Jasper July. 3-11/2014

Jasper Highway July 3-11/2014

Mosquito Creek, Honeymoon lake, Jasper, 

Wapti Campground, Drayton Valley detour

Willow , Mosquito Creek Campground, Jasper Hwy.

July 3/2014

Not bad at all for a campground view....
Ruth and I started out for a tour up the Jasper Highway, the only spot we made reservation for was Wapti outside of Jasper. It was recommended on the  website as activity is very busy durning the summer.
I had been down the highway a few times camping and remembered Mostiquto Creek.
just along the actual creek below Hector Lake.

We are always so excited our first night out.

Settled.

Morning sunbeams, a promise of a beautiful day...We had rain overnight but the morning was clear.

I can remember the excitement of going on another adventure....
So much to see along the highway and we have never explored whats available.....
and its reasonably close to Calgary. I have always thought we are so blessed to live in this spot in the world, lets enjoy it.












So much left to explore!

Bow Lake, Jasper Highway

July 4th/2014

Bow Lake Jasper Highway

Selfies are a serious business, obviously I haven't mastered it yet.....

Our typical pose....

Jasper Highway from the Hump!

Sunwapta Pass.a challenge for Willow....especially coming down...

Sunwapta Falls




















Can you imagine the forces that shaped this area?







Icefields Parkway. Columbia Icefields





Icefields Skywalk I cannot imagine.

Honeymoon Lake CampgroundJuly 4th/2014

Tight fit.....but just fine for us....

Welcoming Committee of one

Nope,,,,Two

Great shot of Ruth's

Honeymoon Lake

Wapti Campground, Jasper AB July 5th/2014

Settled in the campground first thing...It's a campground geared for tourists clean showers, clean sites...Some of the sites are to close together for my liking, but we chose one that looked quite distant from others and were pleased with it....Not so private but isolated somewhat. 
Next, planning our route over the next few days....

Ruth is doing her exercises.

Jasper Skytram

July 7th/2014

Jasper Sky Tram.

You can just imagine, this was a stretch for me. Certainly not in my comfort zone.
Wasn't sure what was ahead of me, but it's one of those opportunities I need to take advantage of. What would I be missing?
In the end, the only difficult part was the gondola ride...Too

many people packed in tightly, I managed to get into a corner with my back to the view, even sat on a metal corner brace. Had some private tears but made it up the hill......and it was spectacular, so glad I found the courage somewhere in the bottom of my toes.
Another great memory.

Views from the top at the tea house.

Notice the deathgrip on the railing!

Potentillas

All the brave little flowers up on the hill are smart enough to shelter from the winds behind rocks to survive....

Moss Campion

This moss is certainly adaptable to Alberta climate, the green is such a dense mass and all low to the ground, nothing to catch the wind. It is like Dryads in that it can completely cover rocks and anything in its way. The little pink pods explode into a striking blast of color when it opens leaving the hillside a blaze of pink. Beautiful..

Looks like we are right on edge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We weren't but close enough I remember us laughing so hard because we couldn't take our hand off the rock! What if it chose that moment to careen down the hill???? 

At times it felt like I was....knees were weak

Alpine Harebell 

 Am I not brave.......

White Mountain Avens/ Rocky Mtn. White Heather

Although this perch was making me squeamish, it was not really as steep as this photo looks....I was so glad I came!!!!

My mark on the summit....my very own Inuksuk









From this point on the tea house deck you can view the big rock and even the bench!!!
By the way, I walked on upper trail, not lower.

Have never been this high! If not for the skytram, I wouldn't be!

Alpine Squirrel ;-)

My goodness Ruth got some excellent shots of the wildflowers.....beautiful..

Moss Campion
That explosion of color

Look at these little buds prior to opening into burst of purple above.

Long-stemmed Starwort?

White Mountain Avens

I'm leaning back in the photo, tooooo close.

Looks like a violet, but can't find it....

Perfect shot of White Mtn. Heather.

Kinnikinnick, Common Bear Berry

To be honest I don't think I have a problem with heights!!!!!!!!!

A Slog!!!

Back at Wapti, in the shade, with power,downloading photos. Perfect.





It's a small world, even out far from home, we ran into a lady I volunteer with in the showers. She and her  husband were back from Alaska! They dropped in this afternoon for a quick visit around the picnic table.

Pyramid Lake, Edith Lake

July 8th/2014

Very hot day, if I remember +32. we decided to go on a hike to Pyramid Lake and perhaps even find the elusive Red. Chairs. Never did find them, neither of us know how to use the GPS on our phones, so we walked in the heat looking.....
But we did find an American Pine Martin....apparently quite a aggressive fellow, I heard him before I saw him.they actually growl ..I think we were in his way....Couple of shots and we were gone.....First time I have ever seen one..
Because of that, I emailed Jasper National Park and put an inquiry out on FB! Times have changed, successfully figured out what this was.

Pyramid Lake , Jasper AB

American Pine Martin

American Pine Martin

Too hot to handle, so we decided to run across highway and have lunch at Edith Lake....
Crowded because it was so hot, but what a beautiful spot to be, in the shade on the beach (Oliver was welcome on the beach) We not only had lunch but spent the rest of the afternoon there....Oliver was grateful, he cannot walk in heat so we are constantly finding shade to park the van in so he is comfortable napping.

Oliver was happiest, in the shade, by Mom in her lawn chair...How many photos do I have over the years exactly like this.....

Reflections, Edith Lake.

Maligne Canyon

July 6th/2014

Ok Im not sure how we got out of order, but back on track, we didn't lose a day after all..

We decided to head up to Maligne Canyon and perhaps even Miette Hot Springs!

Well we made the canyon, it was just to hot for the hot springs and I wasn't sure of the road. Willow does not handle steep roads as well as I would like.....especially coming down....Besides we couldn't imagine going into hot springs in 32C weather, another time.














Maligne Canyon was spectacular, not only was it cool on this hot day, it was deep!
At times you could hear the rushing water but could not see it.....
I believe there were eight bridges over the canyon but my memory may be exaggerating that fact.































































































































































The wonders of photoshop!

Ruth lost about 10 lbs on this hike, Eliminating this fellows head worked wonders....
I have to use this on a photo of mine!!!!
































































































Notice the swirl hole in the middle of the formation...apparently caused by a pebble getting caught in a crack and the force of the water working at it....

















Fossils at the end of the trail

Tony's Daisy

Oh it's such a hard life.

Athabasca Falls, Jasper Highway

July 9th/2014

?

We laugh...Ruth and I always find the same opportunities, This next shot is my perspective and the second one hers..........

Long Stemmed Starwort

Hamilton Falls

July 10/2014

I have forgotten the name of these falls, maybe Tangle Falls? just alongside the highway.
on the way to Columbia Ice Fields.....
Our plan was to head back down the highway and stop along the way, wherever we felt like....But our plans changed at the Ice Fields...

Columbia Icefields.

July 10/2014

My Dryads.....this cold wind doesn't appear to be affecting them at all..















































We splurged on a coach ride to the glacier...haven't done that in yrs.
























Putting our mark, our footprints on the glacier....


































































































































I was insistant I get to sit outside in my chair....wanted my space! but didn't work out the wind was ferocious, even hiding on leeward side of the van, and very cold....I didn't last very long....I also remember we had trouble leveling the van, fridge went out overnight, we perhaps need more blocks....

Stonecrop?

I'm guessing Alpine Willowherb?
or narrow-leaved Fireweed.

The following morning we woke to a smell of smoke, and our plans changed....Roadblocks were on the highway informing us the highway 93 was closed .

Icefield Center

Of course we have been detoured before, mudslides which detoured us up highway 93 to across to Sask. Crossing across to Rocky Mtn. House and home.....
This time road was closed at the icefield parkway, we could not get south to Sask. Crossing. In fact if I remember the fire was centered just east of Sask. Crossing.
The question is do you wait it out? We would have to go back north to Jasper and then east to Edson and south to Rocky....long way out of our way....
But how long would the wait be and how pleasant in this heavy smoke....couldn't even take photos!!!
We chose to head north. Ruth had to get back to work the following Monday...

Not knowing the area, we stopped for the evg. near Drayton Valley at a campground on the highway operated by the reserve in the area.....What a pleasant campground, clean showers, clean gravel pads.










The only downer we had was we drove through clouds of butterflys and they ended up all over the front of the van...!

Long drive home down Highway 22. but somehow travelling the back roads compared to the major highway is a plus.