Laundry - Shopping - Pyramid Lake - Earl's for Dessert

Got up to sunshine and warm this morning!  However, before we got through breakfast the wind was blowing hard and the temp had dropped to 6C and a light rain had begun.  That changed our minds about hiking and it was laundry day instead…the perfect one…rainy and ugly!  The laundromat was great because it also had internet and plug in as well as a coffee bar.   

 Downtown Jasper - totem pole, trains and traffic.

Gretchen and I headed out and did a little shopping while Dad worked on pictures.  Ate lunch at Smitty’s – slow service, but that was fine as we were thawing out!  

We decided to head up to Pyramid Lake and when we got there, there were broken clouds and some sun so walked out onto the Island. 

 

All log picnic table - so heavy nobody could move it!

 New Shelter

It a renovation area.  It’s been very popular for many years as a picnic place and had been badly damaged.  Jasper Town went in 20 years ago and has brought it back to life with nice trails, benches and a picnic area and the plants and trees look healthy. 

Pretty view! 

Discovered there that there is a Colin Mountain Range.  

 It’s Gray Limestone and beautiful when you can see it all!  

 

Love that blue sky!

 

 The road back...wonderful aspens in this area!

Headed back to the campground and had dinner and as it was cold again, but still early, we headed in to town for a little wandering and dessert.  

Drove by this bear trap just outside the campground....hope he's not wandering around here!  Hit a couple of shops and then looked at dessert menus and decided on Earl's for Gretchen's Birthday dessert.

Had a marvelous Two Fruit¸Cream Cheese Shortbread Dessert—wonderful!  (the picture doesn't do it justice!)  Back to camp and quickly into the tents.  Ironically enough, Gretchen and I had the best sleep we’ve had in a long time!  Good day, despite the weather!

Lake Maligne Boat - Spirit Island - Maligne Canyon Trail

Elk sighting on the way out of the campground this morning.

We’re  off to the Lake Maligne boat ride this morning.   It's the largest glacier-fed lake in the Canadian Rockies and second largest in the world. 

It was partly cloudy then cloudy and even a little rain during our time there on the water.  Fortunately, it was a covered boat and John spent most of the time outside and Gretchen and I were in and out.  

It’s a beautiful deep emerald water as it’s runoff from the Maligne Glacier.   

The scenery was spectacular, though not much color.

Spirit Island, which is not an island, only a peninsula.  

There is a walk around part of the lake with observation point for Spirit Island.  The lake here is 320’ deep.  The boat folks can only go a short way beyond Spirit Island as the rest is considered “pristine” area and no power boats allowed.  As you turn the corner you are looking at the Queen Elizabeth Range of Mountains  They are limestone and dolomite so gray and white.  

 Time to head back.

Clouds and gray don't stop the photographers!

There was a question about how you could tell the difference between an avalanche and a rock slide—the avalanche starts narrow at the top and gets wide at the bottom and the rock slide is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.   In the winter there is 2 meters of ice on the lake and usually begins freezing in Nov until it thaws in June.  -25 to -35 C is the normal temp but record is -56 C.  Point of Interest – 100’ of snow = 1’ of glacial ice.  The shoreline is growing due to sediment coming down with the water.   Great trip. 

We went up to the lodge and had chili and soup for lunch before heading back down to the Maligne Canyon.   Decided this s'omore dessert needed to be added to our baking list!  The sunshine came out and we headed for the Canyon trail.  

 You walk along the edge of the canyon and there are 6 bridges you cross.   

 The river is WAAAAAy down there!

 

Major pothole here!

The Canyon is up to 165' deep but so narrow 

at some points that squirrels jump across it.

Nice trail though a bezillion steps on the way down…we went up another trail on the way back..much easier, though you weren’t right at the river.   It was a fascinating walk!

As we were driving back down toward the road we saw a bear (more a glance)
 

 and then more sheep—this time 2 rams and a couple of ewes and another baby.  Very fun to watch—though mostly in the road.  At the end of the road we did a quick drive thru of the Jasper Park Lodge grounds…much more low key than the other two Chateaus.  Went back home to tacos for dinner, some conversation and bed.  Great day!

Happy Birthday Gretchen! - Icefield Parkway

Happy Birthday Gretchen!!  It’s 6C--a heat wave!!  One less layer of clothes this morning!  We’re off for another great day of the Icefield Parkway.  

 We started out along the "wasteland of till and a distinctive terminal moraine left behind by the retreating Dome Glacier." according to Moon's Canadian Rockies book. 

 It's miles of rocks, wandering water with high peaked mountains with glaciers above.  After miles of this we took a side road at Sunwapta Falls Resort to Sunwapta Falls.  

 The upper falls were pretty but the book said to continue down to the lower falls.

The trail along the canyon was a downward slightly root 

and rock path, but a lot of soft underfoot.
 
 The rosehips have come into their own--everywhere!

 As you got near both falls there were fences so you could see the falls safely.  
 

There the river changed direction abruptly and fell into a deep canyon.

We spent a good hour just fascinated with this waterfall and the area below it.  We then headed back up to the road and went on down the road.  

The Anthabasca Falls

Again, it impresses you what a power water, sand and rocks have.  

A lot of small and more huge potholes that rocks being ground against the stone by the crashing water have created.

 

  

As the river is coming out of the canyon 

  

And the river runs on...

 

and we climbed back out of the canyon.

We headed back up to the parking lot and found a picnic table and had a quick lunch.  Off to Jasper.  We got into Whistler, our campground and put up the tents and then headed to town, just down the road.  We to the Visitor’s Center and checked emails and got info and then to the Grocery Store for a little shopping…expensive!  Then home to leftovers (we’re doing Gretchen’s birthday meal later in the week at a restaurant) and then a fire, a banana boat and somores for the Birthday Girl.  Wonderfully warm and beautiful day.  Even saw the stars in the dark tonight.