Canada Ay!

We have spent the past week in Canada, which has been awesome. The weather was great most of the time so that we could hike and try to mountain bike. Unfortunately the last few days were cloudy with showers so we were not able to do everything we would have liked.

We spent the first part in the National/Provincial Parks of Banff, Jasper and Wells Gray. The scenery was beautiful in this part of Canada even though some of the lakes and trails were still covered with snow -- who would have thought they have ice and snow in Canada. The last few days were spent in Whistler and Vancouver, co-hosts for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Views from Sulphur Mountain, Banff National Park

Lake Louise, Banff National Park

Lake Annette, Jasper National Park

Pyramid Lake, Jasper National Park

Lake Maligne, Jasper National Park

Helmcken Falls, Wells Gray Provincial Park

Video from Helmcken Falls

Vancouver

Before the trip to Canada we bought a new camera, a Nikon digital SLR. As you can see in the photo below, Melissa was very protective of the camera or was she just worried about falling? Tour companies always seem to drop off bus loads of Asian tourists with everyone taking loads of photos. Since we have had this new camera, Melissa has been taking so many photos she would probably be able to sneak on these buses for a free ride.

Melissa protecting the new camera?

Don't you think Melissa would fit right in on the tour bus?!

Hiking in Canada was quite a different experience than hiking in New Zealand since this time we had to be aware of bears, cougars, wolves and elk calving. In the National Parks the wildlife are free to roam pretty much wherever they want as you can see in the photos below. It was amazing to be able to observe the animals in their natural environment. We did not run into any animals during our hikes but saw plenty of them along the side of the road.

Bighorn sheep, near Lake Minnewanka, Banff National Park (N.P.)

Deer crossing in the town of Jasper

Deer on the side of the road in Jasper N.P.

Caribou near Lake Annette, Jasper N.P.

Black Bears (2 cubs) on the road between Jasper and Clearwater

Squirrel in Stanley Park, Vancouver

Now we are in California again to spend the remainder of our U.S. and Canada trip with Melissa’s dad, Marie, Kylie and Jon.