Canada June and August 2009

Sunday 23 August (Pincher Creek Alberta to West Glacier Montana 119 miles)
Early departure for beautiful views of sunrise over the plains of Pincher Creek (and heaps of windmills) with the mountains in the background and of Chief Mountain on the border between Waterton and Glacier Parks. Easy border crossing and then Going to the Sun road through Glacier National Park. My lucky day cos the $25 fee was waived and I got in for free....they are celebrating 100 year birthday with a picnic and music in the park (which I attended at Lake McDonald). Plus there were predictions of rain and thunderstorms for later today. The only downside is that there was quite a bit of road construction for over ten miles on the steepest part of the pass (all gravel road)....and thank goodness I was on the inside of the road and not on the edge side which sometimes had no barrier! I am now staying at Glacier Campground near West Glacier....great spot with heaps of trees (their logo is 'the way camping used to be'). Kathleen has recommended that I travel via Hot Springs and Ross Creek Cedars on my way to Bonners Ferry and Rathdrum Idaho....so that may be tomorrow's agenda!

Saturday 22 August (Fairmont Hot Springs BC to Pincher Creek Alberta 195 miles)
Heading down to Glacier National Park USA passing through Waterton National Park Canada so may be without internet for a bit... but not! Great drive through the Elk River valley (more golf courses). Visited Frank Slide area at Crows Nest Pass where there was a huge rock slide in the early 1900's...big coal mining area. Also saw the world's largest truck in Sparwood. Camping at town park in Pincher Creek....out in the middle of nowhere...but they have a WalMart!

Friday 21 August (Lake Louise Alberta to Fairmont BC 99 miles)
It is very dark at 5am since we had a time change into Alberta (spring forward). I found the petrol station in Lake Louise to be the cheapest so far at 1.019.....the highest being at Rocky Mountain Crossing on the Icefield Parkway at 1.369.

Another sunny hot day for a drive through Kootenay Park (crossing the Continental Divide and back into BC) and a visit to Radium Hot Springs which is in a canyon without much sun so drove on down the road to Fairmont Hot Springs. Spent a few hours at the pool and camped at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort for the evening. A very crowded campground but very convenient for the springs and walks near waterfalls and creeks and remains of the old Indian hot spring baths. Rode the free shuttle around the town. This entire Columbia Valley has really developed in the past 10-15 years with many new houses, condos, and golf courses.

Thursday 20 August (McBride BC to Lake Louise Alberta 243 miles)
A beautiful hot sunny drive today through the mountains. Walked a bit at Mt Robson Park BC then a mocha in Jasper Alberta before driving the Icefields Parkway ($9.80 entry fee). Way too many folks on the road because this is the last week before the kids go back to school. Visited Athabascan Falls and the Icefield with many stops for photos of glaciers and mountains at the turnouts. We did see a nice bear on the road....unfortunately many folks stopped in the avalanche zone and got out of their cars to take photos! Visited Lake Louise where again there were heaps of people....and I was tired! I decided it might be best to camp at the Lake Louise campground (400 sites) but saw the full sign on the road. I went in to make an inquiry anyway and they had a vacancy.....yea! Not my most favorite where they double park RVs forever but it is near the Bow River.....and the train which woke me the next morning with the 5am whistle.

Wednesday 19 August (Bednesti BC to McBride BC 160 miles)
Clear blue sky with heaps of sun...heading from Prince George east to Jasper. Stopped at Willow River rest area for a bit of sunshine on the bench then headed east to McBride for a visit to the visitor's center which is in the train station. VIA Rail had just stopped there for its journey from Jasper to Prince Rupert. I had done this trip from Prince Rupert to Jasper in 2003 so was great to see the train again! I also stopped for petrol which has gone up from 1.069 to 1.109 per liter (over $4 per US gallon). Now camping on the Fraser River at Beaverview Campground.

Tuesday 18 August (Smithers BC to Bednesti BC 195 miles)
Drive from Smithers to Vanderhoof. Camped at Bednesti Lake.

Monday 17 August (Prince Rupert BC to Smithers BC 225 miles)
Drive from Prince Rupert to Smithers. Camped on the Bulkley River.

Sunday 16 August
Arrived on the ferry Taku in Prince Rupert and will drive to Jasper, Banff, Glacier National Park. Camped at Port Edward near the old fishing village and cannery.

Friday 14 August thru Sunday 16 August
On the Alaska Marine Highway System from Juneau to Prince Rupert via Sitka, Kake, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan....heaps of rain and overcast most of the way.

25 June - 14 August Housesitting and enjoying mostly sunny days in Juneau Alaska

1-24 June 2009 Tampa Florida to Juneau Alaska via Cary NC and Kitchener Ontario Canada across Canada.

CANADA TRAVELS IN ROADTREK 2009
9 June 2009 Tuesday 386 miles
Cary NC to Marietta Ohio Microtel Hotel
 
10 June 2009 Wednesday 364 miles
Marietta OH to Youngstown NY Four Mile Creek Campground
I77 OH8 I271 I90 I190
 
11 June 2009 Thursday 101 miles
Youngstown NY to Kitchener ON Bingemans Campground
 
12 June 2009 Friday
Visit Roadtrek Factory
Kitchener Ontario Bingemans Campground
 
13 June 2009 Saturday 50 miles
Owen Sound from Tobermory to South Baymouth
Cove Island Lighthouse
Overnight Manitoulin Island South Bay Resort on the water Ontario
 
14 June 2009 Sunday 452 miles
Ten Mile Point View/Little Current Bridge/Espanola
Bear and Moose and Mennonite/Amish folks and horse drawn wagons
Sault Ste Marie/Pancake Bay/Lake Superior/Agawa Bay
Wawa Resort Campground Ontario
 
15 June 2009 Monday  297 miles
White River/Marathon/Terrace Bay/heaps of bear
Agua Sabon river gorge falls/Terry Fox memorial/Karabeka Falls
Thunder Bay Ontario Happy Land Park campground
 
16 June 2009 Tuesday 487 miles Central Time
Fox and Arctic watershed and moose
Ignace/Dryden/Kenova
MANITOBA visitor center
Route 1 to route 16
Gladstone MB Williams Park campground
 
17 June 2009 Wednesday 456 miles
Neepawa/Russell
SASKATCHEWAN and TIME CHANGE (central)
Saskatoon/Langham/Battleford/Walk fort and hill/river and garden
Eiling Kramer Campground Battleford SK
 
18 June 2009 Thursday 432 miles
Lloydminister/Innisfree/Edmonton/Onoway/Blue Ridge/White Court/Fox Creek
Valley View ALBERTA Sherks RV Park
  
19 June 2009 Friday 291 miles
Grand Prairie Alberta
BRITISH COLUMBIA and TIME CHANGE (mountain time)
Route 43  to route 2 to route 97
Dawson Creek/Ft St John/Pink Mt
Sikanni river campground (Jacki and Wayne)
 
20 June 2009 Saturday 421 miles
Buckinghorse Great Northern Rockies/Prophet River/Fort Nelson/Tetsa
Summit Lake – no brakes!
Toad River/Muncho Lake and Lodge/Liard/Coal Creek
Bear/mt sheep/buffalo
YUKON and TIME CHANGE (pacific time)
Watson Lake YT Campground Services
 
21 June 2009 Sunday 258 miles
Continental Divide route 97/ 1
British Columbia border at Swift River
Teslin
Whitehorse Yukon Inn Carrie and Mairi
 
22 June 2009 Monday
Need new brake supply line (steel) per Capital Auto
Takhini Hot Springs campground
 
23 June 2009 Tuesday
Visit Dyea
Skagway Pullen Creek campground JoAnne Arnold/Bud Matthews/Mick McCarter(died 2016)
 
24 June 2009 Wednesday
Skagway Pullen Creek campground
 
25 June 2009 Thursday
AMHS Skagway via Haines to Juneau on Malaspina 7am to 145pm
Overnight Spruce Meadows campground