Wednesday, July 15 Canadian Rockies, Icefields Parkway

 Wed. July 15

Fifty-three degrees this morning.  After cereal with fruit, we visit beautiful Beauvais Lake.  

Several geese hanging out, and ducks on the lake.    One couple of ducks are building a nest on a tussock (is that the word for a clump of grass near shore but surrounded by water? I don't think I've ever used that word before!) and we see the male bringing sticks for the construction. 

There is a nice playground, but we did a double-take with the Bear in Area sign posted there. I guess you don't send your kids to the playground alone!

Near a town called Sparwood (we're in British Columbia now)we pause to take in "The World's Largest Truck".  See the boy beside its 12-ft diameter tires?  The TeRex Titan was used in mining and built by GM.

There are frequent signs to watch for wildlife, but they also have an animal detection system for quite a few miles.  The only one we saw with a message, just said "Slow Down", so I assume that meant there were animals detected in the area?   

 They also have animal bridges, which we read has greatly reduced traffic accidents involving wildlife.

  We will go up on the western side of the Rockies for a while, before crossing east near Banff.  We heard there was a fire up by Golden, so turn east before then, though we see no signs of fire or smoke. The big Canadian Fires in the news are all east, near Ontario.

Again, we travel in valleys where the rivers and trains also travel.

We stop for gas in a town called Radium Springs, which has this neat sculpture at the main intersection.  

Lots of A&W's in the smallish towns we pass - reminds me of Dairy Queens in the US.

We pass some construction as 93N veers east towards the TransCanada Highway.    

The Simpson River is a gorgeous blue with lots of daisies. 

We go through  Kootenay National Park and make a few scenic stops including beautiful Numa Falls on the Vermillion River.   All of the Canadian National Parks are free this Summer with something they are calling "Canada Strong Pass." How nice!

We aren't the only ones enjoying the area where Tokumm Creek spills into Marble Canyon.  We pass signs for Lake Louise but aren't tempted as we've been there and remember the remote overflow parking lots = crowds. 

Bow Lake is a beauty too.  And then we are on the Icefields Parkway.

And the uphill climb to this view of Peyto Lake was worth it.  The amazing color is from glacial rock flour ground by a slow moving glacier.  It is carried into the lake by melting ice where it bounces and reflects sunlight. That's why the rivers are so blue too.

We pass a few campgrounds along the Parkway,  including one named "Mosquito" - not too inviting.  One has a  "Full" sign,  so we decide to try the next one with openings, which is Waterfowl Lake.   Quite a few spots at 3:30 or so, so we snag one and settle in.  Only tents and small RV's will fit here and by dark, the "Full" sign will be posted.  We are seeing quite a few tenters this trip! 

We check out the lake and walk the campground.  Yes those are picnic tables in the water in the first picture.  Apparently the lake level is quite high!  Only a few waterfowl about.

No mosquito problem - yeah!  Maybe because it is cool?    Fancy hot dogs and beans for dinner tonight with chips and cherries, followed by reviewing pictures and Cribbage.  The temperature falls so Beth will need that extra blanket tonight!