Through The Rocky Mountains

[bb07]

I've just traveled through the Rockies from Saskatchewan, crossing Alberta and British Columbia right to the west coast, ending at Vancouver Island.
Here's the first view of the Rockies coming up, western Alberta

Farther along

Jasper National Park www.jaspernationalpark.com/ Spent the first night here

Left Jasper and crossed into B.C., coming to Mount Robson http://100famousmtnscanada.wordpress.com/category/20-highest-peaks-of-canada/

The view from where I spent the second night, about two hours to go from here to the west coast

Crossing from the mainland to Vancouver Island

Total driving distance to get here was about a thousand miles. Worth it!! Lots to see and do yet over the next couple weeks.

 

[Twodogs]

Fantasic stuff,
I spent some time in Jasper in the past ,Wow what a stunning place .
Thanks for posting
Twodogs

 

[BOD]

I thought it was going to be on horseback or by wagon train :-(

 

[Retired Member southey]

Brilliant , it just makes the saving more worthwhile, cheers dude!

 

[Andy2112]

Stunning photos bb, keep em coming.

 

[stovie]

Roll on July/August...Will be in the Blaeberry Valley, just north of Golden, BC. Will be flying into Calgary and driving west through some of the most stunning landscape in the world...

 

[Shewie]

Thanks fro sharing bb, there was a bit more blue sky and sunshine when we were last there.

 

[PropThePolecat]

Thanks for posting. I hope ill be able to visit the area some time in my life.

 

[bb07]

After spending some time on Vancouver Island http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Island it was time to move on. Leaving the island, I travel back to the mainland and head north on the Trans- Canada Highway http://wikitravel.org/en/Trans-Canada_Highway from Hope along the Fraser River to Hell's Gate
http://wikitravel.org/en/Trans-Canada_Highway http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell's_Gate,_British_Columbia

Along the way is some pretty country along the Fraser

There's a number of tunnels to go through. These go through solid rock

After awhile, the mountains start getting smaller and the terrain changes on the way to Kamloops

I'll be carrying on tomorrow through Revelstoke and Golden(stovie's area!), into Banff and Jasper National Park.

 

[HHazeldean]

Very nice pics, beautiful landscape over there.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Fantastic matey! I like a good travelling pic diary! many thanks.

 

[lab72]

Nice one thanks for shareing, a wonderfull country cant wait to go again.

 

[bb07]

Carrying on from Kamloops, I head east on the Trans-Canada Highway through Craigellachie, named after a village in Scotland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craigellachie,_British_Columbia

Then on past Revelstoke, through Rogers Pass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Pass in Glacier National Park. Then onto Golden and into Yoho National Park http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoho_National_Park
Cutting through solid rock along the way

This is one of the many snow sheds encountered through the mountains. These protect roads and railways from avalanches

Here's one place where the rail line tunnels through the side of a mountain, then to the left of the tunnel the opening of another snow shed is visible

Some scenery along the way

Note the mesh on the left side to hold back falling rocks

A lot of pics had to be taken through the bug splattered windshield of my truck, because there just aren't many places where it's safe to pull off the highway. Driving in these areas can be somewhat nerve racking...
The Trans-Canada Highway intersects another just north of Lake Louise http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Louise,_Alberta. This is known as the Icefields Parkway http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icefields_Parkway. It connects Banff and Jasper. Now I go north to Jasper. This is a beautiful drive. There's still a lot of snow up high. Waterfalls cascade down mountain sides as the snow melts

The temperature drops considerably as I climb towards the Columbia Icefield http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Icefield

After leaving the icefield, the highway crests the mountain and descends again. It's repeated constantly throughout the trip. Up and down, over and over again.
Soon I pass Jasper again, leaving the mountains behind about a hour and a half later.
All together I drove 3906 kilometers(2427 miles) from start to finish. It was a fantastic trip overall.

 

[stovie]

So looking forward to my trip later this year bb. Thanks for the images. My sister has been to lake Louise and claims it to be the most beautiful place she has ever been to...What say you?

 

[bb07]

stovie, I really don't remember much about Lake Louise as the last time I was there I was a kid. I think it was in the late 60's or very early 70's.
This trip, I went north back to Jasper, turning where the Trans-Canada intersects the Icefields Parkway(Highway 93 North), which is north of Lake Louise a short distance. This is where you will turn to go to Golden. I wish now that I would have made a quick side trip to Louise to see it again. The whole area is so beautiful it's hard to choose just one place.
Btw, when I was north of Golden I saw the sign showing the Blaeberry , where you're off to this summer. As soon I saw the name I immediately thought of you.
Have you been to the Rockies before?

 

[kINGPIN]

Now that is one place I would love to visit. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jungle_re]

awesome thread thanks for sharing

 

[bb07]

stovie, if you look here you'll see where you will turn onto #1 highway(Trans-Canada) towards your destination
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=lake l...-a&channel=np&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl
Here's a couple pics north of Golden

 

[Shewie]

So looking forward to my trip later this year bb. Thanks for the images. My sister has been to lake Louise and claims it to be the most beautiful place she has ever been to...What say you?

It reckon it's worth a visit if you're anywhere near, it was quite busy when we went but there was a huge wedding on at the hotel so that added a few bodies. It's stunning, but then again so is the rest of the Rockies

 

[bojit]

Great pics BB , they bring back some wonderful memories of when me and the wife were on our honeymoon . we spent 2 weeks one May camping in Banff ,Jasper and kananaskis , and looking round Calgary for homes and jobs as we were thinking of moving over . I wish we had when we had the chance !

Craig.........