Jasper & Banff

Jasper

We depart from Hinton at 7 am for the visit to the Jasper National Park. However, there's a surprise: this morning we need to defrost the windows. The temperature has dropped to -2°C and a layer of frost has formed on the windshield. In the cold but clear morning, we resume driving on Hwy 16 towards Jasper to see the sunrise. the beautiful landscapes already admired yesterday evening at sunset. The views are particularly beautiful, especially... light fog that dance above the lakes and dissolve upwards, leaving space for the mountain scenery just painted Due male deer were spotted yesterday morning, along with the effects of the previous morning's rain. On the outskirts of Jasper, a silver fox acted as our guide for several hundred meters on the road, then it continued on its own path while we continued on ours, taking the unpaved road that climbs for 14 km. viewpoint on Mt. Edit Cavell. With a path of 1.5 km, we reach the point where the glacier ends its journey in a lake, on which several small icebergs float.

With the rising of the sun on the glacier, some blocks break off above us, accompanied by the amplified sound of the mountain. The road leading up is narrow and requires careful driving. Fortunately, when traffic starts to appear, we are already descending.

Athabaska Falls

We are amazed by the beauty of the Rockies, which stand majestically before reflecting in the lower lakes. After regaining Hwy 93A, a parallel to the Icefield Parkway 93, we turn again for 7.5 km on a dirt road to follow the sparkling Whirpool River in the beautiful valley. The guide suggests visiting Lake Moab, but the view (although nice) is not worth the detour. We continue along the same road with the lake view, one better than the other. Let's see the Athabaska Falls, where the river with the same name flows a quick stop between hard rocks, passing by in style Amidst a canyon to finally open up in a large, flat area, as usual surrounded by forest. It is one of the main tourist attractions, so you need to navigate among the many tourists present, who only slightly detract from the magic of the place. We admire the landscape from the Goats and Glaciers Viewpoint overlooking the Athabaska River (at that moment, you can clearly see some... snow goats(almost camouflaged by the white color of the rock). We stopped briefly but intensely and interestingly at various viewpoints (Mt. Fryatt, Mt. Christie, etc.), arriving at the Sunwapta Falls, from where a nice path of 2 km leads us to the lower falls, three rock jumps that allow the sparkling Athabasca River to flow smoothly. The upper falls are not as high but impressive due to the narrow canyon in which the river is confined. Equally spectacular, but of a different type, are the Tangle Falls, on the left side. Another stop at the Sunwapta Canyon and we arrive at the Athabasca Glacier(a branch of the Columbia Icefield), with its impressive size and beauty, offering the opportunity to take a walk on the glacier in sneakers. Of course, various motorized vehicles (snow coaches) are present, which offer tours on the glacier, as well as other inventive commercial activities aimed at exploiting the location. Finally, there is a series of signs that indicate the retreat of the glacier. Every twenty years, starting from the late 19th century, it has advanced by 70-80 meters. We cross the Sunwapta River and enter the BANFF National Park Let's see the Weeping Walls (steep walls in the canyon near the alluvial plain carved by the river). North Saskatchewan). Even though not included in the guides, we unexpectedly find the fantastic Loach Lake, painted in pastel blue tones. A look at the Snowbird Glacier, adorned with a chain of high and jagged peaks that exceed 3000 meters. The glaciers literally overhang the valley where the river flows, almost defying all laws of gravity. We arrive to see the Peyto Lake walking along a path of 15 minutes that takes us to the Bow Summit. Another lake, with a very different color intensity compared to its surroundings. We almost don't notice crossing the Bow Pass at 2068 meters, and then enter the Bow River valley. Finally, we arrive at the Crawfort Glacier and the Bow Glacier, with the same name. Bow Lake at its feet. The snow from yesterday morning makes the view, which is already beautiful, perfect. We pass Hector and Herbert Lake to reach the Trans Canada Hwy 1, which we take towards Golden. Here, we enjoy a delicious dinner of salmon at the Turning Point Restaurant and take a walk across the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge, a notable wooden pedestrian bridge.