Alaska, Canada and NYC Day 21

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Up early for the optional excursions this morning. Early breakfast then picked up at 0800 for a trip up to the Mount Edith Cavell guided walk. We have 2 guides who give us info on the trip up - about 40 minute drive up into the mountains. Very funny guys with lots of wildlife stories, etc.

Arrive at the car park and they get serious with their bear spray, etc. OK, thought this was a leisurely stroll.... Get our walking sticks, one guide at the front, and the other at the back to make sure we are all safe. Walk about 2 minutes and there is grizzly bear scat (poo) on the track - everyone a little more alert now. On we go and the mountain looks spectacular up close.

Stop a couple of times to catch breath and get back together as a group. Finally get to our destination - a lookout where you can see the glacial lake below the foot of the mountain and the actual face of the mountain. Great sight. This mountain had a glacier that broke away 4 years ago and fell into the lake causing a tsunami that wiped out the tracks, car park and toilets - they predicted that the piece of glacier was as big as their station building - and that is bloody huge. Lots of time to look around - lots more people arriving up there now so we head back down to the bus. Exhilarating. They then drop some of us off at our white water rafting pickup point.

Get kitted out - supposedly not too white water and we just sit and have an oarsman do the work. Off we go - thought we were at the back but he spins it around and we are at the front - not long before we get a bit damp.... Then a lot damp as we hit the rapids. Luckily had thermals on for the walk so not too cold. Great trip down the river with lots of different levels of water. Commentary was also good.

Land and the official photo is printed and sold to whoever wants about 5 minutes after we get out of the raft. Back to the hotel for dry clothes, then into our coach for a trip to the Maligne canyon for a walk around that - lots of fast running (gushing) water in a very deep canyon.

Off to our next stop - Lake Maligne for a boat ride and then dinner. More bears - ho hum..... Not really, more pics - this is getting like the cathedral comments from Europe. Onto the boat, more mountains, glaciers, etc.

Dinner and a talk by a wildlife expert then back to the hotel, bears are still eating where we saw them on the way in. Finally back, re-pack bags for tomorrow morning bag pull and off to sleep.

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