Day 7: Valemount-Blue River

Today was a shorter day (90 km). And that was good because my knees hurt, and I was generally unmotivated today.

Also my bike made strange sounds and I couldn’t really locate the source of them on the way. However, at one point I stopped because I thought it might have been the straps of my tent bag touching the back wheel somehow. So I stopped and started fixing the tent when I suddenly heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. And then I almost got a heart attack. I had stopped five metres away from a bear without noticing. Panicking a bit, I got back on my bike and cycled 10-15 metres away. Then I turned around again and realised that the bear couldn’t care less that I was there. It was having a veggie breakfast. So I got out my camera and caught this one on tape. The record is pretty bad though because I was still shaky. http://www.mountainpolarbear.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/img_0732-3.mov

I reached Blue Lake, a tiny nest with 500 inhabitants, at three o’clock. Because it was raining again today, I am staying in a cabin on a campsite so that I don’t have the hassle with the wet tent. I can also sit on a tiny veranda and enjoy a cold one. Since I arrived quite early, I also did some bike care. I think the sound might have come from the rear brake. That should be fixed now.

Soon I head off for dinner. Tomorrow I continue to Clearwater which is at least four times as big as this metropole.

Day 6: Jasper-Valemount

I left my comfy hostel at eight o’clock in the morning after I tried to sneak out silently and not wake up the others.

It was not raining when I left, but started shortly after. Today was the third day of three that I had to go a bit longer than originally planned in order to be one day ahead of my original schedule. So I had 120 kilometres on my to-do list today.

I took my first break after 35 kilometres at the camping site I had originally planned to stay at. Then I had a lunch break in the middle of nowhere after 70 kilometres and a nice cake and hit chocolate break at the Mount Robson information centre after 85 kilometres.

When I arrived in Valemount, today’s destination, it was partly sunny, partly raining. Since the forecast was really bad, I decided to book a B&B instead of staying on a campsite. But finally, there wasn’t any more rain so far and it doesn’t look like there will be any tonight. So I could have saved the money.

Anyway, the destination tomorrow is Blue River. And I’m afraid it will be an even deader nest than this one.

Day 5: Columbia Icefield-Jasper

Today was my last day on the Icefields Parkway and in Jasper National Park. I left the Icefield campground at 8:30 and had a long (105 km), but rather easy ride to Jasper, which is at an elevation of 1060 metres, so almost 1000 metres below my starting point.

What made today’s ride less pleasant, were the weather conditions. First it was six degrees cold – so I started cycling with my thin down jacket on. Then, a bit earlier than expected, it started raining at 11:30. So I had some cold 50k before lunch and some cold and wet 50k after lunch.

I passed some nice waterfalls on the way and saw some mountain goats. After six hours, completely soaked, I reached Jasper. Due to the rain, I booked a hostel bed for tonight. The hostel is brand new, so it’s a nice accommodation.

Since the forecast for the next days is bad as well, I have tried to book cabins and other solid roofs over my head for the coming days. Tomorrow will be a long day – 120 kilometres to Valemount. Fingers crossed that it won’t be raining all the time.

A fluffy goat and a very good climber

Day 4: Mosquito Creek-Columbia Icefield

Today was my first day over 100 kilometres. And it included two passes over 2000 metres. So to start from the end, the beef tenderloin that I just had together with the red wine from British Columbia (I didn’t even know that was a thing) at the Icefield Centre at the Columbia Icefield tasted delicious.

Back at the Mosquito Creek hostel it rained during the night. My weather forecast had predicted sun from 6 AM, but it was still cloudy in the morning and very chilly – only six degrees.

Right after the start, the road gained elevation until I reached the highest point of today (and maybe the whole trip?), Bow Pass at 2067 metres. Bow Lake was located nearby and was pretty picturesque, but nothing compared to Peyto Lake which I reached a bit later after a little detour from the main route and a ten minutes’ hike. Peyto Lake has a beautiful turquoise colour and can be seen from a viewpoint high above the lake.

From there I had a long, mainly downhill ride to the Saskatchewan river crossing, the only petrol station/restaurant on the Icefields Parkway. I had some dirty fish and chips for lunch before I continued for the second 50k of the day.

These were much tougher than the first because now I had to climb up again to 2000 metres. It was a spectacular ride though, so I stopped several times for photos. I also stopped for a bear – the second black bear of this trip. It crossed the road fifty metres ahead of me. Cars were stopping. But by the time I had started my GoPro camera, it had disappeared into the bushes. I had another close encounter earlier today, but I never got to see that pal. I just saw his big wet paw prints on the dry, warm pavement – it must have crossed the road a minute before.

After six and a half hours cycling, I finally crossed the Sunwapta pass (2030 m) at the boundary between Banff and Jasper National Parks. From there it was an easy ride to my campground for today which is located at the Columbia Icefield. The place is a bit touristy, but the food was excellent. And so are the liquid carbohydrates that I need for my trip to Jasper tomorrow.

Bow Lake

Peyto Lake

Halfway up to Sunwapta Pass

Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefield

Canada day 3: Banff-Mosquito Creek

Since the weather forecast predicted rain today in the afternoon, I woke up early and made sure to leave Banff at eight o’clock in the morning.

The route today took me further into Banff National Park. The first part of the route was the Bow Valley Parkway from Banff to Lake Louise. I had my bear spray in the back pocket of my jersey today – just in case. And indeed after half an hour I spotted the first bear. There were cars stopping at the side of the road, which is always a sign for wildlife nearby. And there was a black bear walking further up on the hill maybe 200 metres from us.

So early in the morning, there wasn’t much traffic. So I took a look over my shoulder several times today when there were no cars at all.

I stopped for lunch in Lake Louise and then entered the highlight of the trip: the Icefields Parkway which is a 230 kilometres long scenic route between Lake Louise and Jasper. At the start of the road, there were little booths where they checked whether I had a park permit. The lady in the booth saw my bear spray and said: “Oh, you’ve got bear spray. Good! Lots of bears on the parkway.” That was reassuring…

The route was now leading higher into the mountains. The last thirty kilometres were constantly uphill, reaching 1800 metres finally. After 90 kilometres, I reached my goal today, Mosquito Creek, at 2:30. There is a campsite and a hostel here. Due to the heavy rain which was predicted for tonight, I asked to stay in the hostel. It started indeed raining one hour after I arrived here. So I think that was a good call.

Tomorrow, depending on the weather, I will either have a shorter trip to Rampart Creek. Or, if it doesn’t rain, I might actually continue and go 100 kilometres in total to Wilcox Pass, which is 2000 metres high. That would allow me to reach Jasper the day after and give me one more buffer day for the rest of the trip.

Canada day 2: Ghost Lake-Banff

Since I still had a bit of a jet lag, I went to bed a eight last night. My tent was pretty close to the highway, so I could hear the traffic passing by all the time. At 9:30 I woke up from some screaming, so I thought first there was a car full of drunk party girls driving by. Then I realised, it’s more a howling than a screaming, and it doesn’t sound human. So I had to get out of my sleeping bag, open the tent zipper and stick my head out, and there were two coyotes 20-30 metres away from my tent. I was too scared to get out my camera, so I just went back into my tent and hoped they never noticed me. They did that howling thing a couple of more times during the night, but seemed to never get closer to my tent.

I woke up at seven, which means I added eleven hours of sleep to the ten hours the night before. So I guess the jet lag is officially over now.

Fortunately, the sun was still shining and there was no wind today. So I had a wonderful ride to Banff. Roughly seventy kilometres through beautiful nature.

The campsites were fully booked when I arrived here. So I checked in at a hostel instead. They have a bar and a happy hour, so I’m fine for the moment. Gotta get some food soon.

Tomorrow it’s Canada Day. That’s why all the places are booked out. My plan is to climb higher in Banff National Park and stay on a camping ground 90 kilometres from here. It’s a first come first serve place, so I really hope it won’t be full when I get there. Because I don’t really have a plan B. Stay tuned!

I pimped my steering bad – have different motives for different moods

Car drivers have been very considerate so far – despite their obscenely big pickups

Aw!

Aw! (Just kidding)