Ice Fields Parkway, Alberta, Canada

One of the most remarkable things about the Canadian Rocky Mountains is thinking about the early settlers, explorers, mountaineers, climbers and how they navigated this area. The Guide-along app suggests many places you should stop but also gives tidbits of information on the more notable early settlers. I won’t pretend to be a history buff, Mark most certainly is, but I find the information extremely interesting. To think…no roads, no homes, no established paths, no plumbing or ovens, cold, snow and wildlife…none of the luxuries that exist today. Not to mention the beauty and the colors, it was like nothing they had ever seen before. When you look at that and all the advancements since then it is truly amazing.

Our day 4 from Lake Louise had us adventuring along the Ice Fields Parkway. It is considered one of the most beautiful roads in Canada. Starting in Banff, you drive through the Canadian Rockies taking you to Jasper National Park, 144 miles. We had completed the portion between Banff and Lake Louise, and we will be moving to Jasper on Sunday, so we completed the portion between Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefields visitor center on Saturday.

There were numerous stops along the way to take in the stunning views, hike to the lakes and just take in all the beauty that surrounded us. We did see a bear, but he was behind the guardrail, so the pictures didn’t come out. The weather was perfect and we look forward to moving on to Jasper and completing the tour of the Ice Fields Parkway.

There are so many glaciers along the way. The glacier up over my right

shoulder is Crow Foot glacier; it is considered a hanging glacier because

 the massive ice field hangs off the side of the mountain rather than

lying in a valley between mountains.

A closer view of the glacier.

Bow Lake

I had to get a feel for the water...it was cold!

You can swim in it, however it is glacially fed with 

the temperature only reaching about 41 degrees fahrenheit.

Bow Lake Lodge

The lodge is described as no emails, phone calls, or notifications.

There is only wide, vast, wondrous nature.

 

Peyto Lake

Can you see how it's shaped like a wolf?

The color of this lake is absolutely amazing!

The color changes dependent on how much sun is

 reaching it as the clouds pass over. The colors, all different 

shades of blue and blue-green, reminded us of the dancing

 colors of the Northern Lights.

Mistaya Canyon

Looking back from where we came on the Ice Fields Pkwy.

Here, the Pkwy follows the Saskatchewan River valley

The flowers are just blooming.