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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Sep 17, 2004 02:00 PM Jasper - Holes' Parkway to Mount Edith Cavell
The town of Jasper is important tourist center of Canadian Rockies. Rather then visiting gift shops I preferred to see the beauty of the nature in the surroundings. The Athabasca river passing by and small lakes close to it are very picturesque... But for me the most interesting place close to Jasper is the area of Mount Edith Cavell. To get there first you drive 20 minutes south to the bottom of the mountain. Then there is 14 km of the narrow switchbacks climbing to the little hostel. Due to enormous number of holes in the road I called it Holes' Parkway. From the car park close to the hostel you have a nice view of the giant mountains and glaciers. But it is also worth to take a 800m walk to a little glacier lake. The calving Edith Cavell glacier produce little icebergs - they are sailing in the lake - the view is unusual! It was snowing when I was there... Snow in mid-September? Why not? - Just take your gloves with you!
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Sep 16, 2004 02:00 PM Walking on the glacier...
I will remember Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper as a most beautiful road of the Rockies. There are forests in the colors of the fall, snow-capped mountains, waterfalls and canyons to see - it was busy but just great day! I spend more then two hours at Athabasca Glacier. On the altitude of 2000 m you have a chance to reach quite easy the glacier and even to take a walk on it... I saw before many glaciers in Himalaya, Alaska, South America and Antarctica - I think this is one of the best... There are two methods to jump on the snow. First: to take a mamooth bus from the visitors center - it cost hefty 30 C$ per person. Second: to leave the car at the bottom of the glacier and to walk up to the front and then on the marked area on the snowfield - what a experience in the summer! And completly free! Just take warm hat and windproof jacket - it is cold and windy there...
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Sep 15, 2004 02:00 PM Rainy Revelstoke and sunny Yoho...
"Cloudy with the periods of sun" - that is usual forecast I hear here in Canadian Rockies... Revelstoke National Park is just a big mountain. From the gate there is 25 km of hairpins climbing to the parking lot at the top. Well, not exactly the top... The last two km you will go in the free park shuttle (due to very narrow road). It was raining in the bottom, in addition there were heavy mist in the middle of the mountain. And it was almost nothing visible on the summit (except charming female Park staff)... Bad luck...
On the afternoon the same day I went to Yoho National Park - about 100 km from Revelstoke. No rain but some sunshine... Yes, Emerald Lake was emerald, but the highlight of the park was a visit to Takakkaw Fall - 254 m in single drop! Highet in the Rockies! I am great waterfall fan - see my waterfalls page.. So it was a nice reward for the morning rain and mist in Revelstoke...
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Sep 14, 2004 02:00 PM Country roads took me... to Banff
Going to the capital of Canadian Rockies I decided not to drive via transcanadian highway but to make detour via Kananaskis Country. Landscapes were beautiful - there is a chain of lakes, but the road was gravel only... Can you imagine 55 km on the gravel? My car survived anyway and we finally landed in Banff Youth Hostel (28 C$ per night, sheets included).
While in Banff and the visibility is good it is worth to take gondola ride to the top of Mt Sulphur (21,10 C$ - no discounts!)
It was early morning when I was there - very cold but panoramic view was fantastic...
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Sep 12, 2004 02:00 PM The view from Calgary tower...
Yesterday I crossed the border to Canada at Chief Mountain post... Just afer the border crossing point there is Waterton Lakes National Park - small but very pisturesque. At the park gate I decided to but annual pass for free entry to all Canadian Parks - it is good deal - 45 C$. Weather was fine. I took some good landscape pictures and... pictures of two bears playing just 10 meters from the road...
Today I am in Calgary - a neat city with brand-new downtown where you can use for free street trains. From the top of Calgary tower (196 m) there is nice view around - worth 10 C$ you spent to use the elevator. I saw Rocky Mountains on the horizon - this will be destination for tomorrow...
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Sep 10, 2004 02:00 PM Glaciers in the rain...
Glacier National Park - USA...
You can be well organized, very well prepared but what you also sometimes need is just a luck.
Glacier National Park is wonderful but it was raining almost all day when I was there. East of the park is much more picturesque then the west. On the eastern side of the continental divide there are three valleys with mountain lakes towered by huge mountains. It is possible to visit them in two days if you just drive into the valley but if you plan to hike you will need more time. I drove up the "Going to the sun" road - to the Logan Pass - 2036 m above sea level. I saw the glaciers, waterfalls and rivers... I like them much. But I can imagine how beautiful the same landscapes are when the sun is shining...
Bad luck...
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Sep 08, 2004 02:00 PM Spokane US - beauty of the gardens...
I went to Spokane - second largest city in Washington State. Who knows about Spokane? But it is worth to stop here for a day or two to see beautiful city gardens... They have also nice restored hotel from the old, good times and large mery-go-round instalation in the park close to the river. The border of Idaho is just 30 miles east - it is my route for tomorrow...
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Sep 06, 2004 02:00 PM Seattle USA - on the trail again!
I am happy to carry my backpack through the world again...
After 10-hours flight from Europe I landed in Seattle in the US Northwest. The city is located between the huge sound connected to the Pacific and two lakes. For the nice aerial view it is worth to take elevator to the top of Space Needle - this tower act as a symbol of Seattle. The view from the open- air platform, 165 m above the ground is fantastic assuming that the weather is fine... But they charge you hefty 13 US dollars for this attraction... I do not like skycraper-dotted cities - so already tomorrow I will depart to the Glacier National Park at the canadian border... What I need is just clear weather. Keep your fingers crossed!
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May 10, 2004 02:00 PM Gdansk, Poland - was it a dream?
After a hot and extremelly dry deserts of Arizona and California I was really happy to see the lush green of polish spring... The 6th voyage around the world is over... 98 days on the trail: Black Africa, Indian Ocean, Australian Outback, beautiful islands of the South Pacific, South Arizona. So many miles, thousands of of people, diversity of the nature, adventures... And now I am sitting again in my room in 11-stories concrete block. Did it really happened to me?
The dream came true...
Thank you my Friends for keeping your fingers crossed!
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May 08, 2004 02:00 PM Desert of Sonora...
From Organ Pipes I took a long and picturesque drive to Tucson. Saguaro National Park is just on the outskirts of the city. You probably saw these giant cactus on the pictures: this trees are imposing: they grow as high as 18 m, but the tallest is 23,4 m high. Some people call them candelabre cactus... It takes about 75 years before it sprout its first branches or "arms"... It was blossom time when I was in the park and there were a lot of white-and-yellow flowers on the saguaro...
On my way back to LA I visited the third National Park - Joshua Tree. Apart of the picturesque Joshua trees themselves there is a lot of fantastic boulders to walk around and to photograph. Also do not miss Cholla Garden - I saw these plants in the other parks but here they are especially beautiful... Park entry fee is 10 USD - if you plan to visit more US parks within one year it is worth to buy a year pass - it cost only 50 USD...
From the Joshua Tree Park I drove directly to the LA airport. Wow! It takes a lot of time to pass all crowded freeways so allow plenty of time.
In the LA airport there were unpleasant surprise waiting for me: after check-in they ask me to take off all my film from the main luggage as they can be damaged by the X-rays. I put all my stuff from the backpack on the floor and packed it back... In hi-technology-proud America - shame! They also do not allow to lock your luggage so take all your valuables off with your films!
Now 10-hours flight to Amsterdam ahead... Good night!
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