Monday, July 11, 2011

Athabasca Falls & Columbia Icefields - Jasper, Alberta, Canada

From Jasper, we headed south down the Icefields Parkway.
This road was littered with glaciers!


First stop though, Athabasca Falls.



Brooke checking the view from the roof of the car.


Yep, the view is good.



At Columbia Icefield, they have markers out to show the ice melt over the years.
The closet mark was 2008, and was still 50-75 yards away from the icefield!
*NOTE: Yes, climate shift [or "Global Warming"] is natural/cyclical, but it's happening faster than it should.


We were still a half mile away from the icefield, but found a date close to Andrea's birth year!


By the way, right before we left for this trip we found out we're having a baby boy!
We are super excited, and look forward to all of the adventures...with a baby in tow!



Even though it looks like pavement, Brooke is on Columbia Icefield!



Andrea approves!


Brooke grew up with glacial grooves in his cellar, but to see scratches from ice up close is still crazy!



Weeping Wall; a cliff that's wet.


Brooke turned from taking photos to find Andrea looking at paint swatches!
What a designer!



Nursery color choices!


From Jasper, we wound up in Lake Louise for a few days.
Dinner on the grill!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Angel Glacier - Jasper, Alberta, Canada

After Maligne Canyon, it was off to Angel Glacier. Above, Andrea checking to see if the rain has stopped.




Angel Glacier...if you look closely, and use your imagination, it looks like an angel with it's wings spread out.


Two angels!




There was still a lot of snow pack.


Angel Glacier melted into a lake that had another glacier!






Maligne Cayon - Jasper, Alberta, Canada

Before leaving Jasper, we checked out Maligne Canyon.







At the end of the little trail, we saw two guys...who didn't look like they knew what they were doing...rappelling into the canyon.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Maligne Lake - Jasper, Alberta, Canada

After backpacking the Skyline Trail, we hiked back to the car to unload our packs and pack our kayaks.



In Maligne Lake, the mountains fall into the lake. Glorious!

We broke for lunch on a beach...look at this place!

Self Portrait from the dry bag on my kayak.



Fisherman's Bay Campsite. Relaxing on the dock. It's not often you can read a book on a dock and stare at a glacier!

In the early morning we kayaked down to Spirit Island...before the tourists got there!

5 1/2 months pregnant and kayaking!

"How you like me now!?"

Iconic Spirit Island.


A nice family from South Carolina took this photo for us. They had the cutest grand kids...and the kids were nailing the trout!

For the amount of backcountry trips we do, we find it interesting that most of the wildlife we see is along the road.


Mama Bear and her Three Cubs!

Back to town for a few days rest!