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People ask why we would want to drive to Alaska. Traveling the length of the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper is one remarkable reason why. This drive raises the bar on "spectacular". With an early start, sunshine, wisps of fog, clouds and the dramatic Canadian Rockies, the 150 miles to Jasper made for a perfect day. At the northern end, there was light rain and less light, the mountains seemed lower, spaced further apart with the rock layers cocked at different angles adding a different type of drama.
Campsites at Wapiti CG in Jasper National Park were so-so but close to town and had everything we needed. As I was just finishing up this evening w/dishes , an elk walked by. Warnings are posted for the female elk who are calving from middle May through June. They have learned to come where it is busy with people such as our campground to avoid predators like wolves and bears but they are also very protective and dangerous this time of year.
Tomorrow we will head as far north as we can. We all feel this is the start of something special - more wilderness, less towns, varying road conditions and a big push out of our comfort zone. Internet could be sketching but the Spot will continue to show where we are.
New bird for my list - a boreal chickadee.
People ask why we would want to drive to Alaska. Traveling the length of the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper is one remarkable reason why. This drive raises the bar on "spectacular". With an early start, sunshine, wisps of fog, clouds and the dramatic Canadian Rockies, the 150 miles to Jasper made for a perfect day. At the northern end, there was light rain and less light, the mountains seemed lower, spaced further apart with the rock layers cocked at different angles adding a different type of drama.
Campsites at Wapiti CG in Jasper National Park were so-so but close to town and had everything we needed. As I was just finishing up this evening w/dishes , an elk walked by. Warnings are posted for the female elk who are calving from middle May through June. They have learned to come where it is busy with people such as our campground to avoid predators like wolves and bears but they are also very protective and dangerous this time of year.
Tomorrow we will head as far north as we can. We all feel this is the start of something special - more wilderness, less towns, varying road conditions and a big push out of our comfort zone. Internet could be sketching but the Spot will continue to show where we are.
New bird for my list - a boreal chickadee.
