Mountains, Rivers, Ice and Buffalo

If you drive four hours to the West of Edmonton, Alberta Canada you would come upon Jasper National Park. It would be difficult, if not impossible to miss. Jasper runs several hundred kilometers to the north and south, so you really would have to intentionally detour to miss it…. I almost did. There was a very intriguing road sign “Scenic Road to Alaska” that I went by on the way. I am not sure how much more scenic of a road you could have, and ever arrive at your destination! Plus, and I looked this up to make sure, it is still over 3,000 kilometers to Alaska from Edmonton! Sure I’m a city boy, but that seems like a heck of a scenic drive to me!
I am saving that little weekend drive for the next visit, may have to make it a long weekend though.
Back to Jasper. A beautiful park, lots of mountains, rivers, and critters about.

I started with a tram ride up Whistler Mountain and a short hike, maybe only a kilometer – straight UP to the peak. I thought I was in a little better shape than my last hiking trip in California’s Yosemite Valley, but I guess not that much, ’cause it left me puffing pretty good.
Made it back down again, and started south into the park. I took the suggested “scenic route”, the old highway, which was nice and at the end is the second recommended stop, the falls.
Be sure to check the short movie at the end of the photo album.
Shaking the water off, I headed south again to an unplanned stop. I had seen several items about the ice fields which are at the far end of the park, just before you enter Banff National Park. I visited the center, waffled on whether to go or not, walked back to the car to leave, looked across the road at the glacier again, and went back in and signed up for the next bus. I had to wait a whole 5 minutes before boarding, then off to the glacier we went. Now maybe walking on a glacier is not that big a deal, but I thought it was pretty cool….. literally…. I did not take a jacket along! I have been many places in the world, and this may not be the top spot, but standing on a block of ice several miles long, and over 1,000 feet thick is somewhat inspiring. Then take a look at the satellite view (there is a link in the photo album looks for the “Maps” link below the pictures.) to see the extent of the ice field, and the 30 (or was it 50) glaciers that this ice field feeds. Pretty amazing!

Google Maps also has a good view of the ice field. The other views I saw that boggle the imagination, the “dome glaciers” that flow over the tops ot the mountains. I have a couple of photos and you can see the thickness of the ice on the mountain compared to the trees and the rock.
The next day I took off for the East of Edmonton, Elk Island Park. They say “The preserve for is home to herds of free roaming plains bison, wood bison, moose, deer, and elk.” Now I want to say – maybe – not that they are making this up or anything, but I saw a total of one Woods Bison, one rabbit and three birds the entire time. Granted I was there between 1 PM and 5 PM, probably not the best viewing times, but what a bust! I gave it a chance, more than a chance actually. I drove every road at about 3KM/Hr craning my neck for a view of a bison hump, an antler, let alone holding out for a bear! I then even parked and took a 10 KM hike back through the woods. I have it documented in the photo album just to make sure. After 138 black fly bites, 693 mosquito bites, three toe blisters, a dip in quicksand and 8 kilometers of sun I saw exactly 5 seconds of the only bison in the entire woods, and still a good 75 meters away from me, before he took flight, pounded dust and was gone. Severe disappointment. Guess that is why they have zoos… so you are sure of seeing the animals.

Okay, enough for now. I have to finish the album and get it out on the ethernet.

Until the last ice cube melts,
George