Dreaming of the North

Exploring and Adventuring in Canada

By Michael Holland

I transfixed my attention

on the many lovely, white snowflakes cascading from the clouds above. It was winter and inches of “white gold” accumulated outside my kitchen window.

Snow engulfed my house, which sits at an elevation of 7,000 feet in the mountains of Utah. Winter was here, but my mind dreamed of a summer adventure.
For many of us, winter in the northern hemisphere means that we limit our outdoor activities.

Most of us confine adventure travel to lower altitudes to escape the white stuff. Winter overland travel and adventures become cumbersome, too. However, Winter is also a time to dream! Dream of longer days and warmer temperatures. Dream of Spring and Summer adventures.

Dream of the long road north.

Don’t forget to pull over and admire the view.

My friend Brian and I slowly approached the border crossing outside Eureka, Montana. A herd of bighorn sheep grazed on the Canadian side and welcomed us with a quick glance before munching on more green grass. We were a little cautious. I am not really sure why.

“Hello, welcome to Canada. What brings you here?” The border guard inquired.
“We are heading up north toward Jasper. Just want to hike and explore,” I explained.
“How long do you plan on being in Canada?”
“Roughly 8-9 days,” I replied.
“Well, have fun and be safe. Enjoy your stay. Oh, by the way, nice Cruiser.”

I smiled and pressed my foot gently onto the gas pedal. Away we went. Yeah, I am not sure why we felt nervous, but we both crossed the border and proceeded north. The two-lane road twisted and turned through the countryside. The streams and rivers swelled with early Summer runoff. Traffic was nonexistent, which made travel fairly simple and easy. Brian and I were on the lookout for hot springs. After a full day, which originally started in Glacier National Park, Montana, we were exhausted. As I made a right hand turn off of Highway 93, the road’s surface immediately turned to dirt. Stunning, snowcapped mountains towered above us. The many different colors of the landscape (rocks, valleys, plateaus) created a surreal scene. This was the Canada of my dreams.

Canada is an enormous country, geographically larger than the United States. It comprises 10 provinces and three territories. Our plans included adventuring in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. It had been a number of years since I had traveled this far north, so I was excited; and for Brian, this was his first visit.
We motored east and entered Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park. The road was fairly smooth gravel, and we descended to a natural hot spring along the bank of the Lussier River. After a long day, the warm waters of these natural springs soothed our bodies. Brian and I soaked in the springs and conversed with other soakers (locals) as well. Afterward, we needed to find a campsite so we continued east. By nightfall, we had discovered a nice, small campground along a mountain creek to serve as our “home” for the night.

The following morning, we awoke to see cobalt blue skies, towering evergreens, moss covered rocks, and snowcapped mountains. It was gorgeous! After a quick breakfast, we packed, and traveled north. The dirt road paralleled the Kootenay River; towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies loomed overhead. I spotted three black bears wandering along the road, but they darted into the deep woods for cover. We felt like we had the place all to ourselves. Wait, we did! After 60 miles of backcountry travel, we finally reconnected with paved Highway 93. We aired up and pointed the vehicles east toward Banff in order to meet our friend and colleague, Janice.

Banff, Alberta, is a stunningly beautiful town

Enormous peaks surround the town itself, and there isn’t a bad view to be had. We met Janice in the town plaza and enjoyed dinner together. We ordered Poutine, a traditional Quebec Province dish/appetizer, consisting of fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. Later, we enjoyed a not-so-typical Canadian dish–pizza. With our appetites satisfied, we motored north to our campsite at the Lake Louise Campground.
With a quick release of a few latches, I deployed my CVT rooftop tent was deployed, while prepped his truck bed for sleeping, and Janice opened her Ikamper rooftop tent. We cut some wood and started a fire. Each of us enjoyed the long daylight hours this far north and the warmth of a campfire. After a few hours of snap, crackle, pop, and conversation we doused the fire and called it a night.
The following day, we hiked up and around Lake Louise, a stunning, glacial blue alpine lake. We hiked from the lake up to Lake Agnes Backcountry Tea House. Yes, after a few miles of hiking and gaining elevation, we were ready for a break. On shore of Lake Agnes sits a remote, log cabin that serves as a tea house for hikers and adventurers. We ordered coffee and a few treats, and we admired the view of the high peaks. Melting snow and waterfalls flowed from the high peaks as we witnessed the landscape changing over to summer.
During the night, a light sprinkle of rain, lulled me into a deep sleep. After a quick breakfast, we packed and proceeded north on the Icefield Parkway. This 140-mile paved road is known as one of the prettiest roads in the world. No, I wouldn’t need the Land Cruiser’s 4-wheel drive but rather its brakes to slow down and admire the stunningly vistas and mountains along the way.

TOP Bears are common sight. Both Black and Grizzly…

LEFT Old homesteads dot the
road north to Canada.

RIGHT The high alpine environment
of Canada is phenomenal

We turned north from Highway 1 onto Highway 93. The two-lane highway cut through a large evergreen forest. Within minutes, we stopped at over at the Bow Lake Overview. This beautiful lake sits at the base of Crowfoot Mountain and Glacier. Since it was early June, large ice chunks floated in the lake. Our curiosities spiked, we proceeded north.

“Look at the view!” Brian called over the radio from his vehicle.
“Should we pull over?” I questioned.

Throughout much of the drive, conversations such as that occurred. There are so many wonderful spots to pull over and explore. We cruised further north, and we enjoyed each and every view. We pulled into the Sunwapta Falls trailhead and proceeded to hike along the Sunwapta River. The hiking trail was well-marked. After three miles, we returned to our vehicles for lunch. With our bellies full, we continued driving the Icefields Parkway.
“Brian and Janice, there’s a bear up here on the right.” I called over the radio.
“Right behind your vehicle.” Janice replied.
“I see it,” Brian called over the radio.

Wildlife encounters can happen anywhere along the Icefields Parkway. Luckily for us, a large brown bear wandered along the highway; we snapped countless photos. Eventually, we selected a campsite just outside of Jasper, Alberta. A large elk herd grazed through the campground as the park ranger welcomed us.
The next day, Brian decided to throw his fly in the water to see if anything would bite; Janice and I hiked into the high peaks outside Jasper. Brian landed some lovely Canadian Northern Pike. The clouds rolled over the mountain top but not before Janice and I took a few photos and headed down. After hiking the Sulphur Skyline Trail, we stopped and soaked in Miette Hot Springs, located at the trailhead. Not a bad way to end the day!
“Watch your step!” Our guide said as I stepped over a large crevasse.
“Thanks,” I responded while mesmerized by the color of blue ice below.
The following day, we hiked and climbed the Athabasca Icefield. Corin Lohmann, owner of Ice Walks, outlined the expectations of hiking on the glacier. The Athabasca Icefield is an enormous glacier just off of Highway 93. It’s somewhat of a tourist attraction, but definitely worth the stop. Visitors are not allowed to hike on the glacier without the use of a guide.

TOP
Not everything drives like a Toyota =)
Brian enjoying the dirt roads of Canada.

BELOW Brian placing his crampons on prior to hiking the glacier.

Unfortunately, you better visit soon. The ice is melting. During part of our hike, the guide pointed out where the glacier used to be and how far it has receded. Saddened and astonished, we placed crampons onto our feet and hiked up. Stunningly gorgeous, fresh water flowed down the glacier. It was fantastic being in and exploring such a foreign environment. My footsteps crunched the snow and ice. I felt captivated by my surroundings. Cold air blew off the glacier and cooled us as we climbed and gained elevation. Without a doubt, it was an outstanding way to spend a few hours in the far north.

Back on land, I shifted the Land Cruiser into drive and headed south. The joys of the Icefields Parkway presented themselves through my windshield around each and every bend. We had a few days left to explore and adventure, but pointing the Cruiser south signified our return to the United States. Journeys and adventures are big and small. A journey to our neighbor to the north, Canada, is not a small undertaking. However, it’s definitely worthwhile. So this winter, grab a cup of coffee, a map of Canada, and dream of your adventure this summer–north. Better yet, make it happen!

The waters of YoHo National Park are worth paddling.

Trip Tips

July and August are extremely busy. Consider a trip in June.
Passports are required for crossing the border.
I exchanged a small amount of cash but used my credit card without an issue.
Fuel is noticeably less expensive in Alberta than British Columbia

Athabasca Glacier Hikes
Icewalks.com
780-852-3803