Byron's Alaska Adventure (and beyond!)

Friday, June 13, 2014

A few more...

We were lucky enough to meet up with some great friends, the Carey's, from California for the portion of our trip from Grand Teton to Banff. The following pics were from their camera and provide some perspectives of Byron we would not otherwise have. Sadly, they were not able to continue north with us...they said something about having to get back for work.

Byron and the Tetons

Us at Gibbon Falls, Yellowstone NP

Closer than I was willing to get

At the Roosevelt Arch, Yellowstone NP

Roadside lunch setup

Anyone for a Dutch oven chocolate cookie?

Unlikely to get another one like this

Family at Glacier NP

Luxury is now camping at KOA. Showers, WiFi, cabin for the Carey's.

This is a parking lot at Glacier NP. Big snow year.

Banff NP added these cool wildlife crossovers on the Trans-Canada highway. They say it cut down on kills by 80%

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Update from Grande Cache, AB

We're at day 11 of our adventure and having a great time so far! We're stopped for the night in Grand Cache, Alberta, Canada and decided to get our first hotel room and restaurant dinner. What a treat it is to have a real shower and someone else do the dishes.

Tomorrow we plan to make it to Dawson Creek where the Alaska Highway begins (Mile 0). Things are getting more and more rural, and we were warned already that the last big supply stop is at Grand Prarie, just up the road a bit. That said, we've been doing fine with local shopping and the staples we brought are doing fine.

We saw some great scenery at Grand Tetons and Yellowstone NPs. We drove to the west side of Glacier NP with plans of driving through to the east side on 'Going to the Sun Road', but were turned back due to the heavy snowpack not allowing the road to be cleared yet this year. We backtracked to the south and spent time exploring the park from the east side as well. Spectacular!

Banff and Jasper NPs have certainly been the highlights thus far. I grew up spending lots of time in Yosemite and have always been awestruck by the glacially formed rock there. I'm afraid that the valleys of Banff and Jasper dwarf Yosemite. Just...Wow.

Coming up is a less scenic part of the trip in terms of mountains, but we're looking forward to it regardless. Byron is running well and we feel that we're in a pretty good routine for camping.

Random photos we like below. We will post when we have wifi connections...no data plan for our phones in Canada, but calls and texts OK!

Rebecca happy to be back in Glacier NP

Rock formation near Banff

Waterfall just off the Bow Valley Parkway, Banff

Bear Bait!

Mama and two cubs...mama looking at the bear bait (see above)

Glacier was here... Banff NP

And here too... Jasper NP

Oh yeah...here too. Jasper NP

Amazing stuff these Canadians get to see everyday! Jasper NP

Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper

Sunwapta Falls, Jasper NP

Wildlife along the road

Just amazing mountain views...glacier after glacier.

Athabasca Falls, Jasper NP

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Awesome day at Lake Louise!

We went to Lake Louise in Banff, Canada today. It was very beautiful because the water is a brilliant shade of turquoise, like the prettiest sky you've ever seen. It starts clear on the edges, but as it gets deeper, the color becomes richer and richer, until it is a color like a blue raspberry snow cone. There is a hotel on the shore, where we were sheltered from the snow that was falling outside in June.