September 17, 2005

September 17, 2005

Folding Mountain to Jasper National Park, Alberta

YEAR 2 DAY 92

 

Today was sunny, cold in the morning and evening, warm in the afternoon.

This morning we pulled out of our campsite and over to the campground's trailer dump station to empty our holding tanks. There I discovered that the kitchen grey water tank valve handle had broken off, probably yesterday, probably smashed off by a rock thrown up by the tire. We back tracked 25 km. / 15 mi. east on Yellowhead Hwy. 16 to Hinton. I went into the only RV dealer in town, and bought a replacement valve handle. There was a Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire side by side across the street, so we figured we might as well pick up a few things on our shopping lists. Joanne went into Wal-Mart for some cold medication for both of us, and I went into Canadian Tire for a wrench and some weather stripping.

Back on Yellowhead Hwy. 16, heading west into Jasper National Park. The glacier fed lakes and streams are emerald green. The aspen and poplar are all turning golden yellow, and stand out vividly in the evergreen conifer forests on the mountain sides. There is snow and glaciers on the mountains above the tree line. Shortly after entering the National Park, there were four Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep in the middle of the road. I slowed down, and finally had to come to a complete stop. Four rams, three smaller, young ones, and a huge, old ram with massive horns. In a minute or two, after traffic in both directions had stopped, a huge herd of ewes and lambs came scrambling down the vertical cliff face on the side of the road, crossed the road, and began to drink in the river. Only when all the ewes and lambs, and the three younger rams, were at the river, did the large ram saunter off the road. WOW ... he sure does know how to be an effective crossing guard. It was quite a sight to see all the ewes and lambs come scrambling down a vertical cliff face. A short distance later we saw more Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, and then ... a large bull elk, with a massive rack.

We drove through Jasper town site, then into Whistlers Campground just beyond the town. We got set up in a campsite, and had lunch. I napped after lunch. I spent most of the rest of the afternoon working on installing the new kitchen grey water holding tank valve handle, a difficult job in a tight space. Joanne worked on removing the old weather stripping from around the inside of the exterior door frame.

OOOPS ! Joanne just reminded me that it’s 9:00 P.M., it’s dark, the barbecue is still sitting on the picnic table beside the trailer, and we’re in a park with Grizzlies. I have to go outside, clean the barbecue, and put it away.

After we finished our maintenance jobs, we unhitched the truck from the trailer and drove back into Jasper to get some information at the Visitor Centre. We walked around town for awhile. We stopped in to take a look at the town’s laundromat. These National Park town site laundromats look like very viable businesses. We bought some postcards in a Native arts and crafts store. We filled up with diesel, then drove around the town sightseeing. We drove out of town and up to Patricia and Pyramid Lakes. Lovely mountain lakes. A wedding party was having their photos taken at Patricia Lake. On the way back down the mountain, we came across a herd of elk. One massive racked bull, with his harem of cows. We stopped to take pictures. The campground registration office had warned us that it is rutting season, and the bulls are dangerous. Just before we got back to the campground, we came across another bull, grazing on the side of the road. Again we stopped and took pictures. Once back in the campground we decided to stop at the shower building in the tenting section of the campground and check it out. It’s too far from our campsite to walk. HOLY MOLY ! All around the shower building, and adjacent tent campsites, was another herd of elk. Again, one bull, and his harem of cows. I was able to walk to within about 20 feet of a cow to take a picture, looking over my shoulder to make sure the bull a couple of hundred feet away didn’t get concerned. They graze in the campsites, amongst tents, unconcerned about all the campers watching them.

We returned to the trailer, fed Teddy and Bo, who were starving because their supper was now an hour and a half late < rolling eyes >. We prepared a late supper of perogies from Saskatoon, and barbecued turkey sausage. I did the accounting and today’s journal entry. Joanne washed dishes, and read park information brochures, planning our next few days.

DSK