Northwest Passage — Pt. 9: Whistler/Blackcomb, BC

The last big hike of the trip. We stayed overnight in Whistler, a major ski resort in British Columbia. In summer, the slopes and the area around them are turned into mountain biking trails and hiking trails. There was a major BMX championship going down in the town itself. The gondolas and chairlifts were packed with bicycles and their riders, who rode down the precipitous slopes on groomed trails. Not my thing, but looked like tons o' fun if that's your thing.

We opted for the High Note Trail, described below. Very few other hikers. Cannot recommend this hike enough. It was glorious. The altitude was not so high that it was totally disorienting, but the air was rarified. We were above all the smoke and haze from the wildfires. The day was, in a word, perfect.

As sometimes happens, I opted for a short-cut trail back to the main lodge. The trail somehow petered out in a jumble of rocks. I negotiated my way across the rubble and up a small slope only to discover it was the wrong slope in the wrong direction. After a brief discussion with the kind, helpful folks on the Emergency Hotline, I re-oriented, backtracked down the slope and back across the morraine, skirting a few glaciated patches, and back up the slope on the other side of the saddle until I found my way back to the trail which led to the lodge where I met up with the rest of the crew who were already there! Turns out my short cut was longer than their hike. HaHa. LOL. Silly me! That'll teach me a lesson!

A very important photo. After I got "lost", i.e., the trail disappeared into a pile of rocks, I called the number there, and they helped orient me. Thanks!

Precisely the sort of thing that activates the amygdala fear response region of my brain. Yet, reader, I crossed it!

Distant glaciers. Mid-August.

Hiking the slopes and rocks. (Not my stick, btw. Don't use one.)

Patches O'Glacier.

What is this I see down in the valley?

Cheakamus Lake, tree line, distant glaciers.

Typical trail view.

Wait, where'd the trail go? Guess I'll just have to negotiate this rocky rubble and maybe I'll come across it.

Alpine meadow back on the trail again.

Waterfall near Squamish on the way back to Vancouver.

And...ketchup flavored potato chips. Don't try this at home.

Northwest Passage — Pt. 8: Jasper NP, Wells Gray PP

The drive from Banff to Jasper is regarded as one of the most beautiful drives in North America. Smoke and haze from surrounding forest fires obscured much of our enjoyment. Glaciated peaks were browned out, distant waterfalls barely visible.

Two days of easy hiking: glaciers, waterfalls, canyons, and lakes.

Bow Lake with distant glaciers and waterfall

Sign on Columbia Icefield that no one seems to heed

Columbia Icefield: Strolling on the glacier

Browned out Columbia Icefield: The largest glacier south of the Yukon & NW Territories & Alaska

Sign at the entrance to campground in Jasper

Athabasca Falls - Jasper NP

Sunwapta Falls - Jasper NP

Maligne Canyon

Maligne Canyon - Jasper NP

Maligne Canyon - Jasper NP

Same goes for me - Fraser River, furthest inland salmon spawning grounds

Afternoon dip in Clearwater Lake - Wells Gray

Hazy day at Helmcken Falls - Wells Gray Provincial Park, Fourth Highest in Canada

Spahats Falls - Wells Gray Provincial Park

Northwest Passage — Pt. 7: Banff National Park: Lake Louise OMG

If you learn only one word from me and my crappy travel blog post, it should be 'Banff'. Banff National Park in the Alberta, Canada Rockies.

And the summertime highlight of that park is Lake Louise. (There is, apparently, great skiing there in the wintertime also.)

Lake Louise is pricey, especially the Fairmont Chateau which commands the spot. We camped some 55 kilometers away on the outskirts of Banff town for like $40/night Canadian, drove in early, arriving before 8:00. Even so, we got one of the last parking spots. Otherwise, we would have had to park about 10 km away and ride a shuttle. Instead of fixing breakfast in our camper as we did every other morning, we splurged and ate at the Chateau's breakfast buffet. Fresh caught smoked local smoked salmon, waffles, bacon, coffee, and pretty much anything you might ever want for breakfast fueled our long day's hike. Totally worth it.

Walking out of the Chateau's restaurant toward the lake, I gasped. It was one of those rare moments in my life when I had to stop walking and catch my breath at the beauty and splendor of the setting. Took my breath away—I know, a cliche, but dammit, it happened. High, distant glaciers were emerging from the low mists rising out of the turquoise colored lake. I'd never seen anything quite like it in my life. The first picture below is that moment. Taken with iPhone X camera, it cannot possibly capture the moment but does serve as a reminder.

For the previous couple of days, the sky was brown and cloudy from the forest fires. Once we crossed into the Banff high country, a large bowl surrounded by high, glaciated peaks, the skies cleared. This was, except for Victoria, the clearest, most perfect day of the trip.

I hiked about ten miles, about 2000' of elevation. The fam took an extra loop and hiked a bit longer and higher. Once again, I found myself hiking alone, at the sort of pace I prefer so don't have to watch each foot placement and can take in everything around me and even take a few snapshots. Occasionally, I would hear the boom and crash of a distant avalanche.

At the top of one hike sits the Teahouse on the Plain of Six Glaciers. They serve hot tea and soups. Supplies are hiked in daily by staff. Every week or so, propane and other supplies are helicoptered in. There's a sign on the porch requesting hikers to carry out garbage bags.

If you ever get the chance...

(Click pics to embiggen)

A moment of awe.

Let's go hiking.

Lake Louise from the trail.

Just can't get enough.

Heading higher. We reached a level with the bottom of the glacier you can see there.

The iconic hiking picture from Lake Louise, Banff, and the Canadian Rockies. (At least to my mind)

Currently the wallpaper on my computer.

If you enlarge the picture, you can see the narrow, rocky trail cut into the side of the hill.

Ever looked under the lip of a glacier? (For scale, it's about 10-12 ft high)

Gaining some elevation.

The Chateau across the lake on the return trip.

The color of the water! (Canoe in the lake for scale)

Cooling off our tired feet after a long day of hiking.

Last longing look at lingering sunlight hitting the eastern peak above Lake Louise.

One of many wildlife crossing structures over the TransCanada pioneered by Banff NP. Used by moose, elk, deer, bear, and many smaller animals.

Banff town sign, so as not to forget.

Northwest Passage — Pt. 6: Yoho National Park

Yoho National Park in British Columbia, Canada, is one of several contiguous national and provincial parks along the BC/Alberta line in the Canadian Rockies. We tried to hit as many of them as we could in the limited time we had.

First stop: Yoho, a Cree name for awe and wonder. Ayup! It's lesser known than Banff and Jasper, but is a premier hiking destination. It's home to the second highest waterfall in Canada, Takakkaw Falls at some 1250 feet. Takakkaw is another Cree word; it means something like "That's pretty spectacular." And again, Ayup!

The nearest parking lot from the TransCanada highway is close to the falls. But once you get away from that short walk, the crowds thin out. We hiked a total of about five miles into the Yoho Valley along the river (and, of course, back out). The easy to moderate trail pretty much follows the river, and there are plenty of cascades and falls and vistas.

At one of the falls, I walked out onto a rock ledge to take a selfie (see below) and the rest of the crew thought I went on ahead. They left me alone by the river thinking they were trying to catch up to me. I thought they'd turned around to head back to the car and the falls, so I hiked the five miles out by myself. They abandoned me on my birthday!! However, the walk back, alone, in the awesome beauty of the park and the Rockies was a spiritual experience. Transcendent. One of the greatest hikes of my life. There's something about being in nature, away from all human-made sounds except your own footfalls and your breathing. Peaceful. Inspirational. Exhilarating.

Also, this was not the only time I got separated from the family while hiking on this vacation. Hmmmm. But more about that later. (click pics below to embiggen slideshow)

Approaching Takakkaw Falls, glacial melt water pouring into the Yoho Valley.

Takakkaw Falls from the base.

The glacial river descends into Yoho Valley.

Trailhead into Yoho Valley. Note the mixture of clouds and smoke from distant forest fires.

One last longing look back at the magnificence of the falls in the distance as we head off into the Yoho Valley.

Let's go!

The river widens, the color of my shirt (see below).

Some ups!

Hiking in the West is different.

Taking a selfie as the family abandons me!

Cascades and falls.

At the end of the day, dinner in Banff, Alberta, a lovely resort town.

Banff sunset, colored by smoke from distant fires.