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'We spent Monday night in Jasper at the Pyramid Lake Resort, a rustic group of cottage-like two storey walk-ups overlooking a tiny clear-watered lake. The room was ordinary but the service and the breakfast were exceptional. The dining room had cathedral ceilings with floor to ceiling windows and a huge fieldstone fireplace.

Tuesday morning we visited the Miette Hot Springs. On the way we saw a group of female big horn sheep grazing at the side of the highway. We were able to get quite close to them to take photos. There were others casually climbing the ridiculously steep cliffs above us.

At the hot springs, I was disappointed to discover that the water is chlorinated to remove the sulfur smell so I couldn’t go in, but Mark and Sam enjoyed a long, leisurely soak. Every time the breeze picked up, the steam would rise from the 39 degree pool into the cool mountain air. Mark and I made the short climb to the source of the water only to be disappointed by the fact that the entire spring is covered by the holding tank that feeds the pools.

Afterwards, on the drive back towards Jasper, we saw a lone elk at the side of the road standing so still at first we weren’t sure if it was real.

Just before reaching the town, we made a stop at the Maligne Canyon, a gorge more than 170 feet deep. The rock walls are so convoluted we had to move from side to side and lean over the fence to see the water at the bottom.

We had a late afternoon picnic lunch at the canyon and started on our way again.

On the 5½ hour drive to 100 Mile House, we watched the scenery change from rocky, snow-capped mountains to smaller, lusher peaks. The tall thin pine trees filled out and leafy trees joined them. Fewer lakes and rivers had the brilliant colour of glacial rock flour and the temperature warmed considerably.

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