Category: Wildlife

Day 23: Exploring Jasper National Park

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Day 23: Friday, June 7, 2013

This elk was there to greet me as Blondie and I took our morning walk
This elk was there to greet me as Blondie and I took our morning walk

Blondie and I were surprised to find an elk next to the dumpster in the campground as we made our morning walk! I didn’t even see her until we were very close to her. What a great way to start the day!

The rain started coming down as we were ready to go out and explore the area. The town of Jasper has a few blocks of restaurants and shops. We enjoyed a nice breakfast at LuLu’s Cafe and did a little shopping at an outdoor outfitters shop. We had the same idea as many other people and went to the Visitor’s Center to check email. The place was packed with many people checking their phones, computers, and tablets for news from home. The connection was slow so we gave up and decided to go on a drive recommended by the clerk at the outdoor store.

Bear are frequently sighted on the Marmot Basin drive so off we went in search of bear. The narrow road climbs to a ski area which is closed for the season. It winds beside rivers and lakes with views of the mountains. There were no bears but it was fun looking.

We didn’t find any bears but we had some beautiful scenery on the Marmot Basin Drive
Indian Paintbrush grew beside the road
Loon, Jasper National Park, Alberta

At the end of the road we came to Athabasca Falls. There are easy walking trails for exploring both sides of the falls.

Henry and Blondie enjoyed the falls
We stopped to look at Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Falls
Athabasca Falls

Four elk awaited us at the entrance to our camping loop when we returned. They were resting in the grass around two empty campsites. Such a great way to end the day!

We were greeted by elk in our camping loop as we returned from the drive.
The elk were enjoying the grass in two empty campsites
Just chillin’
Elk near our campsite in Jasper

Day 22: Ice, Snow and Glaciers along the Icefields Parkway

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Day 22: Thursday, June 6, 2013. Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court in Banff to Whistler’s Campground in Jasper National Park via the Icefields Parkway. Site 63H. About 180 miles traveled.

I am posting this from an RV park in Dawson Creek, BC. Unfortunately, the internet connection is slow so I won’t be able to post pictures. To see the route we have taken from Georgia to here, click here to check out our updated map

Another WOW day in the Canadian Rockies and another beautiful drive. The Icefields Parkway takes you beside turquoise glacial lakes, glaciers, and snow covered mountains. There are scenic turnouts along the way where the views are jaw dropping.

Stopping at Crowfoot Glacier and ice covered Bow Lake, and walking on the trail to dark blue-green Peyto Lake, were just a few highlights of the day. After lunch at the Columbia Icefield, we arrived at the campground to see elk in the campground. It is calving season and we were cautioned to keep our distance from the elk as the mothers are very protective of their young.

I will post pictures when I can. I’m now 4 days behind in the posts…

Day 21: Wildlife, Waterfalls, and Lakes

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Day 21: June 5, 2013

Driving to Lake Louise on the Bow Valley Parkway was one of the most beautiful drives we have ever taken. I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

We found wildlife.

This elk greeted us at the off ramp to the Bow Valley Parkway. What a great way to begin our scenic drive!
Elk by the side of the road in Banff National Park
This Elk was enjoying the day
Elk on the Bow Valley Parkway
Black bears going up the mountain

We hiked in Johnston Canyon to the Lower Falls.

The catwalk is attached to the canyon wall
We hiked along a catwalk on one side of the canyon.on the way to the falls
On the way to the lower falls
One of the little falls we saw on the hike
We passed this chipmunk on the way to the waterfall
The lower falls in Johnston Canyon
At the lower falls in Johnston Canyon
Wildflower on the trail

After lunch in a cafe in the shopping area of Lake Louise, we took a leisurely stroll beside the lake and then drove up the mountain to Moraine Lake.

We stopped to see Castle Mountain on the way to Lake Louise
Henry and Blondie at Lake Louise
Blondie got to wade in the lake and had her picture taken by tourists
Lake Louise
These paddlers were enjoying Lake Louise
Lake Louise
Lake Louise
Moraine Lake
Ice covered Moraine Lake
That’s ice on Moraine Lake

Day 20: Searching for wildlife in Banff

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Day 20 Tuesday, June 4, 2013

WOW! Everywhere we looked we had another WOW moment. Blondie and I didn’t have to go far before we had our first wildlife sighting of the day.  A group of five mule deer were grazing on the plants around some of the empty campsites.

The clear sky opened up the views to the mountains all around us.After breakfast Henry, Blondie and I hiked on the Hoodoos Trail. The trail winds atop the mountain with views of the Bow River Valley below and mountains above. The sounds of the Chickadees had us searching the tree tops. Ravens flew above and perched in the trees.

Mule Deer in the campground
Blondie and I spotted these mule deer in the campground
Our view as we walked along the Hoodoos Trail
Hoodoos beside the Bow River
Wildflowers along the trail
Bow River Valley

Two park employees worked on planting grass seed along the trail. They gave us a great recommendation on where to look for wildlife. We took their advice to drive along  the Lake Minnewanka Loop. Minnewanka rhymes with Willy Wonka.

I packed a picnic lunch and off we went in search of Big Horn Sheep. We stopped at the Cascades picnic area at the beginning of the drive where we were serenaded by the sounds of the ground squirrels as we ate and enjoyed the spectacular mountain views all around.

At one of the overlooks we saw what is left of an old coal mine. There was once a village where the workers lived. When the coal mine was shut down they moved the entire town! Some of the buildings are now in the town of Banff.

The beautiful turquoise Lake Minnewanka is a popular recreational area with a swimming area, boat docks, and a boat ramp.  Surrounded by the craggy Canadian Rockies it is a beautiful place and many people were out enjoying the nice day.

After a stop to enjoy the lake we continued our drive which took us across the dam. With the lake to our left and rocky cliffs to our right we stopped at a few more overlooks. In hopes of finding Big Horn Sheep I looked up the cliffs as we drove along. As I was looking up Henry spotted a herd of Mountain Goats in the road. They quickly disappeared down the embankment but not before Henry stuck the camera out the window and got a few photos.

Two Jack Lake was our last stopping place along the drive. It is a smaller lake with a hiking trail.

Lake Minnewanka
Lake Minnewanka boat docks
Mountain Goats on the Lake Minnewanka Loop
This mountain goat was in the road before he headed down the mountain
Downtown Banff

Our last stop was the town of Banff to visit the post office for post card stamps and a bank to convert some US currency to Canadian. Banff is a picturesque village with it’s main street lined with shops and restaurants and of course, magnificent views of the rocky mountains.

Day 12: Wildlife Sighting and Hailstorms

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Day 12: Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, 2013. Midland, South Dakota to Sheridan, WY. Peter D’s RV park Site 30. 356 miles traveled.

You never know what to expect when traveling cross country – camels in a field, sudden storms, or mule deer walking through your campground. There’s never a dull moment.

We stopped at a scenic overlook on the interstate so I could get some pictures of the Badlands. There is a wonderful scenic drive through the middle of the Badlands that we enjoyed a few years ago but to save time we skipped it on this trip. A view from the interstate was the closest we would get. As I was taking pictures saw a mule deer walk by just down the hill from where I was standing.

No idea why he was there, but there was a camel in a field next to our campground in South Dakota
View of the Badlands from scenic overlook on I-90
Driving by the Badlands on I-90 in South Dakota
Mule deer at scenic overlook in South Dakota

The sky started turning black all around us and it looked like severe weather was on its way. As we were getting close to Spearfish, South Dakota the rain was coming down so hard we couldn’t see. We pulled off the road to wait out the storm. Pea size hail began pounding the roof and hood of the truck.

Hail on the truck window near Spearfish, South Dakota
Hail landed outside my window during a hailstorm near Spearfish, South Dakota.
Hailstorm near Spearfish, South Dakota
Stopped on the side of I-90 to wait out a hailstorm near Spearfish, South Dakota. There is pea size hail on the road.

It was pretty scary stuff! We stopped at a rest area in Wyoming to check out the the vent covers and skylights in the RV. There were scratches but nothing seemed to be broken. Henry inspected them later and discovered a hole in one of them he was able to patch.

We continued to see storms almost all the way to Sheridan, Wyoming. The sun came out shortly before we arrived. As we entered the RV park, piles of pea sized hail lined the side of the road.  An RV across from us had all of her roof vents destroyed. We barely missed being in the middle of a second storm.

Welcome to Wyoming
Storm over the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming
Storm over the Bighorn Mountains
View of Bighorn Mountains from Peter D’s RV Park in Sheridan, WY
Mule deer walking through the campground in Sheridan, Wyoming
Peter D’s RV Park, Sheridan, WY Site 30

We were very grateful to arrive at our destination safe and sound. We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon and even saw some mule deer ambling across the hill in the campground.