Many random thoughts on this post…

All of the rental RV’s remind me of the charter boat scene down island.. they drive it like a rental and frantic for parking, like the late afternoon race for the last mooring ball! They are also the first to lock up the brakes on the hwy and dash out with their cameras and babies to get THE shot of any form of wildlife from the shortest distance possible. This time of the year the animals are easily stressed and this calorie loss when tourist are pushing their space can be very detrimental to how they survive the winters. They can lose 1000 calories by just one encounter of a tourist getting to close to take their greedy photo. (4 million tourist visit Banff a year…) We have encountered wildlife and all of the bear/elk/bison shots have been taken while INSIDE of our vehicle because both lanes are usually blocked from visitors literally stopping in the middle of the road with no regard to anyone else. We did get a close up of a bison while we rounded a blind spot on a trail and encountered the large animal happily grazing away! Took a shot while we were back tracking rather quickly on the trail. (they can be dangerous!)

My personal opinion on National park entry is that at least one family member should be required to complete a short online course or sit in on a National Park “rules of conduct” briefing before receiving their parks entry pass.

Ok, that is my morning park rant!

We arrived a little late in the day as the drive from Banff to Jasper was longer than anticipated with many stops for photos, delays due to landslides and general mountain driving! Jim drove this leg and many others so I am getting handy with the camera while inside of the roller coaster RV ride! Dodging windshield bugs, playing with the blur of trees with contrasting landscape colors. Although some of the photos are not tripod, textbook perfect, I like the touch of a traveling snapped style photo!

Our first stop along this stunning drive was the Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefield.   This was especially interesting because Jim had visited this sited back in 1982 with his family just after graduating high school. Every decade they had signs marking the year and the glacier’s corresponding position, and this gave a visual of the dramatic recession; almost a ½ mile since 1982. Even more impressive: since 1885 the Athabasca Glacier has lost more than 60% of its volume. That’s over 350 million cubic metres of ice.

The glacier moraines are very impressive not just at this site but all of the glacier areas. Glacier moraines are the deposits of earth and stone left behind when a glacier advances or recedes. There are many different kinds of moraines. Each tells a story about the movement of a glacier.

Also there are many small crevasses in the glacier and moraine areas. There were many postings of deaths, many of them children wandering past the barriers and inexperienced hikers.

Our next stop was Athabasca Falls.. very impressive! Absolute natural work of art sculpted by glacial ice and river water. Like the crags and forests, the shady canyon and icy waters I’m sure hold many secrets…!

“The Athabasca River links the freshwater ice of the Columbia Ice field to the salt water of the Arctic Ocean. The waters you see here today journey through Lake Athabasca, Great Save Lake and the Mackenzie River before spilling off the northern edge of the continent 6200 km away. After it leaves the protection of Jasper National Park, the Athabasca River gathers water from most of the northern Alberta and flows past towns, farm lands and industrial developments….”

Along with the beauty and sheer power of the falls, steep canyon-like formations and impressive potholes, there are also many signs and reminders of how dangerous these falls are.  Lining the paths are numerous benches with memorial plaques of young people who have fallen victim to the falls, victims of their own carelessness.  Warnings are everywhere that state:

”Athabasca Falls Kills- every couple of years, someone dies at Athabasca Falls. Park staff search for and rescue people who fall into the canyon. Usually only the bodies are recovered for the grieving families.

Step off the trail and you risk your life. The rocks, covered by spray year-round, are as slippery as ice. The water is glacial-cold, swift and deep. Within minutes of slipping into the water hypothermia takes over-you cannot pull yourself out of the river. Once over the falls death is swift. Is it worth the risk? Stay on the trail….”

Yet we saw TONS of tourist defying the warnings, and “getting that photo”…..

Savannah was most intrigued and moved by the signs. Between the crevice/glacier warnings earlier in the day and the Athabasca Falls warnings, compounded with the 500 page book she is reading, “Death, Daring, & Disaster” by Charles R. “Butch” Farabee, Jr… (Search and rescue in the National Parks).. she is getting a little nervous in the parks! I keep reminding her that these parks cater to the “city life” tourist and that her sailing adventures are way more scary than standing behind a barricade observing! Haha   She chose this book all on her own at a park ranger visitor’s center… she is still hell bent on being a Coast Guard, search and rescue helicopter pilot…… Gulp…

After reaching our farthest northern latitude just before sunset I became a little melancholy from our amazing adventures so far. Hearing Jim tell his story of some 30 years ago doing a very similar trip with his family, and the same stories and recounts from dear friend Sarah Baker about her family’s years past adventures…  I couldn’t help but think .. “wow.. the mountain portion of our trip is complete”.. just a memory now…. And how quickly time will pass before I’m reflecting on this very blog…while maybe Savannah is doing a similar trip with her family 30 years from now….? bring on the tissues!

Our last stop in the Jasper area would be Lake Maligne. Before getting there we stopped at a pull-off to wade around with the dogs in a very large, valley of mud and water that we saw the locals playing around in the day before while on the way to our campground. We felt like Jesus.. we could walk on water!

I had been anticipating Lake Maligne stop for the entire trip and was a little let down. Maybe it was the leftover lingering melancholy….? But the skies were grey and the lake was white capping. I have done my share of paddling in these conditions and decided to leave the sups on the roof of the jeep! (no complaints!! We have had amazing weather and adventures thus far!) Bikes were not allowed on the paths that ran along the lake, so we decided to hit the road and find another adventure along this very secluded and beautiful back country road.

We pulled off into a picnic area just off of Medicine lake, made lunch and unloaded the sups! What a really cool area to paddle. It was a receding lake with these little turquoise maze of paths surrounded by mud flats and trout fisherman. The lake has some interesting history…

“Geology

Medicine Lake is a geologic anomaly in the sense that it is not actually a lake but rather an area in which the Maligne River (flowing from Maligne Lake into the Athabasca River) backs up and suddenly disappears underground. During the summer months during intensified meltwater runoff the lake (which during the winter months is a meandering frozen river) fills to levels which fluctuate over time and with the runoff events. Much like a bathtub that is filled too fast for it to drain, it becomes laden with water (lake) until it can slowly drain as the tap flow (runoff) is reduced (river). The underground system is extensive and during the 1970s researchers used a biodegradable dye to determine the underground river’s extent. The dye showed up in many of the lakes and rivers in the area to the point where it became clear that the underground system was one of the most extensive in the world….”

The Indians feared this “disappearing act” of the lake. Paddling it was a rare experience with the strong currents, swirling waters and mazes of trails to follow. We brought the dogs and they had a field day swimming in the frigid waters and running along side of us like crazy wild horses on the mud flats!

Paddling was followed by a trail run along the lake. The skies were getting darker and there was an eerie feeling in the air! Savannah navigated on her mountain bike.. finally! (bikes and dogs are typically not allowed on any trails) so this was a treat for her!

Our run was followed by roadside hot showers and heading West on our own version of geo-caching: an “internet hunt” for Savannah’s online virtual lesson that are due and class the next morning. We had delays out of Jasper (another rock slide to be cleaned up) and as dark was approaching, we really didn’t want to arrive at the next campsite at 10pm…besides, that cuts into evening cocktail hour. 😉 not too mention there is barely any civilization in Northern Canada and driving at night is just down right scary with the wildlife and semi trucks on little 2 lane dark roads!

In the middle of nowhere we passed by an unexpected campground sign that said “Canoe campground… river front, water and electric, WI FI!!!! So we made a U turn and headed back to check it out.. What an interesting and SPOOKY campground! BUT.. it has the best internet so far on this trip! Haha So she was able to catch up on her online classes late into the evening (High School Spanish I elective, in case you’re curious) and her Thursday morning class is the Virtual Academy core class that is required in Middle School or higher in order to receive a diploma of gradation and college accredited credentials. ….

Funny sight…as I catch up the blog, Savannah is currently sitting in a little gazebo, bundled up with her head phones and pc logged into her Spanish virtual am class. (I can see her from my warm and cozy window ;))

The campground is eccentric as heck. This is the short post and description I made on Facebook last night on it…

“Just found a gem of a campsite on our own “geo-caching” version of internet hunting suitable for Calvert requirements! Total dive in the valley with mountain, river views and ranch setting and not with out a rodeo stadium in smelling and and sight distance… Old rusted truck rims for for fire pit, cow skull on our post AND power and water hook up! score! Cheers y’all….eh?!!”

Note to myself and all you kitty lovers… The new advertised “lighter version” kitty litter is AWFUL.. don’t waste your money… next stop is a grocery store to buy good kitty litter that has actual odor absorption qualities! As it is I clean the box twice a day…… This new stuff stinks even before the kitties do their business.. haha