Category Archives: Alberta

Around Calgary, Alberta

Posted on by

We spent the night in Calgary with our friends Pat and Harry who entertained us royally. Next morning, we headed south to the High River Alberta airport to embark on a flight with Harry to fly over the Frank Slide in southern Alberta. As we took off from the airport, we were greeted with breathtaking views of the grain fields and the front range of the Canadian Rockies in the distance. The flight was simply stunning and a great opportunity for us to admire the beauty of Alberta from above.

As we approached the Frank Slide, the size of this natural disaster was simply staggering. The Frank Slide is a rockslide that occurred on April 29, 1903, near the town of Frank in southern Alberta, Canada. It was one of the largest and deadliest rockslides in Canadian history, resulting in the loss of over 70 lives and devastating the town of Frank.

From the air, it was clear to see the impact of the Frank Slide on the surrounding area. The huge piles of rocks and debris covered over 2.7 square kilometers of land, creating a new landscape that was both beautiful and haunting at the same time. We were amazed at the size of the slide and the incredible forces of nature that must have caused it.

On our return flight to High River, we flew over the town of Vulcan, Alberta, which is famously known as the home of the Star Trek Museum. Vulcan is a small town located in southern Alberta, and it has become a popular destination for fans of the Star Trek franchise. Continue reading →

Lake Louise and Agnes Lake Hike

Posted on by

We left the Bow River RV Park in Cochrane early hoping to get parking near Moraine Lake. The crowds were insane so we parked near Chateau Lake Louise and decided to explore the area around the Lake instead. When we arrived it was raining and the visibility was poor so we went into the historic Chateau to wait out the storm..

Chateau Lake Louise is a historic hotel located on the shores of Lake Louise. It was built in 1911 by the Canadian Pacific Railway as a luxury resort for wealthy travelers. Today, it is one of the most iconic hotels in the Canadian Rockies and is a popular destination for tourists visiting Banff National Park.

Finally, the weather was clearing up, and as the clouds lifted, the beautiful blue-green waters of the lake and the majestic mountains in the distance became visible. We were amazed by the sheer beauty of the place and decided to take a hike around the lake. The fresh mountain air and the breathtaking scenery made for a perfect hike and photo opportunity. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Icefield Parkway

Posted on by

On our last full day in Jasper, we decided to take a drive south on the Icefield Parkway to witness the beauty of Athabasca Falls. a breathtaking natural wonder that draws thousands of visitors every year. With its powerful flow of water, the falls are truly a sight to behold.

The falls were named after the Athabasca River, which they are located on. The river, in turn, was named after the indigenous people who lived in the area. The Athabasca River was an important source of water for the indigenous people, who used it for fishing, hunting, and transportation.

The Athabasca Falls are approximately 23 meters (75 feet) tall and 10 meters (33 feet) wide. The flow of water is tremendous, with an average of 663 cubic meters (23,400 cubic feet) of water per second passing through the falls during the summer months.

As we approached the falls, the sound of rushing water grew louder and more intense. When we finally reached the falls, we were awestruck by the sheer power of the water as it tumbled over the cliff. After hiking around the falls we headed further south to explore the Athabasca Glacier Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Pyramid Lake, Jasper Alberta

Posted on by

WE spent the morning in Jasper, walking around the picturesque mountain town which has something to offer for every traveler. We explored the town’s charming shops and stopped by an internet cafe to catch up on some emails. In the afternoon, we headed to Pyramid Lake, a stunning lake near Jasper that is surrounded by majestic mountains. The lake was formed during the last ice age, around 10,000 years ago, and has since become a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers.

We went for a hike along the lake, taking in its natural beauty and observing the local wildlife. Patty was so taken with the lake that she decided to return the next day for a paddleboarding session. During our hike, we were lucky enough to spot some baby fawns and saw some canoes out on the water.

To celebrate my 76th birthday, we went back to the Pyramid Lake Lodge for dinner. The lodge, which was built in the early 1930s as a fishing and hunting lodge, is nestled on the shores of the lake, offers stunning views and a cozy atmosphere. We enjoyed a delicious meal and raised a toast to another year of adventures. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Edith Cavell Meadows Hike and Jasper Park Lodge

Posted on by

The next morning we were back in Jasper National Park to tackle the Edith Cavell Meadow hike. It was highly recommended and we had a perfect day to get a close up look at the iconic  Mt. Edith Cavell.

The mountain was named for Edith Cavell, who was a British nurse working in Belgium during World War I. She helped over 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium and was subsequently arrested, court-martialed, and executed by the Germans in 1915.

The Edith Cavell Meadow hike is a moderate, 3.5-mile (5.6 km) round trip trail that leads to a beautiful subalpine meadow with a stunning view of the Angel Glacier and the surrounding peaks. The first part of the hike is a steady climb through open woods, but as you gain altitude, the trees start to thin out and the views become more spectacular. Continue reading →

Valley of Five Lakes and Miette Hot Springs

Posted on by

We got up early again under clear blue skies and headed back to Jasper to do the highly recommended Valley of Five Lakes hike. The hike is a moderate to difficult trail that takes you through a picturesque valley with five stunning glacial lakes. The hike starts at the Valley of Five Lakes parking lot and follows a well-maintained trail through dense forests and over rocky terrain. The trail winds its way through the valley, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain ranges and the sparkling lakes.

The hike passes by all five lakes, each with its own unique characteristics. The first lake, Annette Lake, is a small, serene lake surrounded by lush vegetation. The second lake, Edith Lake, is larger and has a beautiful sandy beach perfect for a picnic or a swim on a hot day. The third lake, Patricia Lake, is the largest of the five and is known for its crystal clear water and excellent fishing. The fourth lake, Katherine Lake, is a smaller lake that is often used for canoeing and kayaking. The fifth and final lake, Mary Lake, is a shallow lake that is surrounded by wildflowers in the season. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Maligne Lake and Gorge, Jasper AB

Posted on by

Our journey to Hinton from McBride took us past Mt. Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, which provided breathtaking views as we drove. Once we arrived at the Hinton/Jasper KOA RV Resort, we settled in for a seven-day stay. The resort, which is about 15 miles east of the park entrance is very nice and offers a variety of amenities, making it the perfect basecamp for exploring the surrounding area and scenic beauty of Jasper National Park.

The park was established in 1907, making it the oldest national park in the Canadian Rockies. The park covers an area of more than 11,000 square kilometers and is known for its rugged mountains, glaciers, lakes, and wildlife. The park’s history dates back to the last ice age, around 11,000 years ago, when glaciers carved the valleys and shaped the mountains. The park is also home to many natural hot springs, which have been used by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The park has a rich cultural history, with many Indigenous groups, including the Stoney and Cree, having lived in the area for thousands of years. In our opinion this is one of the most spectacular and scenic parks we have ever visited. Click on thumbnail to view image Continue reading →

Banff Ski Trip

Posted on by

On March 7th, 2020, we flew to Calgary, Alberta, where we met up with the Chagrin Valley Ski Club for a week of skiing in Banff. Founded in 1883 near a proposed Canadian Pacific Railway tunnel site, the first town, 3 km from present-day Banff, was know as “Siding 29”. The town of Banff is located within the Rocky Mountains mountain range, at 4,639ft above sea level, within Banff National Park. The town is built around Tunnel Mountain, We stayed at the Banff Ptarmigan Inn in downtown Banff. with a great view of Tunnel Mountain. Bob was not able to snowboard on this trip so I went with the girls to ski at Banff Sunshine Village, located on the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies within Banff National Park in Alberta and Mt Assiniboine Provincial Park in British Columbia. We took the free Mountain Tour and were able to see the whole area with our guide. It was a beautiful blue bird day and the views of the Rockies was impressive as well as the skiing. The next day we skied at The Lake Louise Ski Resort, it is one of the largest and most scenic ski resorts in North America. The resort is situated on the southern slopes of the Slate Range, between the heights of Mount Richardson, Ptarmigan Peak, Pika Peak and Redoubt Mountain, all around 10,000ft above sea level. Lake Louise has been a home to skiing since the 1920s, the first lift was constructed in 1954, and a poma was added in 1960. It is a beautiful mountain to ski and we took the free Mountain Tour again and were able to ski most of the area. Continue reading →

Waterton Lakes NP, Canada

Posted on by
Reply

Happy Birthday Bob!!

Waterton-8

Cheers Mate!!

For Bob’s birthday we decided to drive to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. The epic vista of Prince of Wales Hotel and the peaks of Waterton greeted us as we approached the town on the shores of Upper Waterton Lake. The Hotel was constructed between 1926 and 1927, by the Great Northern Railway to lure American tourists north of the border during the prohibition era. The hotel was named after the Prince of Wales (later King Edward Vlll), in a transparent attempt to entice him to stay in the hotel on his visit to Canada in 1927, but the Prince stayed at a nearby ranch instead. We made dinner reservations to celebrate Bob’s birthday, then we went off to explore Waterton and some of the scenic drives. First we had a celebratory beer at a hotel on the edge of the Lake. Then we drove up to Cameron Lake at the end of the Akamina Parkway. At an elevation of 5400 feet this picturesque alpine lake, an aquamarine jewel nestled in the basin of the Rocky Mountains, offers the pristine beauty of a remote mountain environment. We walked out on the wharf for some photos and watched as a man went for a swim in the cool water. I would love to join him but not this time. Click on thumbnail to view images Continue reading →

Drumheller, Alberta

Posted on by
Reply

Drumheller, Alberta, was are final destination for the weekend. Drumheller is a town within the Red Deer River Valley in the Badlands of east-central Alberta. We had flown over Tyrrell Museum-2Drumheller earlier to get a bird’s-eye view of the Drumheller Golf Club, where the back-nine holes are in the hoodoos. We visited the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, a museum that hosts Canada’s largest collection of dinosaur fossils, (more than 130,000 fossils), opened on September 25, 1985. It is a magnificent museum more than 47,000 sq ft is dedicated to exhibits, in a series of chronological galleries celebrating the 3.9-billion-year-history of life on earth. The “Dinosaur Hall” with 40 mounted dinosaur skeletons, including the Tyrannosaurus rex, Albertosaurus Stegosaurus, and Triceratops, was the highlight of the museum. We saw the Devonian Reef, a life-size model of a 375-million-year old reef. Also on display is the “Triassic Giant”, a 1,700 sq ft long specimen of the world’s largest known marine reptile. We were so glad that we came early, when we left the Museum 3 hours later the line of tourists to enter the place was probably 1/2 mile long and the traffic to get in the parking lot was way down the road. It was well worth the time we spent exploring all the exhibits and we would definitely visit here again. A must see! Click on thumbnail to view images Continue reading →