Ice fields to Sunny (finally!) Days

After a couple of days in Banff we finally gave up on the cloudy rain-soaked skies knowing the sun couldn't hide forever. Or could It?

While in Banff we did have the chance to ride the Bow Valley Parkway which is a beautiful stretch that goes to Lake Louise. The Trans-Canada highway is used by those in a hurry to get to places north but for the tourists, animal watchers, and yes, lowly cyclists, the Parkway is a slower and more relaxed path. The rain was with us for parts of the ride but it didn't dampen spirits as we reached Lake Louise. Much like the Maroon Bells outside of

Aspen, Lake Louise is a gem albeit with a five star resort attached. While we didn't have time this trip there is a wonderful  series of hiking trails that takes you from one teahouse to another as you climb higher and higher above the lake.

Next up was the Ice Fields Parkway where at the top you can take massive tundra buses up and onto the Athabasca Glacier. While politicians debate the nuances of global warming the receding glacier makes the tundra buses have to drive further every year just to reach the ice.

There are signs as you approach the glacier marking where the ice started year by year and you walk for what seems a mile or more passing all the signs standing as testament to the vanishing ice. When we were in Glacier National  Park  they were forecasting there would be no remaining glaciers in the park in as little as 10-15 years. Will they have to rename the National Park at that point? And where will the tundra buses go when there is no more ice?

On down the road we finally reach Jasper and though it might jinx me, the sun actually made an appearance and all of a sudden people weren't dressed in their Nanook of the North outfits. The bears too seem to relish basking in the sunshine and we saw another three black bears doing whatever bears really do. Tomorrow  we break out the kayaks for an excursion on breathtaking  Lake Maligne. That name might not ring a bell but odds are you've seen pictures on calendars, greeting cards, etc. You can take a tour boat down the lake or do the 16 mile round-trip in your own human-powered  vessel. Weather willing (hopefully no wind) it should be about a 4-5 hour paddle. On our last trip we kayak- camped down the lake and it's pretty remote and lonely once the last tourist boat finishes up at 4 p.m.