Down, Down the Mountains - Jasper and Banff National Parks

Sitting in a motel room in Spokane, Washington, I almost have to remind myself what scrapes we were in just a short week or so ago.  The memory is already fading and I’m back to the usual everyday issues like complaining about the weather, even though there is NO SNOW anywhere!  Still chilly, in the 40s, and rainy, though nobody except nobody local seems to dress for it. 

Going south through British Columbia, we already knew we were in for a treat because we’ve been to this area before, years ago.  The Canadian Rockies really have no equal in North America, and I’ve heard from some world travelers that they eclipse some mountain ranges on other continents.  A testament to the beauty of these mountains is the fact that most of these photos are just taken with my phone camera through the car window!  That shows it's a truly photogenic area.  

Before we got to the parks, we drove under one of the wildlife crossings they have in B.C.  These are beautifully landscaped bridges for the animals to use so they can cross the highways in safety.  Infrared cameras are installed that prove the animals do use them.  We saw one of these bridges under construction, starting with huge steel arches. 

There is considerable fire damage from the extensive wildfires that raged last summer and into fall.  In fact the first time we came to Canada on this trip, we would not have been able to drive on some of these roads.  Over 6,000 hectares were destroyed.  (A hectare is 2.47 acres.)  Campgrounds, businesses and part of the town of Jasper were burned.  On the mountains, the damage is visible as thousands of blackened trees.  In some areas, where the damage was not total, the black and the green of the surviving evergreens almost appears like the Black Watch plaid.  There is quite a lot of construction going on, as roads and settled areas are already being rebuilt.  With the fire damage added to the signs of drought we have seen throughout the north country, some areas look pretty bleak.  We remembered seeing a lot of gushing waterfalls on our previous trip.  Either we were taking a different road which I can't remember, or it's a result of the drought.  We saw few waterfalls, and not the really high ones, this time.  

On our way into Jasper National Park, we saw mist rising from the mountains that looked like it could be wildfires, coming out of apparently random places among the peaks.  Or maybe it could have been smoke from a dwarfish mine … But then we also saw plumes that were definitely smoke, rising at semi-regular intervals on the slopes.  We asked about this when we entered the park, and the ranger said it was deliberate, controlled burning of slash, leftover wood and chips from logging operations, not new wildfires. 

We also saw some fall color.  Bright gold trees line the roadside and provide a beautiful counterpoint to the dark green slopes.  I learned these were larch trees, a deciduous species, which are pines but not evergreens.  Honestly, I did not know there were pines that turn color and lose their needles!

Once again there were numerous signs to watch for wildlife.  We did see a small group of bighorn sheep, resting by the highway.  There was a nursing lamb who looked almost as big as his mother. 

I include here photos of ravens because they are so ever-present here.  The raven is not the state bird of Alaska or B.C. or Alberta, but it might as well be, as they are everywhere.  They hang around every rest stop, I assume looking for food from humans.  They are pretty big - I'd say a foot long, but I couldn't tell you their wingspan because they are very awkward fliers and hardly ever actually spread their wings.  They are fearless.  One morning we heard one on the roof of our trailer, just over our heads, tap-tap-tapping as though it wanted to get in.  Nevermore!  

There was no snow on the roads, except at high altitudes, which was somewhat triggering for us, but it faded as we progressed downward.  Two nights in a row, we ended up driving to a campsite in the dark, which we try to avoid.  But night comes quickly in the mountains, and it gets almost totally dark in these undeveloped, unlit woods areas. 

We stayed at a campground near Lake Louise.  It snowed during the night and we were dismayed to see 3-4 inches when we awoke, but the roads are well-maintained in this area, plowed and sanded so once we got going it was not a problem.  And the further south we got, the drier the roads became. 

 

Near the border, we spent our last few Canadian dollars on a good pesto pizza with shrimp and headed for Spokane.  The scenery was now quite different, with large fields and farms and the mountains in the distance. 

Out of the national parks, we stayed in a state park in Idaho.  The park signs indicated the fees, which were extremely high, and gave instructions for payment (cash only), but there was no one there and no way to pay.  (The night before, in a provincial park, there had been a sign at the campground saying the staff would come around and collect fees, but no one was there either.  And in most cases we’ve been the only campers or one of a very few.  This is camping in the “shoulder season.”)  There were deer in the campground and I spotted an elk in the woods, but it vanished quickly. 

Our destination was an RV shop in Spokane.  Less than 2 miles out we incurred yet more damage to the trailer – going under a stone railway underpass, which was high enough but a bit narrow, we clipped the side of the stone wall and damaged part of the awning.  Grrr, always something.

If you have to be stranded temporarily due to repairs, you could do worse than a motel with a pool and free breakfast vouchers at a nearby restaurant.  While here, we’ve also gotten the car a warranty checkup and eaten local bar food.  There isn’t a lot to do in Spokane that we haven’t already done, but the downtime feels good.  We’re catching up on computer work and generally chilling after so much strenuous driving.

 

Signage: 

Warm Hands Massage Therapy – Spokane Valley, WA

If you’re reading this, you’re going the wrong way – sign at The Bearded Ginger, bar in Spokane Valley

BBQ – Cause even vegans need cheat days – sign in The Bearded Ginger