Blake and Deb Far Away

From Jasper we headed back down the Icefields Parkway to stay a couple of days in Banff National Park before heading back to Calgary to fly home (well, to Olympia, the closest thing we have to a home). Banff is very popular due to its gorgeous scenery and relative closeness to the population center of Calgary. It is also very expensive this time of year, which is why we ended up staying a bit outside of the park near the town of Canmore. That required us getting up early to get a parking spot at the very popular Lake Louise. We did a nice long loop hike that included much of the Lake Louise shoreline and a route up the mountainside to still partially frozen Lake Agnes, with beautiful lake and mountain views all along the way. Despite the crowds, it was a fitting end to our latest trip. Next up? Deborah will be visiting friends and family on the east coast, with me joining her only for the first week. Apart from that we will be in Olympia for the summer, until mid-August when it w

We based ourselves in the town of Jasper for our explorations of Jasper National Park. When I visited here 29 years ago I came by train. This time we had the advantage of a rental car, although really there are loads of hiking and biking trails woven all around the immediate Jasper area. Our first full day we hiked the trail along Malign Canyon and then took the longish drive out to Medicine Lake and Lake Malign, where all along the way we spotted numerous black bears who, we learned, are quite fond of daisies. The second day we walked around the nearby picturesque Annette Lake. Then, since Deborah is fond of sitting in hot water, we visited the Miette Hot Springs. This was on a Sunday afternoon so we were definitely not alone. I would imagine it is a more rewarding experience on a chilly autumn or winter day with abundant snow on the surrounding mountains. Still, it’s hard to complain about a sunny day. Deborah at Annette Lake Maligne Canyon View from M

From Calgary we headed west – in an early June snow storm as it turned out – to Banff National Park, then northwest past Lake Louise to Jasper National Park and the town of Jasper. It was an all-day drive thanks to our innumerable stops along the way to admire the spectacular Canadian Rockies scenery. The stretch from Lake Louise to Jasper is known as the Icefields Parkway and is considered one of the top drives in the world. I was concerned that the storm would limit visibility and detract from our experience, but the fresh coating of snow actually enhanced the views. After spending three nights in Jasper we returned on the same road back to Banff, this time with less exciting weather. Video of Sunwapta Falls Whoops. I would have loved to eavesdrop on their call to the rental company. Athabasca Falls Mount Crowfoot and Bow Lake Glacier Tangle Creek Fal