Yellowhead Highway from Jasper to Grande Prairie

This morning started sunny but we encountered rain (again) as we approached Grande Cache, Alberta.  About 250 miles total today from Jasper to Grande Prairie, Alberta.  We are now camped at the Country Roads RV Park in Grande Prairie until Wednesday morning to shop, do laundry, catch up on the internet postings, and clean a few things before we head up the Alaska Highway on Wednesday.  

We are still struggling a bit with the internet access so be patient if we don't post for a few days.  Grande Prairie is a good size city with all the big box stores and restaurants.

Our plan is to depart early Wednesday for Dawson Creek, British Columbia – the start of the Alaska Highway.

RV Travel Report:

We left Jasper this morning on Trans Canada 16 eastbound until joining the Yellowhead Highway (Trans Canada 40).   Highway 16 is wide and smooth to the Junction.  Highway 40 is winding northward in a series of ascents and descents.  The road has patches of modestly rough surface as it climbs toward Grande Cache.  North of there the road improves markedly while continuing to climb and descend at about 3,700 feet above sea level.  

Touring Jasper National Park

6/8/13

We toured around Jasper National Park today first driving to Lake Maligne.  A planned boat tour did not take place due to the weather being marginal.  Overcast and rain cast a dreary backdrop to this beautiful Alpine lake.  We next drove to Maligne Canyon looking for wildlife.

After a picnic lunch we drove south to Athabasca Falls.  This tributary flows down from Athabasca Glacier that we toured yesterday.  An early evening to prepare for our drive tomorrow ended out day.  We travel from Jasper east on Trans Canada 16 to the Yellowhead Highway, Canada 40.

Columbia Ice Fields and Jasper

6/7/13

We were off rather early this morning up the Ice-fields Parkway about 70 miles to Columbia Ice-fields where we boarded a bus that took us up near the Athabasca glacier where we boarded an ice crawler that took us out onto the glacier.  It was cold but magnificent viewing.  This is the only glacier known to flow into the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans.  It is approximately 1,000 feet thick.

We continued up the Highway 93 toward Jasper this afternoon in moderate rain until arriving at the Whistler’s Campground.  High spruce forest punctuated with White Birch trees.  After dinner we were entertained by a hear of Elk moving through the campground right through our campsite.  We will remain in Jasper tomorrow to visit Lake Maligne and Jasper, Alberta.

RV Travel Report:

We left Trans Canada 1 this morning on Highway 93 at Lake Louise today.   Two lane road with good shoulders and turn-outs in most places.  Roadway was smooth until about 30 miles southeast of Columbia Ice-fields where we slowed a bit on some rough patches during a climb of about 2,000 feet.  After Columbia Ice-fields we were on a gradual downward slope all the way to Jasper with much better highway surface.  No fuel report today.

Lake Louise and Banff

6/6/13

Today broke with beautiful sunshine at about 6,000 ft. elevation where we are today at the Lake Louise Campground, site 158.  Drove 3 miles up the mountain to visit world famous Lake Louise.  The emerald water reflecting snow-covered peaks was truly gorgeous.  Our next stop was at  Moraine Lake with another breath-taking vista across the lake.

Following lunch we drove to Johnston’s Canyon where we walked along narrow canyon walls on walkways overhanging the canyon.  It brought us to a spectacular falls complete with a cave that permitted access to almost the cascading river falls.

This took us on to Banff.  While quite nice it is reminiscent of many “yuppie” towns in Colorado, Utah, and California.

Tomorrow we head further northwest into Jasper National Park after a mid-day visit to the Columbia Ice Fields for some glacier viewing.

Banff National Park

6/5/13

We departed Calgary late morning for a short drive west on Trans Canada 1 to Banff and Lake Louise Village where we are camped this evening in the Trailer campground (hard-side camping only, no tents due to bears in the area).  Just before Banff the road narrowed briefly to accommodate the Banff Park gates.  A four-day pass for two adults was $78.40.  Canadian dollar vs. US Dollar is almost at parity at 1.03/1.  Stopped for fuel in Canmore at Petro-Canada and later fueled the Jeep in Lake Louise.  We will be touring Lake Louise and Banff areas tomorrow.

RV Travel Report:

Divided highway all the way to Lake Louise today.   Expected a climb most of the way but here the highways follow two things: the rivers, and the railroads.

Average fuel costs today:             $4.48 Gallon (USD) / $117.9 (C$)Liter for diesel

                                                     $5.58 Gallon (USD) / $ 1.47 (C$) Liter for gasoline

Gasoline was a bit high here but this is a tourist area without much competition.  Back in Calgary gas seems to be universally priced at $1.17.9 per liter.

Calgary, Alberta

6/4/13           

The four of us toured the Heritage Village Historical Park today under beautiful blue skies and mild weather.  This park allows you to walk thorough Canadian history in farms, villages, and early towns talking to period dressed actors learning about early life in Canada.  Churches, newspapers, and the railroad created the cohesiveness to settle the western lands much like our history in the United States.

Next we ventured downtown to see a very modern city on the plains and foothills of Alberta.  We provide below a few pictures from the Calgary Tower sitting about 525 feet about the city.  After an early dinner we toured the Olympic Park just west of town and headed back to our camp at Calaway Park RV on Canadian Highway 1.

Tomorrow we head west into Banff National Park for a few days.