Revelstoke to Nelson to Waterton National Park

Bridge into Revelstoke

Our accommodation....the Courthouse Inn

So we left Revelstoke heading south towards Nelson taking the more secondary road. Took the car ferry from Shelter Bay to Galena across Upper Arrow Lake. Slick operation running every half hour. Asked one of the staff why the river level was so low. Seems there is a treaty between Canada and USA whereby the USA take water and hence the big tide mark. Even in the winter it was been this low. Understood the treaty to be all one way!!

Murky skies throught Canada from fires in USA and north BC.

Low lake level

Stopped for lunch before Naksup, then to New Denver. This is where there was an interment camp for Japanese Canadians. British Columbian goverment interned 23,000 Japanese Canadians in 1942 in several camps and this was one of them. Miserable huts with no water etc. At the end of WW2 government said they could go East of the country or leave Canada. Sophies Choice.

Jeff's famous lunches

Remains of the interment camp

Lake Kootenay. This lake is 100km long and 402 sq km in area. Just goes on and on. Both sides of the road wall to wall spruce etc so get the odd glimpse. Passed through an historic town called Kaslo, buildings have been preserved since 1890 well worth a stop, lots of water sport's underway with folks on their last week summer holidays.

 Into Nelson where we stayed at the Hume Hotel same era as Kaslo. Had kept a lot of the original features. Loved the old photos and a grand wooden staircase up to our 4th floor room. Had a nice feel in the town and actually has a main street with independent shops and an array of independent restuarants....Marzano recommended. Nelson like Revestoke and so many other places we have been to is all about skiing and nordic skiing. 

Nelson main street

Delightful photo on the landing in the Hume Hotel. Such a happy we face.

Next morning we tackled the Pulpit Rock hike. Again vista obscured by smoke but we saw yet another chipmunk. Did the town walk of historic buildings then hit the lake for a swim. Water was probably 16c but a 29c day so coped. Found a coffee shop which we enjoyed our second decent coffee since arrival.

Murky view to Nelson

Hiking poles at left for those that need one.

We are in love with Chipmunks

Real coffee at Osgo Negro

Beach on the lake .....bottom of the huge Kootenay

And yes we went in twice. Never thought we would swimming in a lake in Canada!

Some of the driving sights. Lots of iron disease here

Fab murals in some of the nowhere towns.

Left Nelson after two nights at the Hume Hotel and did the 6 hr drive to Waterton National Park. 29c on arrival with the lake well in use with paddle  boards etc. This National Park is very close to the USA border and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The lake is 148m deep at the upper end surrounded by more impressive mountains. Also known for the iconic Prince of Wales hotel which stands on a prominent position overlooking the hamlet. Was built in 1920 by The Great Canadian Railway company as a resort. Incredible building huge amount of timber, something like a Canadian Alpine version of Downtown Abbey.

Princeof Wales Hotel at Waterton

Great lounge and view out torre torrential rain notwithstanding

Our next day unfortunately was heavy rain and 11c!!! So a hike in the rain to Bertha Falls, laundry done and had  a look at said hotel. CAD $60 each for high tea CAD £450 per night,  in which we did not partake. Had a glass of wine and took in the atmosphere. Met a lovely young couple with baby who had driven from Red Deer by Edmonton just for the weekend. The distances folks drive.

Waterton hamlet

 Bertha Falls

Walking in the rain in Scottish coats and Japanese umbrellas

Jasper National Park

 Jeff plotted a days activities to the west of Jasper. Had a look at the Beaver boardwalk near Hinton. Locals had undertaken a sterling effort boardwalking some 3km over a water meadow near a lake. We did not see any beavers ( they are nocturnal) but were impressed with their dam.

Next stop was the Mt Solomon 13km hike. Was heart beating 5km climb but enjoyed the views from the top....smoky horizon notwithstanding.

Beaver boardwalk

Road into Mt Solomon trail

Track up to Mt Solomon

View of Lake Brule

A seat at the top ....excellent.

Chipmunk, very cute. We all remember Alvin and the chipmunks as children

Map showing various section ...anti clockwise was the best option and back the same way.

 We decided we deserved dinner at the Folding Mt restuarant beside East Jasper cabins where we were staying. Was very entertaining people and dog watching outside in the warm sun. 

Today was the drive through Jasper National Park from Jasper to Lake Louise turnoff. 233km that took 3 to 4 hours. The road is tolled $21.50 CAD to drive through.

Athabasca Falls

There were amazing views along a section called Columbia Icefields. Hanging glaciers, impressive slabs of granite, really spectacular.

Colombia Icefield

There are plenty of pull over areas usually with toilets and rubbish dumpster. Was not too crowded. Many waterfalls also. Stopped for a break at Saskatchewan crossing - turnoff left to go to Edmonton. We carried on 75km and turn left before Lake Louise and took Highway 1 to Revelstoke our overnight accommodation. Although Lake Louise is famous given it is a weekend and summer holidays we decided to forgo as it would be heaving. We will be coming from Calgary in a couple of weeks on a Monday and will stop in then.

Revelstoke is a nice old town with the railways a feature.

Opposite where we are staying...the old courthouse

Trains have multiple engines hauling rolling stock hundreds of km.

Main Street Revelstoke.

Tomorrow we head for Nelson, British Columbia (we had to really) we will be crossing a lake a couple of times on a car ferry on the journey.

Prince Rupert to Jasper

We left Prince Rupert township on the Yellowhead Highway towards Jasper some 1,150 kms 12hrs driving away. 

Had a look at Port Edward just down the road which has the historic Nth Canadian Cannery as a ghostly reminder of more prosperous times.

Closed down in the 60's but all the machinery, factory, houses and barracks remain. Some 200 staff lived there from 1900. Wooden buildings with huge wharf area where millions of salmon processed and canned. Mostly Japanese, Chinese and few locals lived there May to October each year.

Were just one hour from Smithers, our accommodation for the night, when a road accident closed the road for four hours. Got to meet other travellers, fishermen and truckies on the road side as we wiled away the time. Made it into Smithers with 1/2 an hour to spare before last dining option closed...a hot tip from another roadside traveller.

Smithers is a nordic/cross country skiing centre. Many trails through the forests and the  "downtown" area lots of alps type establishments. Stayed the next day and ticked off the town river walk, crater lake hike and twin falls. Folks are very patriotic with Canadian flags on many homes, businesses and even little flags put on your dinner.

Smithers to Prince George was uneventful and the town of Prince George even more so where we stayed. We took a long walk to a dinner option we had been recommended and as Jeff said saw the underbelly. As cannabis is legal and sold in shops we saw a girl cross in front of us carrying her groceries and a cannabis plant!!!

No real Main Street as big box establishments scattered about. Prince George town 80,000 people and like many towns thus far in Northern British Columbia geared to services for trucks, machinery, big rigs, engineering.  Off the highway are huge portocom establishments that hundreds of chaps live in while working in logging or the gas/oil pipelines. Canadian govt decided to use their own resources eg gas and oil rather than import. NZ could take notice. Also a lot of fly in fly out here similar to Australia.  Work in the oil sands area for four weeks then get flown back home for 10 days or so.

Have not been able to see much in the distance due to the smoky skies from the fires many kms away. Left Prince George and rained all the way to Jasper. This should help with air quality but not any views.

On the way to Jasper stopped in at "the ancient forest". Remaining hectares of Western Red Cedar (thuja plicata) that are over >1,000 years old. The one I am standing beside is >5m at the base. The area has been boardwalked to save the swallow roots of these old trees. Seemingly the "Forest Service" were logging these giants and incredulously burning then up until 1990's then saw the error of their way.

We opted to stay in East Jasper 35 minutes away from Jasper township. Like all resort towns accommodation is pricey and staying 35 minutes down the road reduces cost considerably.

Our cute cabin with wee squirt Toyota

A glimpse of the Rockies, massive piles of bare faced stone. 

Jeff is finding driving on the otherside of the roads easy. Very wide roads generally, no Whangamoa windy roads at all. Huge rigs, RV's and Dodge Ram vehicles need the space.

Speed limit 100km phr or 70km phr if "wildlife" roaming. We have seen black bears, moose, deer. 

This morning was a visit into Jasper. Felt like Wanaka or Queenstown. We visited the laundrette which was on an industrial scale.

Includes a barrista where we had our first decent coffees since arrival in Canada.

We were appalled to find the town boasted two cannabis stores but no bookstore!!!No hope for civilisation. Canadian govt considering making cocaine, fentanyl legal in addition to cannabis I kid you not.

Having bought some of our picnic set from home, purchased a small chilly bin we are setup for breakfasts and make lunches.  We love our fresh fruit and greek yoghurt whereas de rigueur here is waffles slathered in maple syrup with muffins for breakfast. Also de rigueur is hamburgers and fries, every iteration thereof. Even something called poutine - layers of french fries with gravy and cheese. No wonder the populous are so obese.

We manage to dodge our way around said hamburgers and poutine with Caesar salads and pasta variations if dining out or cook ourselves in cabins. 

Jasper National Park has many hiking trails. This afternoon was the Maligne which was a doddle. We felt underdressed as other hikers looked set to walk to the Antarctic such was the volume and fashion of clothing, boots etc.

Stopped raining and blue sky day forecast for tomorrow. Hopeful of clear views.