A Week in The Canadian Rockies

Our last day of volunteering at Farragut State Park was Saturday, September 2, so we scheduled a week at a time-share condo in Panorama near Invermere, British Columbia, for the week of September 3rd. Panorama is located on the west side of the Canadian Rockies.

 

There are four Canadian National Parks in the Canadian Rockies UNESCO World Heritage Site. The four national parks included are Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay. We also visited two additional Canadian National Parks, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier (not to be confused with the US Glacier National Park or the Canadian Waterton Lakes National Park, both of which we visited in July).

 

As an added bonus, since 2017 is the 150th anniversary of Canada's birth, all the national parks are free to the public.  

Our Home Base - Panorama Ski Resort

Two Bedroom and Two Bath Unit

Kootenay National Park

Day Trip to Kootenay NP
Stop at Numa Creek 

Bridge Along Paint Pots Hike

The iron-rich mineral springs stain the
surrounding earth red.

One of the three Paint Pots
emerald green pools.

Marble Canyon Trail

Water Cascades Through Narrow
Limestone Marble Canyon

Criss-cross the Narrow Gorge
along Marble Canyon Trail

Sighting of a Mother Moose and
Calf on our Drive "Home"

Yoho National Park

Natural Bridge

Kicking Horse River Cascades
Under the Natural Bridge

Hike to Takakkaw Falls
Takakkaw means "It is Magnificent"
in the Cree Language.

The 840 foot falls is
feed by a massive ice field.

Cave and Basin National

Historic Site in

Banff, Alberta

Visitor Center of Canada's
First National Park,
Born in 1885

Underground Cave and Hot Spring

Outdoor Hot Spring

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Banff National Park

We took this exceptional hike in 2003 while
camping here.

Rather than hiking along the rim of
the canyon, a catwalk leads through the
depths of Johnston Canyon.

Johnston Canyon Lower Falls are accessed
through a narrow rock tunnel at the
end of the trail.

Mount Revelstoke National Park

Giant Cedars Nature Trail through
the Cedar-Hemlock Forest

Nels Nelson Historic Ski Jump
at the Base of Mount Revelstoke  

In February 1916, Nels Nelsen broke the
world record by jumping 183 feet
on the Revelstoke ski jump.

We followed a paved road to the
historic fire lookout at the
summit of Mount Revelstoke.

Numerous forest fires burn
throughout drought ravaged
British Columbia.

Waterton Lakes National Park

Monday, July 31, we drove into Alberta, Canada, to tour Waterton Lakes National Park which is adjacent to the north boundary of Glacier National Park.

Waterton Lakes is 195 square miles.

Prince of Wales Hotel, Built in 1926 on
the Shore of Upper Waterton Lake

We enjoyed a delicious lunch of Shepherd's Pie
at the Hotel.
This traditional English dish is made with
ground beef and lamb, vegetables and
topped with whipped potatoes.

A Hike Along the Red Rock Canyon
at End of Red Rock Parkway

Cameron Lake at the end of Akamina Parkway

Bighorn Sheep along the Akamina Parkway

Boarding the "International", Built in 1927,
for a Shoreline Cruise of
Upper Waterton Lake

Sitting on the Top Deck for Outstanding Views

We stopped at Goats Haunt deep
in Glacier NP, Montana.
This is actually a port of entry, with customs agents,
and can only be reached by water or hike.

Our 40th Wedding Anniversary at Glacier National Park

We left Farragut Saturday afternoon, after completing our days work, to start the 200 mile drive to Glacier National Park. After spending the night in St. Regis, Montana, we arrived at Glacier on Sunday morning. This allowed us the day to drive the "Going to the Sun Road". The "Going to the Sun Road" is one of the world's most spectacular highways, bisecting the heart of Glacier National Park. This 50 mile long road follows the shores of the park's two largest lakes and hugs the cliffs below the Continental Divide as it traverses Logan Pass. There are many scenic turnouts and exhibits along the way. We had reservations for a cabin at the St. Mary's Lodge on the east side of the Park for Sunday and Monday night.

Glacier National Park is over a million acres.

 

The first stop was lunch at Sprague Creek,
near Lake McDonald.

Viewing the Vast Expanse of the
Glacier Carved Valley.

Spring Flowers at High Elevation
the End of July

The Ever Present Vintage 1930's
Open Air Red Tour Buses

 

One of the Tunnels Along the Route



Weeping Wall near Logan Pass

Contemplating Cresting the Logan Pass

Goose Island in Ten Mile Long
Saint Mary Lake

Home for the Next Two Nights

We Overlooked the Beautiful
East Side of the Park

The view of Swiftcurrent Lake from the
Many Glacier Lodge Restaurant where
we celebrated our 40 years together.

Inside the Many Glacier Lodge, Built in 1914

Beautiful View Driving West on
Tuesday Morning

McDonald Creek

Lake McDonald Lodge, Built in 1913

Lake McDonald

40 YEARS
July 30, 2017