Trip to the Canadian Rockies

June 2007

Our Itinerary - Seattle, Whistler, Gray Wells Provincial Park,
Jasper National Park, Banff National Park, 
Okanagan Wine Country, Seattle.

Shannon Falls



Brandywine Falls

We took three sky lifts up to the top of Blackcomb Mountain





Kathleen says "This is a whole lot easier when you are not wearing skies!"



Between the first and second lift, we ran into some bears!



And it is getting colder!



A view from the top of Blackcomb



View of Whistler Mountain from the top of Blackcomb Mountain



We begin our descent, and it is really getting cold now!



The rain starts, so we lower the cone of silence!









Next, we headed to Gray Wells Provincial Park to see some falls



Helmcken Falls



Dawson Falls



Spahats Falls



When we arrived in Canada, it was unseasonably hot at over 80 degrees for
the first two days.  After that, it rained every day.  The combination
of the sudden melting of the snowpack and the rains caused the rivers
to overflow their banks and massive flooding.  The bridge across the river
is in the mid point of the photo above.





Our cabin in Jasper



Inside our cabin in Jasper



We decided to take the tram to the top of Whistler Mountains in Jasper



Are you sure the cables are thick enough?



View from the top of the tramway



Top of Whistler Mountains in Jasper



The tram is at the peak on the bottom left of the photo.  We were crazy
enough to hike to the top of the mountain.  Those dots you see on the hill where
the tram is are people!



The light color triangle area in the bottom left is the town of Jasper



For those of you who received postcards with a similar photo, compare
the card with this photo to see the extent of the flooding.







A walk through Maligne Canyon



Still some ice left!



Underground streams from Maligne Lake, some 30 km away!






A suspension bridge across the Maligne River.  And of course,
she couldn't resist jumping on it.



The Curly Phillip's historic boathouse at Maligne Lake is under about a foot of water!



A caribou near Maligne Lake.  Or is it a moose?



A cub in a tree.  There was a momma bear at the base of the tree, with
two cubs climbing in the tree.



Elk by the side of the road



White-tail deer






Athabasca Falls






A now defunct path through Athabasca Falls



Sunwapta Falls





Valley of the Five Lakes















A nice start to our trip down the Icefields Parkway



Stanley Falls



Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefield



Standing on the Columbia Icefield. 

Bridal Veil Falls



Another black bear by the side of the road.



Weeping Wall



Peyto Lake with chunks of ice on it's surface.



Some grizzly (brown) bears



Lower Falls in Johnston Canyon outside Banff



Upper Falls in Johnston Canyon











Mountain goats at Lake Minnewanka






Bald eagle in nest at Lake Minnewanka



View of Devil's Gap from Lake Minnewanka
 





A gaggle of long horn sheep pass us by










Bighorn sheep head butting!



Another elk by the side of the road.



The Fairmount at Lake Louise






Kathleen debating whether she should go into the water.



Another elk



Natural Bridge at Yoho National Park



Hemlock Grove in Glacier National Park




Entrance to Revelstoke


Entrance to Revelstoke



Entrance to Revelstoke



Okanagan Falls



Sumac Ridge Estate Winery



Baby grapes






Another black bear in E. C. Manning Provincial Park



View from cabin at Lake of the Woods in Fraser Canyon
 

View of Seattle skyline from the ferry to Bridgebain

Seattle was having record low tides.  Boy is this guy going to
be surprised when he comes back to his boat.



Statue of Liberty on their deck?



Locks between the Sound and Lake Union. 
We are in the Sound which is 20 plus feet lower





They start letting in water from Lake Union.




We are now at the height of Lake Union





They open the gates, and we continue our journey onto Lake Union






House boats on Lake Union



House boat used for "Sleepless in Seattle"

View of Seattle skyline from Lake Union