Stunning drive on the Icefields Parkway
Without any doubt Canada's Icefields Parkway is a spectacular drive. It runs up a river valley and is decorated with the high mountains of the Rockies and lake scenes. This region is rightly a member of the UNESCO natural World heritage list.
Lake Louise I might have missed, but there were many spectacular alternative
lake scenes such as Hector and Bow lake.
Being near the Canada day public holiday weekend it was rather busy with
holiday makers. There was no way that I could get to see the famous Lake
Louise, you could only get by shuttle and the queues were very long. I
also had to be careful with people suddenly stopping to catch that animal
photo (no bears though - they went on holiday !) especially with the
occasional rain burst. I did not bother lingering in the towns because of
the traffic. There were, however, plenty of opportunities to stop and to
absorb the views offered along the way.
Glaciers: they haven't all melted yet, I am glad to still be their witness.
There is a bold, awesome power that glaciers contain - that power that seems
to pull me in like a magnet for a visit whenever the opportunity is presented.
The powerful waters of the Bow river cut through rock to form great
canyons. Some insane thoughts imagine myself in some kind of
transparent pill shaped bubble running inside the stream.
I am, however looking forward to packrafting the whitewater and still river sections in the next few days. At the moment it is enjoyable to watch nature's television, without the adverts and never boring.
Global warming, for some there is disbelief. A visit here will tell the truth, in fact a visit to many of the glaciated regions will do the same.
Last year I went with my daughter to Rainbow Mountain in Peru, which didn't exist as it was covered in a glacier: interesting but now where is the water coming from ?
Somewhere along here I grabbed a night's kip. I can't remember where, you are supposed to use allocated areas and pay up but I was tired and could not make the intended destination outside the park.
Icefields Parkway - sing to the mountains:
Icefields Parkway - seek refuge in the forest:
My visit to this region was too brief. When scoping out my trip to Canada
there were all sorts of ideas for walks, multi day mountain bike and
packrafting trips. They all would have been rewarding adventures, especially
if I could get a couple of travel buddies to join me. An opportunity to raft
on the Tatshenshini river in the Yukon was offered and snapped up by me. I had
to be there by the 3rd of July. No regrets: I have had a taste and know
that a return is to be put on the list.
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