Hotel Mount Robson Inn Jasper

... viewing Pyramid Lake and shopping for the upcoming fifty kilometre backpack trip to get away from the long-weekend campers.

Our four day hike started on Thursday morning at Sunwapta Falls where we left the van (more on that later) and headed for Big Bend with the packs brimming with supplies
to spend our first night. Within ten minutes of setting up camp, a huge storm hit that filled the tent and equipment with fine sand before the driving ...

... gave those of us still in the queue a voucher each which gave us another week to buy tickets at 60%. The reason the queue moved so slowly was the people who got to the counter and then figured out where they were going and when, instead of sorting that out while in the queue. I wonder if people that stupid need reminding to breathe. So I walked back to the hostel in the rain.

On Saturday (no rain, sunny with blue skies) I got up early to go back ...

... Lecker! Aber der Gang zur Dusche war eine Zumutung: Der Campground ist so riesig, dass die Duschen einen (!) Kilometer (Luftlinie!!) von unserem Platz entfernt waren. Beim Hinweg verliefen wir uns prompt und mussten an der Reception nach einem Plan fragen, wobei wir diese auch nur per Zufall fanden. Zurück am Camper waren wir dann a) wieder verschwitzt und b) voller Mückenstiche, da man sich ja frisch geduscht nicht mehr mit Insektenmittel voll sprayen möchte... Ächz!

... with the travel experience someone with the staff goes over the intercom system and tells the passenger what they can see on either side of the train.  So this peak is Mt. Etc and it is the biggest, or it is the smallest.  It is normally very informative and very detailed, rich with Canadian history.  The more abrupt announcement came with ...

... under her breath as she stared out of the window. It was bizarre. "So, where did you get on?" David asked, trying to break the ice. "Winnipeg". Ok. Well....that's that covered then. I then asked her where she was from, "New York". Good....good...another subject covered. Then, I asked her what the weather would be like in New York right now. Suddenly, she threw her head back in mock laughter but eventually apologised when I just looked at her, very confused. "Sorry, that's a very ...

... the hostel had mentioned a bear hanging around the lower trail near the hostel. We had read all that could be read on bear safety, I'm not wasting such an opportunity! We made noise, nevertheless our eyes wandering around all the time, especially when turning each new corner, the sound of falling leaves breaking the silence around us! We chatted as usual, Kell and I can chat for hours! We passed the level section near the middle tower of the cable ...

... even take a photo!! We werent sure where the trail went as you couldnt really see it ahead but we knew we werent far from the top. My legs were aching a lot but I tried to walk as quickly as possible. Its difficult when you are tired but you are aware that a bear is very close by!! We had seen how quick they move when we had seen the bears in the enclosure on Grouse mountain. We made it to the top where the tramway goes to and I was relieved!!! It had been a tough climb and we had ...

... left Medicine Lake and as we turned a corner, we were met by a group of Big Horn Sheep who were very curious and surprisingly tame (hence my good picture, for a change!) We reached Maligne Lake which was beautiful (again!) quiet and there were a lot of flowers and butterflies around which made us realise just how good the air was and lacking in pollution. We spent a happy half hour here walking and taking pics ...

... and see the horizon ... just goes to show that everyone has a different point of view; · To re-iterate an earlier comment Kevin made, it is great to reconnect with old friends ...we had a thoroughly enjoyable time with the Wickett family who we knew from our university days, as well as from our time living in Atlanta. Their spaghetti sauce recipe deserves special mention!...we have been eating quite well in the RV (perhaps even ...