It was a road trip without any plan – stop where your heart beats and eyes delight, click photos from a cellphone, and fiddle with the DSLR Camera. As my friend priest Raj and I agreed to “enjoy” the pleasures of the journey.
Raj suggested that we drive the longer scenic route via Grande Cache to Jasper. So, the only plan in place was to stop where we feel like – or spend as much time we want to in a scenic point. There was no rushing to hit the next spot – no checklist.
Believe it or not, I did sit on a cloud-filled mountain top, feel the spray of the majestic waterfalls, drank the water from the eternal glaciers and pristine lakes. And I smelled spruce leaves, standing firm with a story to tell. I touched shrubs that survive with below negative forty temperatures with less than 40 days on sunshine – most times; these are covered with snow.
Columbia Icefields Skywalk
Yes, I walked on the Icefield Skywalk – a kilometer glass bridge hinged on Jasper’s cliff. The stunning views above are less threatening than the ravine below. You want the heart to skip a beat and experience free of cost dizziness, start looking down through the glass and try walking fast and slow. Your legs will tremble, head spin, and feel the fear of a free fall – even if you don’t have a fear of heights. Disclaimer: I don’t advocate doing it.
Columbia Glacier Ice Explorer Tour
Why would I miss standing on an ancient Athabasca Glacier? I hopped on a red bus with monster tires rolling on unstable moraines – stone debris and onto the scenic glacier. Rules are announced – do’s and don’ts laid out, fenced demarcated, and safety upheld. Crazy tourist exists. Daredevil attempts prevail on the glacier, neglecting caution instructions.
So, the bus operator allowed us to open windows but told to take care of our cameras – a rule passengers forgot the moment it is announced. It is risky to drink water from the running streams at the glacier – it can upset your stomach, or the stream can be an unpredictable trap. You can guess what happened- as soon as people landed on the glacier – one-fourth of the people tasted the water, irrespective of thousands of years of dust in the water. You know what I did… with water. Write it in the comments.
Anyway, it is an adventure of a lifetime, astounding scenery, and a deep sense of wonder. It is the story of ice in slow motion. The alpine witness. Where no life can survive, even the ice is without oxygen. Don’t miss the touristic stories. Just near the Athabasca glacier stood Mount Snow Dome – a Canadian mountain peak that feeds three oceans – Pacific, Atlantic, and the Arctic.
Picturesque Louise Lake Louise
If you are in Canada, you cannot deny seeing the picture of Lake Louise – the photos of lake Louise stand out. But it was what makes you feel when you are at Lake Louise. Go prepared to soak into the experience and energy of this place – people posing at their creative best to create memories – and, of course, share on social media. I am yet to share one clicked at this lake.
It’s dramatically beautiful – emerald green water, rugged mountain peaks, and immaculate glaciers. The sun playing hide and seek, the spray of the occasional raindrops, the freshness of water – be aware and experience the awe.
Blessed are those who can sit at the waterfront doing nothing for theirs is the adventure unknown to the boisterous.
One day, I will hike around the lake – may be for more than four hours – in silent retreat.
I don’t know why, but lake Moraine n is a real little charmer. Lake Moraine’s blue-green waters nested in the Valley of Ten Peaks inviting you for a walk along its banks with breathtaking vantage points.
Banff Adventures
Excitement awaits for those ready to leap into the uncharted territory. In this case, the journey was made easy with Banff Gondola – an eight-minute cable car to access the Sulphur mountain. The summit observation deck provides a 360-degree view of the six mountain ranges, Bow Valley and Banff Town. The ridge boardwalk views get better. My choice – photos and silence. And cherish the moment. But I offered to click pictures of those struggling with a selfie but are hesitant to seek help.
Raj had been to Banff, earlier. He suggested that we walk on the streets of Banff. It is great to walk the almost empty roads due to the pandemic of otherwise crowded town. People were enjoying it as if a COVID-19 belonged to another day. What I missed? My signature summersault dive at Bow waterfall in Banff. I should have opted to swim rather than just standing in knee-deep water.
I loved the stunning snow-capped mountings, green valleys with winding streams, and a getaway from the mundane. There is something of Bow along the road trip: Bow Valley, Bow Waterfalls, Bow River, Bow Lake, Bow Island, Bow Highway, Bow Trails, etc.
I am always on an adventure. Why wait? I may skip slipping into Adventure Deficit Disorder, that’s what Tim Ferries, the author of Four Day Work Week, calls it.
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Something for you …
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