Day 10

Ok, big one here!

When last we left our adventures they were heading from a drive-thru campsite in Squamish in the general direction of Osoyoos, BC.

We managed to get to Osoyoos only to find that the campground we were planning on staying in was full (honestly, in the middle of the week in September?). We ended up at a campground/RV park where we could literally swim into the U.S. It wasn't what we'd come in wanting, but it worked and the water was supremely warm (especially compared to where we'd be heading, but I'm getting ahead of myself)

After Osoyoos, we headed north towards Vernon, BC (north of Kelowna) and stayed at a new provincial campground



where we talked to the campground managers. A nice older couple, the husband, who told us he'd lived in the area his entire life, suggested that, if we had time, not go straight up to the Trans-Canada and told us of a more scenic route. Are we ever glad we talked to them. It was possibly the nicest part of the drive so far. Nicely paved roads that curved through the amazingly diverse country side of BC. At two places the road just ends and there's a free ferry to cross to the other side of the lake. And we finally managed to stop at a hotsprings...luxurious!





We ended up taking this route up to Revelstoke, BC and from there into Glacier National Park where we spent the night.



It was amazing to be that high up and still be in, technically, rain forest. We got to see where the Canadian Pacific Railroad once cut through the Selkirk mountains (apparently the toughest pass they had to find on the whole line). It was pretty cold, but not as cold as the next two nights.

After Glacier National, we went east through to around Lake Louise and from there, north along the Icefields Parkway to Jasper. This drive went right up the Rockies, along a stretch of glaciers, lakes and mountain passes that were amazingly beautiful.



The weather, however, was extremely unpredictable. It went from brilliant sun to rain, back to sun, then to snow (snow?!?!? yes, snow! in September...boooooooo!!!!). We had originally planned to camp in one of the 10 or so campgrounds along this stretch of highway, but almost all were closed (the exceptions being the first and last ones...nice). We ended up at the last one, which was about 2 km south of Jasper. We are REALLY not sad about this. It's an enormous campground (probably 300-400 sites) and we were warned upon entering that it was elk mating season and not to get between a bull elk and his harem. Now, we thought we'd just hear them in the distance (which we did. A loud whistling noise pretty much all night) but in the morning, while I was making coffee, I looked up and there were two females right across the road from our site.



They weren't afraid of humans at all (as the ladies in the next site could attest. Their breakfast the previous morning was interrupted and eaten by a group of females as they were sitting at the table) and let everyone take plenty of pictures.



After making sure I'd gotten at least one good one, I woke up Colleen and shortly after her emergence from the tent an enormous bull made his appearance. Like the females, he didn't mind having his picture taken if you kept your distance (there was one couple who didn't listen to the rangers and were fake charged a couple times while taking pictures/video from about 10 feet).



He kept chasing his harem, but they were playing hard to get. It was an amazing experience to see them that close. Also, when you wake up in September to frost on your car roof, you start to wonder why you're in a tent.

The next day we drove down to Lake Louise where we stayed the night at the Lake Louise campground (much quieter, equally as cold. Come on Ontario warmth!). The lake is, of course, beautiful, but we found the town lacking in affordable supplies (e.g. $4.00 cans of chili? ummmm...no).

We've stopped in Banff on our way to Calgary to visit some of Colleen's family. From there, Saskatchewan.

Also, I seem to have left all of our notes on gas usage, odometer readings in the car. So, though it seems we haven't had to fill up, I can assure you we have, but not as much as we thought. Also, DON'T fill up in Saskatchewan Crossing (the "village"/"trap" in the middle of the Icefields Parkway). They know they're the only gas around and charge appropriately ($1.37/litre...guh).