Rockies trip 2009 - on the road to Banff

PREVIEW OF THE TRIP.

On Friday July 31, 2009 I set out for Banff, Alberta and the Banff Y Mountain Lodge to meet up with my hiking group to do Camp 4 with the Skyline Hikers of the Canadian Rockies - I am planning on taking two days to reach Banff with a couple of stops along the way. The weather is still very warm and this is some smoke haze as I make the trip out the Fraser Valley stopping in Abbotsford for both breakfast and gas and then it's up the Coquihalla to Merritt where I decide to take the more scenic Highway 5A into Kamloops and from there it is on towards Revelstoke and a possible overnight stay.

STOP#1- THE LAST SPIKE REST STOP AT CRAIGELLACHIE.

As luck would have it just as I started to explore the site a CPR freight train goes roaring by creating a different sense of the meaning of the this achievement in Canadian nation building.

Having made good time into Revelstoke I decided to head over the Rogers Pass and on towards Golden and the Kicking Horse Pass - which brought me to my second stop in Rogers Pass.

STOP #2 - LOOP BROOK TRESTLES DISPLAY, ROGERS PASS AREA, GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.

This display provides a very good example of the early 20th century challenges in trying to build a railroad from coast to coast - long replaced by tunnels through Rogers Pass they are a great reminder of the our railroading past.

STOP #3 ALPINE FLOWERS ALONG THE WAY.

While not taken at any one place these few flowers do indicate that the season is right for viewing them. Won't try and identify them as I will probably get some or all of them wrong.

The recent warm weather has brought them out in profusion .

While I didn't capture any photos I did see a Rocky Mountain sheep along the side of the Highway, three moose, three deer and one black bear as I made my way to Banff.

STOP #4 OVERNIGHTING AT THE GOLDEN MUNICIPAL CAMPGROUND - GOLDEN BC.

Getting close to supper time and not feeling like cooking up any meals on the camp stove because of the hot weather I decided to call it a day at Golden BC - gateway to both the Rockies and the Columbia and Radium valleys.

Stopped at the tourist info site and got some info on campgrounds - decided on the municipal one - they still had a couple of shaded spots left - since it was only for one night I am sleeping in the back of the truck instead of putting up the tent. After checking in and dropping some of my camping supplies I head back to the highway in search of a place to eat - no shortage of fast food places along the highway strip - settled on a 50's place called the Legendz - what a mistake - order a simple to make Hawaiian or ham and pineapple pizza - here's what I got - a warmed over frozen crust - eight slices of tomato, cheese with about 5 pieces of pineapple and equal amount of ham - only because I was tired, hot and hungry did I not send it back.

After the disaster for the meal I drove around town and then returned to the campsite and walked along the Rotary sponsored trail that circles the campground.

The campground itself is located along the Kicking Horse River and is adjacent to both a secondary high school and the towns swimming and recreation center - for a small fee they also provide wi-fi which I passed on since I can use my Blackberry to retrieving emails etc.

Tomorrow it's on to Banff and a meet up with some of my fellow hikers for next week's hike and a few from this week's camp.

I am planning on stopping at Spiral tunnel, Hoodoos, Natural Bridge and Emerald Lake and finally Lake Louise

More on the next post

Cheers

Dennis