

Most of our day today we followed right beside a series on very long lakes.  You can see some haziness in the atmosphere (and reflection in the window) as we travel on the windward side of the fires.

The lakes seemed endless and were exquisitely beautiful. There are cabins along the shores, some of which can only be reached by boat.

Wonder what people do who live way up here?  Lumber is one of the biggest industries.  We passed numerous log yards along the lakes…floating the logs is the easiest way to move them…with yards of milled lumber resting beside them.

 By the end of the day we had passed all of the smoke.  When we head to Jasper tomorrow there will be clear skies all the way.  The temperatures here go to the eighties in the afternoon with no rain in sight.  The fires are still a long way from control.