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Trip Report - Glacier, Banff & Jasper National Parks - Aug 2013

Trip Report - Glacier, Banff & Jasper National Parks - Aug 2013

Old Aug 28th, 2013, 08:37 AM
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Ok. It's official.

#96 has been changed from elk to deer.
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Old Aug 28th, 2013, 08:42 AM
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Gorgeous photos as usual, Myer, and some wonderful wildlife shots!

Love the silver grizzly (never knew they existed) and the giant marmot.
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Old Aug 28th, 2013, 09:25 AM
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That marmot has a story attached.

We had hiked to an "out of bounds" area to find Triple Falls. Not because it's dangerous but because they want to protect the vegetation.

We were about a mile from the visitors center and heard some voices calling. Two rangers came up and told us we're not allowed there.

One of them was a female enforcement ranger. Stun gun and revolver, etc. She was not please to have walked a mile to get us.

She asked for my driver's license. I told her it was in my backpack. She back away from me and asked if I had firearms in my backpack.

She then pointed where she wanted us to go. We were to lead. She had us meet the Hidden Lake trail about midway up the boardwalk.

When I saw that marmot looking like a king on a throne I stopped and changed to a long lens for the photo. She didn't believe I stopped to do that. I think that got her to lighten up a little though she never smiled.

Actually, she told us she was involved in the rescue of that hiker who fell at the waterfalls on the Grinnell Glacier hike. She didn't know his condition.
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Old Aug 28th, 2013, 10:11 AM
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To Spiro : as you seemed to know RMNP, do you think it´s possible to have 10-12 days here to hike but without driving too much miles ??
And hikes with points of interest : lakes, waterfalls, passes, glaciers,...
At Glacier we sleep 3-4 nights in each lodge and from there, hikes.
If yes, where do we have to sleep ?
Are there lodges ?,
Erik
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Old Aug 28th, 2013, 10:55 AM
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You pretty much have two options. Stay At Estes Park or Grand Lake. These are on either side of the park. The old Historic Lodge is The Stanley. It is privately owned and has nothing to do with the National Park. Stanley is the Stanley Steamer car man, and there are a couple of them there to see.

A third option--We Tent Camped in the park, there are restrooms, but no hot water and no showers. You can go into Estes and do a Pay Shower at a few places. Moraine Park is the best campground. You might even consider renting an RV, as that isn't to far from Denver International airport. I have never done that, but have always wanted to.

There are many many hikes. Longs Peak is the Doozy. This is 13,000+ feet in elevation and you need to start at 4:00AM in the morning, so you aren't on the mountain in the afternoon with thunderstorms.

I like the hike to Sky Pond, this goes past a couple of nice falls and The Loch(a lake). There is a side hike to a nice glacier, but the name I'm blank on at the moment.

One negative thing, a lot of the trees in Rocky's are dead because of bug that eats them. But it is only in some places, not everywhere.

Here is a link to some of our photos from 1st week in August 2011. http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...0IatW7FqybsWpU at the end is picture of Stanley Hotel, just outside RMNP in Estes Park. Trail Ridge road is a nice road and so is Old Fall River Road(very well maintained dirt road). I have a Jeep, but you can do Old Fall River Road in a car with no problems.

If I had a couple of weeks, I would head to Seattle and do Olympic, Rainier, Cascades, and San Juan Islands(if you've never been there before). I like those better than RMNP. I think Backpacking in RMNP would be fantastic.
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Old Aug 28th, 2013, 11:27 AM
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Thank you.
This open idea to future trips...
Erik
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Old Aug 30th, 2013, 11:17 AM
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I loved your photos--as usual you do such a good job capturing the scenery and wildlife. My husband and I also enjoy scenery and wildlife. After our GNP trip earlier in the summer---i don't know how i'm going to beat that. We're thinking of either Yosemite, which we've never been to or Jasper---(we've been to Banff and Lake Louise--drove a few miles up the Icefield Pkwy. and have always wanted to return.) Does anyone have an opinion on which park would be more spectacular? Wildlife is my favorite--stargazing (great picture of the dipper) and scenery come in a close second. We also do lots of hiking, but more of the short <5 miles. We have been to Grand Canyon, Tetons and spent one day in yellowstone. We will have about one week next spring or summer.
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Old Aug 30th, 2013, 11:48 AM
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About the Big Dipper photo. I'm really surprised it came out reasonably as that was hand-held for 6 seconds.

We spend 2 1/2 days in Banff and Jasper. This was an add-on. More to scope out a future trip.

I don't know how much time you're budgeting but you can do both.

When you were in Banff I don't know what you saw other than Lake Louise.

With your interests in mind I would do the following:
Banff --

Mt Norquay Road (across from Banff Townsite) early morning and late early evening. I've seen bears there twice though not on this trip.

Lake Minnewanka Road (across from Banff Townsite). Every time I've done this I've seen either male or female bighorn sheep. Also, just as soon as you start on Lake Minnewanka Road make a right turn into Cascade Pond for beautiful, early morning lake reflections.

Moraine Lake is more beautiful than Lake Louise. This is the view on the back of the old Canadian 20 collar bill. Turquoise lake surrounded by mountains.

Also, the stop at Bow Summit (the highest point you can drive) is the start of the very short hike to beautiful Peyto Lake. There are some reasonably short hikes from there but again we didn't have time. Just scoping it out.

We drove up to the town of Jasper making stops along the way at waterfalls, the Icefield Center (both ways) and wherever there was roadside scenery.

Jasper - -
Just above the town of Jasper we went on Maligne Road twice. The first was in the evening and we saw a black bear. The next morning we went back and saw a mother and 3 cubs.

We spent a long day coming back to Calgary. We made many stops and had dinner in Banff.


Just as we started the drive we drove down Cavell Road. I was surprised we only saw one or two cars there. However, when we got to the end the parking lot was full and cars were parked along the side of the road. We did the short Path of the Glacier Trail. A short but spectacular hike directly under a glacier. We went down to the milky white lake.

We didn't have time for the longer Meadow hike.

We also thought of taking the tour at the Icefields Center but didn't have the time.

I didn't really look into too much as I knew how much time we had.

If I get serious about this trip I'll also look into a day or two in Yoho. I read somewhere about a lot of wildlife there.

When comparing to Yosemite I think Banff and Jasper have more wildlife. Also, while Yosemite is very nice, I find it the most commercial of the US parks. I just don't like the way the place is run. Everything is intended to have you buy a ticket for something.
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Old Aug 30th, 2013, 12:03 PM
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Thanks myer. I think we'd probably prefer it over yosemite, also. I never thought of Yoho---but i'm starting to collect ideas. We were in Banff for several days with our boys--then spent another few days at Kananaskis resort a little further south---really beautiful there, too. I will definitely book mark your ideas as I did for our last trip. Your suggestions were always right on.
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Old Sep 9th, 2013, 11:34 AM
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Thanks for the awesome report! This is pretty much exactly the same itinerary I'm considering for me and DH for next Aug/Sep, but since we are retired we could stay a little longer than the 10 days or so that you had. I think we could handle up to 2 weeks before the costs started to get a little crazy (and that's as long as we like to leave the cats in the kennel...).

If you had had a couple more days, what else would you have done that you had to skip on this trip?
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Old Sep 9th, 2013, 11:49 AM
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Your photos are amazing. Thanks for sharing.
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Old Sep 9th, 2013, 04:50 PM
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cslasor
You could easily spend the entire 2 weeks just seeing the Canadian Rockies. With a few more days you could spend more time in Lake Louise/Banff or Jasper
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Old Sep 12th, 2013, 12:16 PM
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cslasor,
I've been away in Italy with my wife for the past few days so I haven't been checking Fodors.

I mentioned some of the things I would have done with more time in one of my responses.

The Banff and Jasper part of the trip was an add-on since we flew in and out of Calgary.

There are a few hikes that I would add with more time. I think Lake Agnes (I think it is) is one.

Also, I haven't really researched Yoho much.

I'm also retired but since I went with a friend I planned it as a Glacier trip with some Banff & Jasper. Not all equally.

For me hiking is not an activity. I's a way to see scenery, waterfalls and wildlife. If I could see them all without the longer hikes that's ok too. Some of the hikes are fun but some are tedious.
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Old Aug 5th, 2017, 10:02 AM
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If anybody is still interested, the 2 1/2 days spent in Banff and Jasper were to scope it out.

The following year (2014) I went back again with my daughter.

There are photos at: www.travelwalks.com

Also a trip report at:
http://www.fodors.com/community/cana...agust-2014.cfm
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