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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 25, 2004 02:00 PM Tallest trees of the world...
Many years ago when I visited Sequoia National Park the ranger told me thet their sequoia trees are biggest but not the tallest trees of the world. So I started to dream about seeing redwood... The dream came true today! Can you imagine 105 -metre tall tree? Walking around them you feel like in the giant cathedral... It was fantastic, sunny day. I visited Tall Trees Groove - remote sanctuary accessible by long gravel road - it takes around 4 hours round-trip by car and walk to go there... Unforgettable! Fern Canyon on the costa was also wotrth to see.
I stay in Redwood Youth Hostel - one of the best I visited in my life. It is cosy, friendly place far from the noise, with fantastic view of the Pacific Ocean. They charge 18 USD per night in a dormitory - sheets and morning tea is included. Capacity is little, so it is worth to book in advance!
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Sep 24, 2004 02:00 PM California blue...
It was cloudy and foggy day in Oregon. I did not stop in Portland expecting that it is just one more big city with skycrapes in the downtown - you can see them from the interstate highway.
Oregon Dunes on the coast dissappointed me - it is nothing but a runway for big boys trying their noisy 4-wheelers...
But there is something interesting to see on the coast: 15 miles north of Florence beautifuly located on the cliff Heaceta Lighthouse. Before you get there stop at the Sea Lions Cave - the lions were not in the cave but on the coastal rock and it was even possible to take few zoom pictures.
Going south there is nothing to see along the highway 101 until Port Orford. South from this placa you will appreciate many coastal viewpoints... When I approached the border of California sun appeared and I had a chance to enjoy all this fantastic panoramas...
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Sep 23, 2004 02:00 PM I recommend Mount Rainier...
It was a long way from the north of Washington State to the bottom of Mt Rainier. There is not much to see in this national park except this mountain and few little waterfalls.
Bu it is still worth to come there.
Can you imagine 4400 - meters high snow-capped dome in the sun of the noon? There are different viewpoints: Sunrise Point allows see Mt Rainier from the North - it is steep and narrow mountain road there - check your brakes before!
Other entrances to the the park - from the south will give you a chance to see the beauty of the mountain and the meadows below it from the other side. At the gate you pay 10 USD per day - or buy your annual pass for 50...
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Sep 22, 2004 02:00 PM North Cascades in the sun...
I am back in the USA! Just close to the Canadian border there is less - known National Park of North Cascades.
Sun was shining when I entered beautiful mountains painted in the all colors of the fall... In this park they do not charge entry fee, but they have still well-organized visitor center with video projections during the day.
There are three entries to the park: by boat from the south, by gravel roan from southwest and the easiest: paved road from Serdo-Wolley. I took this road. It tooks me to the chain of dams and picturesque mountain lakes. Diablo Lake is probably the prietiest...
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Sep 21, 2004 02:00 PM Vancouver Island - bigger then expected...
I have been to Vancouver many years ago so it was nice to see again Stanley Park and Lions Gate Bridge... But main target during this trip was Vancouver Island.
You can get there by ferry - most people use Horseshoe Bay - Nanaimo ferry link.
It cost 30 C$ per car plus 10 C$ per person one way. 2-hours sail... If you need advance reservation it will cost you extra 15 C$ each way.
In my opinion the main attractions of the island are: Charming Victoria City - the capital of British Columbia and Pacific Rim National Park located on the west coast of the island.
I did not expected that the island is so huge... The drive from the ferry landing in Nanaimo to Victoria takes 2 hours each way. From Nanaimo to Tofino via the only, very narrow and steepy road - 3 hours... But is is worth... Victoria with its flowering streets, inner harbour and Parliament building is very tourist.
Pacific Rim is wild, empty in September and on the way you have giant trees of Cathedral Groove to see. So it was busy day... Tomorrow I'll try to catch the ferry back to the continent...
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Sep 18, 2004 02:00 PM A night in the Court House...
The last day in the Rocky Mountains was excellent: sunny weather, warm and plenty of time. I come once again to see the highlights of Icefields Highway. New driving direction: south opened new panoramas... Wonderful! After lunch on the open air on the bank of Athabasca river I started my long drive from Jasper to the Pacific.
It was too long to make it in one afternoon so I decided to make overnight stopover i Kamloops. The youth hostel in Kamloops is located in the building of the old Court House.
Almost everything is well preserved and since the court hall acts now as the YH dining room you can have your dinner sitting on the judge's chair...
The young lady at reception charged 17 C$ per dorm bed...
-Where are you from? Trial is over: guilty! Go to the dorm B!
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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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