Overview of Banff and Jasper Trip

On Saturday, July 21 Cristin and I began our honeymoon, a road trip to the Canadian Rockies. Our primary destinations were Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta (AB).  We drove 1260 miles over 2 days to reach Canmore, AB. We took a route thru Fargo, Jamestown, and Minot N.D. and crossed the international border into Saskatchewan at Portal. We camped the first night in the Saskatchewan prairie in the middle of nowhere, near Avonlea,  at Dunnet a regional park.  We were somewhat shocked that this is a noisy, crowed, party campground. There was wedding reception that night in the park and a live band played until well after midnight.

On Sunday we had coffee in Moosejaw, where we connected with Trans-Canada Hwy 1. That afternoon  we made a little diversion to check out downtown Calgary, which made a favorable impression on us.

Downtown Calgary

The Bow River, which originates in the mountains near Lake Louise,
flows thru downtown Calgary.

The next week was filled with one great day after another. We were on the move almost daily and saw and did so much that I have organized this report into several companion blogs that are listed roughly in the same order as our itinerary. Just follow the colored links contained in the caption below each picture.

 Canmore:  Cool town and mountain biking.

Banff Townsite:  A busy, expensive tourist area crowded with tour buses
but the castle/chalet and waterfalls are interesting.  

Yoho National Park:
A natural bridge,  Emerald Lake, a spiral tunnel, and one of the most
productive and important fossil beds in the world, the Burgess Shale

The Icefields Parkway and Athabasca Glacier:
Mile after mile of stunning views.

Jasper National Park:
Amazing geology, waterfalls, hot springs, trails, and wildlife viewing.

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Lake Louise:
One of the 7 natural wonders of the world.  Now we know why! 



Fall 2012 - Adventures in the Northland

October 7:  William O'Brien State Park

Fall is my favorite time of the year!  This year our fall included some yearly favorites, a few new local and regional venues, as well as a quick weekend trip to Pittsburgh, PA and to battleground Ohio the weekend before the presidential election.  My adventures noted here all included Sidekick #1 (Cristin) and/or Sidekick #2 (Bella, formerly Sidekick #1). I hope you enjoy this fall journey!


September 8, 2012:
Cristin bombs down The Bobsled,
an expert trail

The weekend after Labor Day, Cristin and I went on a Minnesota Rovers weekend mountain biking and camping trip to Cuyuna Country State Recreaation Area in central Minnesota, located between Brainerd and Mille Lacs Lake in the small community of Crosby-Ironton. When I was a kid my dad took us fishing to this area, at Fool's Lake and my brother Mark and I fished Fool's when I was in college, so I quietly reminisced those adventures.

This is an area of former mining pits and waste rock deposits. The former pits are now deep, clear lakes and the waste rock is a hilly forest.  Recently the DNR developed a world-class mountain biking trail system here. We camped at the Portsmouth Campground, a nice campground with showers. The biking trails can easily be accessed right from the campground.   The Cuyuna Lakes State Trail is a paved 6- mile trail also in this immediate area.  The mountain biking trails system is well-designed and everyone from beginner to expert was excited at the end of the day.



Potato Lake

A misty morning on Potato Lake

The destination for the guys' 2012 annual fall fishing trip was the Conway family cabin on Potato Lake, near Park Rapids, MN.  Normally we rent a big house or cabin/s at a resort, but this year we were lucky enough to be invited by Scott to take over the Conway cabin.   We were there for a long weekend from 9/13 - 9/16. The weather was perfect the entire weekend: warm and sunny during the day, cool at night, no bugs, and the fish were biting.  Although I didn't even wet a line, it was one of our best years for fishing as some nice walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern were caught each day.

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Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta

Lake Louise is a famous area of Banff National Park.  The setting of the alpine lake is stunning, although the large hotel and crowded parking lots prevent it from being a tranquil place. There is also a small hamlet of Lake Louise that provides some basic services.  Cristin and I stayed here 2 nights, several days apart. We camped at the Lake Louise Campground  early in the week as a 1-day base camp to check out Yoho National Park to the west of Lake Loise in British Columbia (see blog entry on Yoho NP). We did not explore the Lake Louie area until we returned later in the week.

Jasper National Park

Bull Elk off Hwy 16 just east of Jasper

We really liked Jasper, both the park and the town.  The town of Jasper is much less touristy than Banff (but still.touristy).  We spent two night camping right on Honeymoon Lake, a primitive campground. We also spent at a night at mega-campground Whistlers right outside of Jasper. We spent the days touring around.  We hiked the Sulphur Skyline trail, and enjoyed a spa before AND after the hike at Miette Hot Springs. We drove the scenic Maligne Valley Rd, hiked along the Maligne River and Maligne Lake, and saw a grizzly right off of Hwy 93 near the Whistlers Campground entrance.

 

Honeymoon Lake

The Icefields Parkway and the Athabasca Glacier



The Athabasca Glacier

The Icefields Parkway is scenic Highway 93 North that links Lake Louise in the south to the town of Jasper in the north.  It is about 140 miles in length and passes thru some of the best scenery in the world as it parallels the continental divide.  It is popular to bike the Icefields Parkway over several days, staying at campgrounds or hostels along the way. The highlight of the Icefields Parkway is the Columbia Icefield and the Athabasca Glacier located at about the midpoint of the highway and near the boundary between Banff and Japser National Parks.  Several major glaciers eminate as lobes from the massive Columbia Icefield. The Icefields Visitor Center is hub of activity and base to explore the glacier.


A typical view on the Icefields Parkway

Yoho National Park, British Columbia

The Natural Bridge on the Kicking Horse R. In B.C.
Formerly water poured over the top of the rock as a waterfall
but the rock is limestone which is more easily dissolved
and the river found a new path.

We spent part of a day exploring  Yoho National Park near Field, B. C., which is only about 30 minutes west of Lake Louise on Trans-Canada Hwy 1. We saw a natural bridge over the Kicking Horse R. Then we did an easy but very enjoyable hike around Emerald Lake. This area is famous for the Burgess Fossil Shale, one of the most productive and important fossil beds in the world. Major discoveries continue today that contribute to a better understanding of the earth's past. The fossil beds can only be seen as part of a guided hike that has a hefty fee.   If I had known about this guided hike, I would have pre-registered and planned our itinerary to accommodate it.

The Natural Bridge viewed from one end.

Banff Townsite

After mountain biking in Canmore, we headed to the town of Banff.  Months ago we had reserved a private room at the hostel in Banff for the bargain price of $150.  Banff is an extremely expensive location, even more so than the generally high prices we encountered most everywhere in Canada.  I found the town to be uncomfortably touristy-on-steroids.   However, we did find some interesting things to do and are certain there are many more that we didn't have time to discover.

Canmore, Alberta.

The Three Sisters watch over Canmore

Canmore is a cool town I'd describe as peaceful, classy, scenic, low-key and convenient. It is located about an hour west of Calgary and about 10 miles east of Banff.  All three communities are on Trans-Canada Hwy 1.  When we did research for our trip, we learned that Canmore is a highly recommended base for outdoor activity in its own right.  It is convenient to Banff, but also less much expensive for accommodations and dining.   So we reserved a motel in Canmore for our trip's second night. It was nice to know we had a place already lined up for the evening as we departed the worst campground ever that morning in Saskatchewan.  (See blog entry Overview of Banff and Jasper Trip).  We stayed at the Bow Valley Motel and had a nice dinner at the Grizzly Paw Brew Pub.

Itasca State Park

On President's Day weekend in mid-February, Cristin and I spent the long weekend at Itasca State Park, where the Mississippi River begins. Itasca SP is one of my favorite places, and I was excited to be there with Cristin, who had never been here. We stayed at a very modern condo in Itasca State Park.  The condo's are technically called the Douglas Lodge Six-plex. They were great!

The big news of the weekend is we got engaged at the Headwaters of the Mississippi R!

Due to the lack of snow in 2011-12 winter, we didn't even bring our X/C skis or snowshoes. We planned to hike. We arrived Friday evening and shortly after settling in at the condo, I was struck suddenly and dramatically by the seasonal flu, which really restricted my ability to hike very much for the entire weekend. On Saturday morning we went to the Visitor Center and Gift Shop and looked at the many displays on the history of the park and the epic search for the headwaters of the Mississippi River.

Cristin walks across the Mississippi River at the exact spot it begins its 2550 mile journey to the Gulf Of Mexico! 

We then headed to the hallmark of the park, the Headwaters area.  I had planned to propose to Cristin here but I was so feverish and achy from the flu that it didn't seem like the right time.  Later that day,we hiked the Dr. Robert's Trail, a short but very scenic trail convenient to our cabin that I had never hiked. 

A New Timer enjoys the comforts at the Old Timer's Cabin

Lyendecker Lake, one of over 100 lakes at Itasca State Park

On Sunday we hiked to the state's alleged oldest and tallest tree, a red pine.  I was very disappointed that the tree died several years ago but the PR and advertizing only acknowledge that fact at the site of the tree itself.  I hate it when state park brochures, maps and historical markers lie! 

NOT the state's tallest tree!!

Cristin continued on for about a mile to see the state's tallest white pine.  

We walked on the road over the channel that connects Elk Lake and Lake Itasca.  This is a very historic location, as early Native Americans settled here.  Since Europeans discovered the area, there has much debate regarding the true head waters of the Mississippi. If Elk Lake flows into Lake Itasca, why isn't Elk Lake the headwaters of the Mississippi?  This is a very good question!  Many more intriguing questions exist related to these two lakes and their history.  Visit Lake Itasca State Park to experience the drama first hand!

History and intrigue abound!  

Cristin at our weekend's swanky HQ.  Cable TV included!

 When we departed on Monday AM, I asked Cristin if it was ok to stop briefly at the Headwaters again; that I really thought it was a special place.  Due to her good nature, Cristin agreed, not at all aware of my real motives for wanting to stop again: that engagement ring had been burning a hole in my pocket all weekend!      

Jack smiles in relief as Cristin demo's her new engagement ring!     

Trumpeter Swans in the Twin Cities

I discovered that Trumpeter Swans congregate most of the winter in Shoreview in the channel connecting Sucker Lake to Vadnais Lake, just south of Sucker Lake. These lakes are part of the water supply system for the City of St. Paul. Mississippi River water is captured in Fridley and routed thru a series of lakes.  The steady flow of water keeps the channel open in the winter and so it becomes a wildlife oasis.  A scenic trail circles Sucker Lake and goes right along side the channel. Normally in winter this is a groomed X/C ski trail but the lack of snow this winter favored hiking.  Click here for a google map that shows where to park and where to view the Trumpeters. It's only a 5 minute walk from the parking lot.

The Swans hold tight even with when accompanied by a predator;albeit a leashed one!

 

New Year's at Tettegouche Camp

The Trail Shelter at Tettegouche Camp

Tettegouche Camp is a unique destination located in the back country of Tettegouche State Park, on the north shore of Lake Superior.  Cristin and I celebrated New Year's Eve at one of 4 rustic, historic cabins; the location was formerly a sportman's club.  The camp is a 1.5 mile hike or ski from the trail head. You must carry in all your food, clothing, and gear.  The cabins have electricty, propane heat, a wood burning stove, a dorm fridge, a 2 burner stove top, and pots and pans. Water is available from an outdoor hand pump.  A modern shower building is shared by all the camp guests. As much split firewood as you require is provided complimentary.  The camp is on scenic Mic Mac Lake and several excellent hiking and skiing trails intersect at the camp.  We stayed for 2 nights, departing on January 1, 2012.

A sled is a popular option for transporting
food and gear to the Camp.

Dusk falls on our trek in, revealing a crescent moon --
-- and it's only 4:30 P.M.!

Cabin B was our home for the weekend.

Scenic views of Lake Superior are the norm on the high ridges of the SHT.

The area had only a paltry 4 inches of snow, so we could not ski. On New Year's Eve day, we went for a 5 hour hike,  mainly on the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT),  to the High Falls on the Baptism River. 

All smiles at the Drainpipe, a notoriously steep section of the SHT. 

The High Falls on the Baptism River - the highest falls entirely in Minnesota -  are an icy shroud.
 (The Pigeon River Falls are higher but are 1/2 in Canada)

The suspension bridge over the Baptism R.

Back at HQ, the view of Mic Mac Lake from our cabin's porch.

 That evening we celebrated New Year's Eve in the quiet comfort of our lakeside cabin in front of roaring fire, sipping wine from a box --  we were roughing it, after all!  We departed the next day but not before doing lots of chores and saying goodbye to a new friend. 

Why do chores at the cabin seem so fun?

Saying goodbye to my new friend!

Interpretive signs are not necessary for Cristin to appreciate
 this view of Tettegouche Lake on New Year's Day 2012.

Upon reaching the car, we headed back to the Park Office on Hwy 61 to return the cabin key.  The weather had turned blustery and gray, a common mood of Lake Superior.

Shades of gray dominate on 1/1/12.

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!