MADE IT TO CANADA 8/4-5/14

We left Glacier National Park area early in the morning so we could enter Canada ASAP.  We have covered a lot of territory and have been impressed by the beauty of the landscapes we have seen.  It has been truly awe inspiring.  We were the first to cross the Canadian border.  The drive up to Calgary was much like the landscapes of Montana…wide open spaces and lots of farmlands.

On our way to Banff, we found a car wash where we cleaned the Glacier Park mud off our truck.  The next thing we did was find a WalMart to stock up on supplies.  (Notice the truck is cleaner…YEA!)

The weather was rainy as we entered Banff National Park.  We had to pay an additional $39 for a 2 day park pass that would get us through our travels through the park to Jasper.  (We thought our camping fees in the National Parks covered the entrance fees…we were wrong)  Despite the rain, the mountains in the Banff area were so majestic.  Our campsite was nicely located near some walking trails and had full hook-ups. 

We grilled chicken at our campsite and had a very nice dinner.  Our truck camper might be small, but we have been able to fix some tasty meals on the road.

The next morning, we woke up and found Bear scat (poop) 25 ft in front of our camper.  We never saw any bears, but there was enough evidence that they were in the area. We took a walk on one of the trails in the National Park with the dogs.  Canada isn’t as strict about dogs on trails as the United States.  The clouds were hanging low in the sky causing some interesting pictures.

We visited Bow River Falls in Banff, just below the Fairmont Banff Springs. 

Downtown Banff is much like Gatlinburg.  A lot of people, cars, difficult finding parking places, etc.  It’s a very pretty place surrounded by natural beauty.

Our next stop was Lake Louise.  When we visited there in October of 2000, there were very few people and everything looked so pristine.  This time, it was a small traffic jam trying to get up to Moraine Lake located behind the Fairmont Lake Louise Inn.  The lake is a turquoise blue made from melting glaciers.

We camped at Lake Louise National Park with only electric hook-up.  We took the dogs for a walk in the woods down to a river that was ice cold.  Shiloh liked wading in the water.  There was a little Marmot that tormented Shiloh at our campsite all afternoon.

Joe had to work on the hot water supply line that sprung a leak so we could take a hot shower in the camper the next morning.  He didn’t have what he needed, so we had to use the wash rooms located across from our campsite. 

This mountain was the view we had walking through the campground.  Absolutely gorgeous.  Next stop… Ice Fields Parkway and the Athabasca Glacier fed by the Columbia Ice Fields.