Canadian Journey - May 2018

In mid May our friends Rich and Peggy arrived in La Grande and we all departed on May 22 for our adventure to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.  We went up through WA and boondocked the first night in the Cabelo's parking lot just over the WA/ID border.  Then we headed up US 95 in Idaho.  Here we are at a pull-out getting some history of the Northern Idaho scenery.

Rich and Peggy followed in Rich's motor for a while and then the Parsons would follow them.

We went over the border into BC at the Eastport, ID  crossing that was very friendly... they just ask a few questions and sent us straight on.  Rich was ahead of us and the border guard even knew "the Parsons" were behind him.  The following were some postings we later saw in a museum that we visited a day later.  This gives insight into the history of the border between the USA and Canada.  We didn't know that the region was previously called "Old Oregon"!

The first night in Canada we boondocked in a pullout near a gravel pit along highway north of Skookumchuck.  The second day started off with viewing a black bear just off to the right of the road as we headed north!  We also passed through "Parson, BC"!  By late morning we were headed into Banff National Park.

The Canadians are very interested in keeping both humans and wildlife safe.  Every few miles there were these exceptionally wide overpasses that the wildlife use to cross the freeway.  For safety, there are high fences along both sides of the freeway...a great way to keep animals from impacting vehicles.

Rich's RV is parked on the left of us in the Tunnel Mountain II RV Park.  There are gorgeous gigantic mountains to the north, south, east, and west of us!  These mountains have a fascinating geological history.

On Day 2 Ken and I visited the Whyte Canadian Rockies Museum.  There were excellent informational exhibits about the people, the landscape, artwork, etc.  Here's a picture of a couple cops!  (Ken wasn't thrilled that I made him have his photo with a "Mountie".)  We also sat in the actual very early vehicle that Queen Elizabeth I rode in when visiting BC over 100years ago.

Day three we went to Lake Louise and took the tram up, up, and away!!  In the winter this is a ski resort that brings multi- million snow lovers to the area.

Now we know why Banff is famous.  Evidently early visitors (1800's) realized that the beauty can't be realistically shared via photo.  A man by the name of Van Horne (1843-1915) played a significant role in this area.  His famous quote was, “If we can’t export the scenery, we’ll import the tourists!”  He was crucial in organizing ad campaigns selling Canada to the rest of
the world!

At the museum at the top of the gondola Joanne has a quick chat with this dude!

A few feet away Ken discusses "life" with this moose.

As we head back down the mountain, check out that lake clear across the valley in the middle of the photo. (It looks like a small puddle from here).

This is that lake...it is a gorgeous!  This is Lake Louise and today it was still half  frozen.  This photo doesn't truly show the  green-colored water.  Each summer as active glaciers release finely ground rock flour into the water the lake changes from a blue to a milky green.

This hotel is at the end of the lake...obviously lots of visitors come this direction.  We could see a wedding taking place on one of the verandas.

This photo was displayed along the pathway to the hotel.  Through history there have been two fires that have occurred in this remote location.

Just a short distance is Moraine Lake.  It is also a spectacular sight.  In contrast to Lake Louise, melt from a dormant glacier further up the valley carries very little rock flower.   This lake water remains the same beautiful blue all summer.
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Joanne visited with a new friend at the entrance to the Moraine Lake Lodge.

We then drove on up the Ice Fields Parkway through passes viewing many glaciers.

Would you believe this photo was taken at 10 pm?  You can see the moon just over the top of the mountain.  Within a half hour it quickly became dark out.  I've awakened at 4 a.m. and it was light out.  Of course it's only 3 weeks to June 21 but still is quite a contrast to the lower 48 USA states.