Day 8: Jasper
18/09/19 02:37
What a day it was but let's start at the beginning ie in the morning:
I woke up to a dry day without clouds and the sun just coming up behind the mountains surrounding Jasper with some early morning mist slowly disappearing but with a temperature still around -1 C ( YES minus )
On my way to my favourite ( from a previous visit in Jasper I remembered ) breakfast place I picked up my car for the day to explore the Glacier Parkway.
At the "Paw Bear Bakery" a nice large flat white, a giant croissant and a blueberry muffing made me ready for the day. Off on the Canadian Highway No 93, the Glacier Parkway.
The weather was getting better and warmer and by the time I had reached my first stop the Athabasca Falls, I had blue sky, bright and sunshine and the temperature had risen well above 0 C and it stayed like that for the rest of the day. GREAT !
One can explore these fantastic falls from all angles and if you click on the picture link mentioned at the end of this block more pictures can be enjoyed.
Heading on to my final destination, the Athabasca Glacier, I stopped at a few places to soak up the amazing scenery with the just beginning autumn colours.
Having visited this places already way back in 2007 I was very surprised at the time how much this glacier has receded in the last 30 years and it was this time even worse. Since then at least 15 m. Global warming.
Nevertheless it's still an amazing view if you standing as a small human being amongst the giant snow covered mountains.
Amazing is also the number of visitors and consequently the number of RV's and cars. I am convinced that way in 2007 when I visited the site on 20.9.2007 that I didn't see that many people and cars.
Anyway, I headed on a bit further along the Parkway to Parker Ridge another awesome mountain range. Here I turned around and told my GPS system to get me to the Maligne Canyon & Lake, just a few miles outside of Jasper.
As soon as I left the National Park a roadsign reminded me about the Jasper SkyTram at Whistlers ( not to be mixed of with Whistler ( without "s" ) near Vancouver. I changed my GPS and headed to the base station from where I got a lift up on the top the Whistlers Mountains, 2263 m.
SPECTACULAR views, well worth the price.
Having indulged the spectacular views I went back down, jumped into my car ( a nice Ford Mustang by the way, nice to drive but very uncomfortable to get in and out. But it's just for today.
Back in Jasper I needed a coffee and what better place to go back to the "Paw Bear Bakery" to treat myself to a large cappuccino and an Nanaimo bar.
Back at my lodgings I refreshed and headed later out ( after I wrote todays travel blog ) to a burger place where I tried a Caribou burger with potato wedges and coleslaw on the side. A nice beer brewed by the Jasper Brewery was a must as well.
Back at the hotel I needed to sort out a few things because tomorrow I will leave Jasper at 9:30 ( that's at least the scheduled departure time ) on the "Canadian" towards Vancouver. The space in the compartment I booked is very limited hence I need to check in my suitcase and can only carry on board what I think I need for the day and the night.
Arriving in Vancouver on Thursday ( 19.9. ) means that tomorrow evening I will not be able to write my blog.
SORRY !
If you want to follow me: Track My Tour or see some more pictures
I woke up to a dry day without clouds and the sun just coming up behind the mountains surrounding Jasper with some early morning mist slowly disappearing but with a temperature still around -1 C ( YES minus )
On my way to my favourite ( from a previous visit in Jasper I remembered ) breakfast place I picked up my car for the day to explore the Glacier Parkway.
At the "Paw Bear Bakery" a nice large flat white, a giant croissant and a blueberry muffing made me ready for the day. Off on the Canadian Highway No 93, the Glacier Parkway.
The weather was getting better and warmer and by the time I had reached my first stop the Athabasca Falls, I had blue sky, bright and sunshine and the temperature had risen well above 0 C and it stayed like that for the rest of the day. GREAT !
One can explore these fantastic falls from all angles and if you click on the picture link mentioned at the end of this block more pictures can be enjoyed.
Heading on to my final destination, the Athabasca Glacier, I stopped at a few places to soak up the amazing scenery with the just beginning autumn colours.
Having visited this places already way back in 2007 I was very surprised at the time how much this glacier has receded in the last 30 years and it was this time even worse. Since then at least 15 m. Global warming.
Nevertheless it's still an amazing view if you standing as a small human being amongst the giant snow covered mountains.
Amazing is also the number of visitors and consequently the number of RV's and cars. I am convinced that way in 2007 when I visited the site on 20.9.2007 that I didn't see that many people and cars.
Anyway, I headed on a bit further along the Parkway to Parker Ridge another awesome mountain range. Here I turned around and told my GPS system to get me to the Maligne Canyon & Lake, just a few miles outside of Jasper.
As soon as I left the National Park a roadsign reminded me about the Jasper SkyTram at Whistlers ( not to be mixed of with Whistler ( without "s" ) near Vancouver. I changed my GPS and headed to the base station from where I got a lift up on the top the Whistlers Mountains, 2263 m.
SPECTACULAR views, well worth the price.
Having indulged the spectacular views I went back down, jumped into my car ( a nice Ford Mustang by the way, nice to drive but very uncomfortable to get in and out. But it's just for today.
Back in Jasper I needed a coffee and what better place to go back to the "Paw Bear Bakery" to treat myself to a large cappuccino and an Nanaimo bar.
Back at my lodgings I refreshed and headed later out ( after I wrote todays travel blog ) to a burger place where I tried a Caribou burger with potato wedges and coleslaw on the side. A nice beer brewed by the Jasper Brewery was a must as well.
Back at the hotel I needed to sort out a few things because tomorrow I will leave Jasper at 9:30 ( that's at least the scheduled departure time ) on the "Canadian" towards Vancouver. The space in the compartment I booked is very limited hence I need to check in my suitcase and can only carry on board what I think I need for the day and the night.
Arriving in Vancouver on Thursday ( 19.9. ) means that tomorrow evening I will not be able to write my blog.
SORRY !
If you want to follow me: Track My Tour or see some more pictures
