Canadian Rockies Trip Day 5 - Lake Louise to Jasper (Thursday, June 20th, 2019)
Canadian Rockies Trip Day 5 - Lake Louise to Jasper (Thursday, June 20th, 2019)
After getting couple hours of shut eye, we woke up to take our breakfast at the lounge. We were departing for Jasper today. We would be traveling on the scenic Icefield Parkway today and sight see along the way. We were also supposed to take the big wheel bus - the Ice Explorers up to the Columbia Icefield but the weather was beginning to look ominous early in the morning.
Brownie Bites
Brief stop at Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls, a mecca for ice climbers in the winter
Finally getting some movement after sitting in traffic for a few hours
Well past 5:00 pm when we entered Jasper National Park
Passing by the Columbia Icefield Skywalk in total white out condition
First bear sighting in Jasper National Park
Finally checked into our hotel and enjoying some snack at the lobby
Enjoying the bar snack at the hotel restaurant
Bison head by the fire
Enjoying a bowl of Asian noodle dish after a long day in the bus
Chicken soup
Curry, basmati rice, and naan
Asian flavored chicken and noodle
After getting couple hours of shut eye, we woke up to take our breakfast at the lounge. We were departing for Jasper today. We would be traveling on the scenic Icefield Parkway today and sight see along the way. We were also supposed to take the big wheel bus - the Ice Explorers up to the Columbia Icefield but the weather was beginning to look ominous early in the morning.
Happy at breakfast time
Moving on to another stop
Oatmeal
Full plate
Yogurt and fruit
We met our tour guide Norm at the tour bus parking just outside of the hotel. Norm is an older gentlemen and a retired police officer. There was a mixture of light snow/rain coming down. We departed our hotel later than the scheduled time since Norm had us introduce ourselves in the bus. After we got on the road, the snow was coming down steadily. We got to our first stop - Bow Lake. It was a total white out. I was the only person who got off the bus and we could not see a thing. We made it to our second stop - Peyto Lake. The snow was coming down hard. We did not even make it to the lake. We took box lunch in the bus - roast beef sandwich, chicken wrap, and Old Dutch Ketchup potato chips. We made a short stop at Bridal Veil Falls to observe the ice cliff where ice climbers converge during the winter climbing season. Shortly after this point, the Icefield Parkway makes a large switch back and ascends steeply to the Jasper National Park. It is also at this juncture by the large switch back after the Bridal Veil Falls that we encountered the massive traffic jam that had us stuck in the middle of a summer snow storm for the rest of the day.
At the parking lot of Peyto Lake, a total white out
Christmas in June
Snow at Peyto Lake
Snow ball fight in June
Roast beef sandwich
Chicken wrap
Old Dutch Ketchup Potato Chips
Brownie Bites
Brief stop at Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls, a mecca for ice climbers in the winter
At this point, we were stopped in the traffic jam in the snow. Norm calmly told us that we would be stuck for at least 5 hours. We did not believe him but it turned out to quite accurate how long we were stuck. There was a thirty car pile up on top of the mountain that stopped both the south bound and north bound traffic. We sat and waited. By the time we got moving it was well past 4 pm. We finally arrived at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge much later than anticipated. We took a late dinner at the hotel restaurant and called it a night.
Start of the traffic jam at the large mountain switch back in blizzard condition
Finally getting some movement after sitting in traffic for a few hours
Well past 5:00 pm when we entered Jasper National Park
Passing by the Columbia Icefield Skywalk in total white out condition
First bear sighting in Jasper National Park
Finally checked into our hotel and enjoying some snack at the lobby
Enjoying the bar snack at the hotel restaurant
Bison head by the fire
Enjoying a bowl of Asian noodle dish after a long day in the bus
Chicken soup
Curry, basmati rice, and naan
Asian flavored chicken and noodle
Did dad travel on that 5 hour traffic jam with you guys?? And was there a bathroom on that bus? It’s all so beautiful though minus the 5 hour delay. If you didn’t say it, the photos would have only displayed a fun snowy time! Is there a time better suited to visit without summer snowstorms? 🤓
ReplyDeleteYes the big motor coach had a bathroom in the back so going to the bathroom was not an issue. It was also stocked with tons of food so we weren't going to be hungry. I would say summer time weather is the most predictable but anytime season would offer a unique perspective to that part of Canada.
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