Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
40FOCUS-JUNE2013AnimalslikethisbighornmountainsheepalwayshavetherightofwaywhentravellingthroughtheRockyMountains.Continuedfrompage39thereisanunequalledamountofwildlifestrollingalongtheroad.ThereislittlethatcompareswiththethrillofseeingablackbeargrazingsleepilyalongtheroadandithappenedtwiceinthersttwohoursafterIleftLakeLouise.Cariboutrottedalongsidethepavementandmuledeerwereeverywherebutyounevertireofseeingthem.IhadthepleasureofstoppingtoletafamilyofmountainsheepcrossaheadofmeandevensawawolfstandingontheshoulderwithaWhatareyoustaringatlookonhisface.Morethan14000vehiclesadaypassLakeLouiseandsafetyfortheanimalsisaconcernasmanymotoriststravelfasterthanthe90kmhourlimit.Inanefforttoprotectthewildlifethegovern-menthasbuiltoverpassesandunderpassesforanimalstokeepthemfromwalkingacrossthebusyroadway.About30minutesfromLakeLouisealongthe230kilometrehighwaytoJasperliesfamousPeytoLake.ThisglacierfedturquoisebodyofwaterisoneofthemostphotographedscenesinwesternCanadaandtheshort15minutewalkfromtheparkinglotiswellworthit.ThereisnoendtotheplacesyoucanvisitbutastopattheColumbiaIceFieldsisamust.ItisabouthalfwaytoJasperandyoushouldallowanhourespeciallyifyouwanttoenjoyoneoftheirfamoushotdogsandicecream.TheiceeldsarerecedingatanalarmingrateandIwasshockedatthedifferencesincemyrstvisittwenty-twoyearsago.Markersgiveavisualrepresentationwheretheiceusedtobeandwalkingthetwentyminutestotheedgemakesithardtobelievethatin1844theiceowwaswherethehighwayisnow.ThereareseveralplacestostayinJasperatownof4200butiftheopportunityarisestheFairmontJasperParkLodgeistheonetochoose.AlltheoldCanadianPacichotelshaveacertaingrandeurtothemandwhenyouwalkthroughthelobbyofthisoneandoverlooktheemeraldlakeyoufeelasifyouarewalkingamongtherailwaytycoonsoftheeighteenhundreds.TherearetwothingsIwouldrecommendinJasperoneisthecablecarridetothetopofthesnow-cappedmoun-tainswheretheviewsareunmatched.AlargeplatformletsyoulookinalldirectionsincludingastunningviewofthetownofJasper.Whitefurcoveredmountaingoatswanderdownfromtimetotimeandyouwillneedajacketforthetemperaturesdropasyouarriveatthetopoftheworld.Theothermust-seeisaboatrideonMaligneLaketovisitfamousSpiritIsland.DiscoveredahundredyearsagobyaNewYorkbasedphotographeritisthemostimpres-sivesightinalltheRockiesandcertainlyoneofthemostphotographedislandsintheworld.NomatterwhatyouseeorwhereyougointheJasperareayouaresuretobemesmerizedbythebeautyofthelandscape.WhatbetterwaytotravelthentoexperienceourowncountryFollowJonathanvanBilsenstravelblogatwww.photosNtra-vel.comBeautifulSpiritIslandliesmysticallyinMaligneLake.