Driving through the Rockies
From 2007 World Tour in Jasper National Park, Canada on Sep 24 '07
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Today it was a quick muffin and coffee before hopping on the hotel shuttle to take us back into the railway station where we pick-up the car. We are given a Ford Fusion, which was a small sedan and quite comfortable to drive. We head back to the hotel to load up our bags and check-out. I once again take the wheel and try my best to drive on the right hand side of the road. I find that I have a tendancy to sway to the far right of the road. Jasper is a quiet town and the traffic is very light which is a good thing.
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The first stop we make is to the Jasper Tramway - a gondola ride that takes you up the side of Whistleres mountain to the lookout - it takes 7min to get to te top. On buying the tickets, we find that the cable-car has been halted due to high winds at the summit. It is raining and very very cold, and we have to wait about an hour before the weather clears and the cable-car stars again. We board our gondola and head up to the lookout. At the top the view is magnificent, and it is very, very cold. We walk around the boardwalk and up to the open field which is covered in newly fallen snow. I decide I need a hot chocolate from the bistro inside to warm my hands up. We decided it was a better time than any to have a bite to eat, and while we are waiting, the weather changes once again and it starts to snow again outside - the temperature dipping to 0 degrees. brrrr... I'm happy to get my feet back on solid ground down below where the temperature is a little more bareable.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
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We head off down the Icefields Parkway - the major highway between Jasper and Lake Louise. We get stopped at the entrance to the national park and have to pay for a two day pass (CAD$38) as the motorway goes through the middle of the park. We are given a park map that shows us points of interest on the drive through. There are heaps and heaps of camping grounds here, and signs that say not to feed the bears or other wildlife. The thought of camping in a bears backyard does not appeal.
The first stop is Athabasca Falls. This waterfall is impressive with the water for the fall coming from glacier melt, which makes the water at the foot of the falls that lovely turquoise colour, which we follow around to where it flows out into the river. We took heaps and heaps of photos!! We continue on down the parkway, and after an hour or so we stop at a road-side kiosk to have a hot chocolate. This however was a pathetic excuse for a hot chocolate, which we end up tossing away and head off again.
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We reach the Icefield centre at 5:15pm. This is located at the bottom of the Athabasca Glacier of the Columbian Icefield. We were hoping to take the overlander up to the Glacier, but the last shuttle left at 5pm. If only we didn't stop for that drink! Anyway, we walk around the icefield centre museum, reading all the info on glaciers. We leave around 6pm and head on our final stretch for today to the Chateau at Lake Louise.
After getting lost (as usual), we finally find the hotel, and are welcomed by a guy dressed in what to me looks like a swiss herdsman uniform. He asks us whether we want to valet or self-park the car, but then advises us that it costs the same so I throw him the keys. We check-in to our room, then wander down to the Saloon bar to have a drink and dinner. I decide to have the bbq pork ribs and Joe a club sandwich. Mine comes and just to give you an idea, I have a gigantic dinner plate covered in french-fries and three half racks of ribs. I eat the ribs and leave the chips. I found the day of driving very tiring and decide to call it a night.
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