Our Journey Continues North - Columbia Icefields to Jasper

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After we'd once again extracted poor Rufous from his frosty casing, we set off for another hike, this time up Parker Ridge. After a slippery climb up a half-ice/ half-snow trail (which transformed into all-mud on the way down), we made it to the summit, with stunning views of the Saskatchewan Glacier and Columbia Icefield mountains. Apparently, this hike is usually very crowded, but we had it pretty much to ourselves - so this crazy, off-season trip does have its advantages.

Unfortunately, on the mountain goat front, we were denied again - despite everyone saying 'if you want to see mountain goats, climb Parker Ridge'. The cantakerous little puffballs were nowhere to be seen.

After the hike, we started the long drive north to Jasper, stopping at heaps of spots on the way, including Athabasca Falls and Sunwapta Falls, where Quin managed to sprain his ankle :-(. We decided to take the 'alternative', old highway to Jasper town, which was quite a hair-raising drive, since the road seemed to have decayed into one giant pothole after another. No problem for little Rufous though. Poor Rufous, and all he wanted to do was go south to Mexico.

Tonight we are camping again - at Jasper's Whistlers Mountain campground (luckily, it is not, as the name suggests, on the top of Whistlers Mountain, so it is only cold, not ridiculously freezing).

In other news, Quin has developed the habit of drying his sodden, stinky socks by laying them out on the car dashboard radiator right in front of my nose. Lovely.

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Photos

Climbing Parker Ridge
Trying to find a mountain goat

At the Top of Parker Ridge
The mountain goats are hiding - elusive little puffballs

View of Saskatchewan Glacier
Another tongue of the Columbia Icefield

Mrs Bighorn Sheep and Her Kid
Look at its cute baby horns

Tangle Falls
Near Beauty Creek