Canadian Rockies

Because of the flight schedule, we were "forced"to take a vacation following Tim's doctoral defense in Calgary.

On Saturday June 8 we traveled to Banff National Park and the Columbia Icefields. We had lunch at the Banff Springs Hotel ($20 for cheese and pate appetizer!) and then relaxed in the soothing, mineral-rich Banff Hot Springs. The hot springs are formed naturally when water deep underground is heated and pressurized and then forced back to the surface.

The view of the mountains on the Icefields Parkway was spectacular! We stayed one night in a hotel overlooking the Athabasca Glacier. The glaciers are formed by snow falling on the mountain tops, never melting, and pressing down on the old snow to form thick layers of ice. This goes on year after year and has formed one of Canada's largest Icefields. The ice appear blue because the weight of the snow pack pushes all of the air bubbles out. The Columbia Icefield and its glaciers are a "triple divide" -- the water flows into the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic Oceans. The glacier is retreating every year. We last visited the glacier in 1994 and now there is marker showing where the glacier was at that time.

We also had a chance to play with our friends Tracy and Chris Carter (Emily and Kate) from Prince George. We met at the Mount Robson National Park, stayed in a log cabin, and hiked 9 km on the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies (Robson).

How cold is glacial water? How big is a grizzly? We discovered the answers to both questions!






It was a refreshing time for us as a family. Now were ready for the final preparations to move....