Spoiler alert; lots of gorgeous roads, mountains, snow, lakes & glaciers.
If we had arrived on this leg of the journey across Canada after two weeks from Halifax we would have been exhausted. The termination in Winnipeg allowed us to return in October when we were relaxed, Also, we added days to Banff & Lake Louise & the fall colors were now magnificent.
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Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has 539 rooms & suites.
About the location of the suite to which we were upgraded.
Bar of the Lakeview Lounge.
A morning walk around Lake Louise. “In 1884, the lake was renamed Lake Louise in honor of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848–1939), who was the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria.” It had been Emerald Lake but were advised to rename it after a member of the British Royal family.
Downy willow, is a low, much-branched shrub seen during a walk around Lake Louise.
Canadian whiskey at the Lakeview Lounge. The couple next to us was watching a show on their iPhone while having the d'hôte @ $105 per person.
A walk around Lake Louise.
This was the first Alberta Provincial flag that I noticed.
One of the workers we spoke with said that it gets a bit isolated here.
Seen during the long walk from our suite in the Mount Temple Wing, which opened in 2004 to the Painter Wing, built in 1913, which remains the oldest existing part of the hotel.
Looking out of a window facing east from our room in the Mt. Temple Wing of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
We then walked to the other end of our suite & saw the reflection on the glaciers above & Lake Louise below.
A Fairmont employee had told us about this phenomenon not knowing we’d see it from our rooms.
In general all the Fairmont employees we encountered in Canada were wonderful. They were friendly, approachable, not obsequious, ready to in part valuable information, knowledgeable about their surroundings & the history of their resort, & all appeared happy to be working at a Fairmont, some we met for over 20 years. It seems that they are well treated by Fairmont.
An evening walk around Lake Louise.
A midday walk around Lake Louise.
A midday walk around Lake Louise.
We had treated ourselves to several hours at the Chateau’s Basin Glacial Waters | Thermal Wellness Spa in Lake Louise. With perfect weather it was awesome with outdoor hot tubs & pools & more indoors, but no cameras permitted. I took this photo in the hallway while waiting for Nomi.
“Discover innovative European Alpine cuisine at Walliser Stube, an intimate corner of Chateau Lake Louise.” It was okay; nothing like the real thing in Bavaria.
From a window in our rooms in the Mt. Temple Wing of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
For contrast 53 years earlier; photo by Nomi, Summer of '73.
Sunrise from a window in our rooms in the Mt. Temple Wing of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Morning from a window in our rooms in the Mt. Temple Wing of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Morning from a window in our rooms in the Mt. Temple Wing of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
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Inside the Chateau there is a winding staircase of this balustrade’s stone going up to the lobby.
What time is it?
Common Scaly Sewejaartjie seen on a morning walk around Lake Louise.
A morning walk around Lake Louise.
Leaving the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for…
…the drive up to Jasper in a SunDog Transportation and Tour Co. bus & our driver/guide Dave Baker.
We were traveling in the Banff Nat'l Park, on the north-south Alberta Highway 93 a.k.a. The Icefields Parkway. “…constructed between 1931 and 1940… This 232 km route connected Lake Louise with Jasper, following the Continental Divide and showcasing the Columbia Icefield and major glaciers.” "The route takes its number from U.S. Route 93, which runs uninterrupted south to central Arizona..."
So long as the driver's vision is not impaired, cracked windshields are not illegal. Instead of salt, the Canadian Nat'l Parks use small gravel on icy winter roads. Driver's replace cracked windshields in the springtime. Alberta Highway 93 a.k.a. The Icefields Parkway.
Glaciers seen from Alberta Highway 93 a.k.a. The Icefields Parkway.. Dave, our driver/guide explained them but I didn't take notes.
Alberta Highway 93 a.k.a. The Icefields Parkway.
Seen from Alberta Highway 93 a.k.a. The Icefields Parkway, Bow Lake with Jimmy Simpson's red roofed 1930 Num-Ti-Jah Lodge peeking through.
Jim's building only slightly predated Alberta Hwy 93 when he started to build it & completed it by 1950. https://www.sntj.ca/index.php/about-the-lodge/history/
Jim's building only slightly predated Alberta Hwy 93. Good timing & location. https://www.sntj.ca/index.php/about-the-lodge/history/
"Stop in the Lodge's café for a treat and browse our curated assortment of Canadian goods."
"WELCOME TO BOW LAKE" Fed by Bow Glacier. Crowfoot Mountain behind the lake.
Log bridge at Bow Lake.
From Alberta Highway 93 a.k.a. The Icefields Parkway; Snow Bird Glacier?
I guess midway for us on the Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
On Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway, the distant yellow sign probably says entering avalanche area & the white rectangle one that you are leaving.
Peyto Lake & Caldron Peak from Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Peyto Lake & Caldron Peak from Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway crossing over the Cline River?
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
On the Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway, Howse Pass National Historic Site & the North Saskatchawan Canadian Heritage River.
Howse Pass National Historic Site.
Howse Pass National Historic Site. Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Howse Pass National Historic Site & the North Saskatchawan Canadian Heritage River along the Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Howse Pass National Historic Site. We had stopped here for a picnic lunch. Dave demonstrated his shoes that had just been given a second new life by a master cobbler in Jasper.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Left behind by a glacier then further formed by the wind… Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Approaching the N. Saskachewan River Crossing on Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
N. Saskachewan River Crossing from the bridge on the Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway. We got out of the bus & walked a bit.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway at the N. Saskachewan River Crossing.
“CYCLISTS STOP AND DISMOUNT - LES CYCLISTES S'ARRENTENT ET DESCENDENT”
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway at the N. Saskachewan River Crossing. I hope that cyclists note the sign.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
"AVALANCHE AREA/ZONE D'AVALANCHE"
I guess you shouldn't stop along here.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
A tourist spot with folks from around the world. Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
On the left, the Athabasca Glacier & to the right, the Dome Glacier. Both are fed by the Columbia Ice field, the largest ice field in the Canadian Rockies. Photo taken above the appropriately named Icefields Parkway.
“As the icefield is atop a triple Continental Divide these waters flow ultimately north to the Arctic Ocean, east to Hudson Bay (and thence to the North Atlantic Ocean), and south and west to the Pacific Ocean.”
An original Columbia Icefield Snow coach from maybe the 1970's. Earlier ones had skis in front instead of rubber tires. Inside it has two lengthwise padded benches.
Athabasca Glacier. Note the vehicles in the lower left. That's where we'd shortly be headed. Dave knew the folks working here & made sure that we encountered no problems.
The Columbia Icefield Adventure Tour (also called the Athabasca Glacier Tour) Discovery Centre. It’s run by Pursuit. “Brewster legacy continues under a new name: Pursuit.” They run over 80% of the tourist attractions in the area.
Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure Tour in a huge Ice Explorer vehicle.
On the Athabasca Glacier. The areas where we could walk were “cultured,” meaning churned up a bit. There sure were slippery areas. It was cold & we didn’t spend much time outside before returning into the ice explorer. The weather started to turned & we were one of the last groups on the ice, for the season.
On the Athabasca Glacier. Given a choice I would have taken a pass on this experience. Even with not completing the Skywalk Tour, it still ltook up a lot of time that we could have spent in Jasper.
And wearing crampons, in 2018 we had experienced exploring a glacier in Norway.
When the glacier recedes this rock pile is left behind.
"The Sunwapta River, fed by the meltwaters of the retreating glaciers, carved its own V-shaped path in the bottom of the large U-shaped valley. The presence of both types of valley erosion is a rare example of the different ways that water can shape the land in one place."
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Someone said that this glacier, The Northface Glacier, was the logo of Northface. It’s not. Their logo is a stylized Half Dome in Yosemite.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway approaching; JONAS - campers - Max.7.5 m Max 25 ft/pi.
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Jonas, Alberta along the Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway. This vintage building was housing for government workers. There are newer buildings now & this is used for overflow.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway approaching Sunwapta Falls - Chutes Sunwapta - hiking, camping, phone, beds & food. About 53 km south of Jasper.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway. “The September 2022 Jasper wildfire was a major lightning‑ignited blaze in Jasper National Park, Alberta, that burned on Chetamon Mountain in early September and became one of the largest wildfires in the park’s history.”
This point is less than ten minutes south of Jasper.
View of Jasper in the distance to the left as we crossed over the Miette River on Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
6 km to Jasper on the Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Alberta Hwy 93/ Icefields Parkway.
Jasper Municipality was evacuated.
Downtown Jasper.
Dave said he evacuated 30 seniors & lived with them for two months. His well of jokes was greatly increased. Many residents are still iiving in rv’s.
c. 1936 “Recognized Federal Heritage Building - It reflects the Rustic theme favoured by Canada’s National Parks in the 1920s–30s, symbolizing early Canadian tourism and park development.” The siren in the tower must have been going full blast on Sept. 1, 2022.
Jasper the Bear in a Space suit for Jasper’s “Halloween Takeover.” “The Jasper the Bear Statue has welcomed visitors to Jasper National Park since 1962. However, the character was created in 1948 by Jim Simpkins, a cartoonist working for Maclean’s magazine.... Jasper appeared in hundreds of cartoons and reminded readers of the importance of environmental stewardship. The town of Jasper adopted him as an official symbol in 1962, and the Jasper the Bear statue was built that year."
As per Dave, a sign so tourists will know where they are. Circa August 2025.
Jasper, Alberta.
"The 'Old Man' (Roche Bonhomme) is a distinctive mountain peak whose silhouette is often described as resembling a man’s head..." " The peak’s shape is iconic in the Canadian Rockies, with a rounded ‘forehead’ and ‘nose’ profile that gives the impression of a man’s head when viewed from certain angles." Jasper, Alberta.
Connaught Dr., Jasper, Alberta.
The c. 1940 H.J. Moberly Bridge over the Athabasca River, Jasper, Alberta.
Entering the 700 acre Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge with an elk’s behind to the right of the left stone post.
We didn’t get to see much of it as we arrived at dusk & left for the train station & the Rocky Mountaineer at sunrise.