Jasper and Banff!

This is a tale of two parks.

Last August Harry and I headed up to Canada in a truck with a full-sized foam mattress and cooler full of food in tow. (Okay, not literally in tow, just in the back of the car).

First destination? All the way up to Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. Then we'd make our way down into Banff National Park via the Icefields Parkway.

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*This photo taken from icefieldsparkway.com

And to show you a glimpse of our setup, here's us making coffee in our Jet Boil to warm up before an oncoming storm hits:

Note the foam mattress we luckily were able to fit perfectly in the back of his truck. And if you haven't heard of a Jetboil and you love to camp or car camp, it's a worthwhile investment. I'll pop a link at the end of this post for you.

So, we visited a few small towns on our way up north, but the real fun began upon our entry into Jasper. The majority of our sustenance we brought with us or bought at grocery stores along the way as this is a MUCH more cost-effective option. We stocked up on homemade date/nut energy bars, sandwich fixings, pickles, tomatoes, water, ground coffee, carrots, mustard, etc. All of that aside, we treated ourselves to a nice meal our first night which included elk carpaccio and local beer.

Definitely worth trying. The town of Jasper itself is a total tourist trap, so explore at your own risk.

The process of quick changing in the back of a car:

Right after this we were hit by a crazy storm, there were many on the trip, and so we holed up in the bar until it mostly passed. Make sure to bring raincoats and warm layers, even in summer when you head to Jasper and Banff!

To start, we checked out the Columbia Icefields/Athabasca Glacier. You can get a tour on the icefield itself, but we found it engaging enough to walk the perimeter and see just how much the glacier has retreated over the years. Make sure to note the markers that show you where the glacier ended in 1890 up until today. Go while you can; the glacier may be gone before we know it. This is the parkway you can explore directly in front of the glacier:

Driving down from there we stopped along the parkway for a very chilly dip in the glacial runoff. Be bold, you'll be able to warm yourself before long in the sun...assuming it's summer.

The coolest part? You can just park and walk out there. Other than the cars speeding past, not a single person was out there with us. We swam, we jumped, we played, we undressed and dried off. In that last photo, you can't see it clearly, but there are two different colors of streams flowing past me. One is a milky sediment-filled stream (left) and the other more akin to the glacial blue you'd expect (right). Both are frigid but gorgeously clean. After the chilly midday swim, it was on to Athabasca Falls!

The falls are beautiful, but beware, they WILL be filled with people clambering to get a good view of the turbulent waters. Just don't drop your camera. One of the best aspects is the water rock formations that include rings that have been carved out over time by the water swirling and boring its way through the rock.

Once you've gotten your fill of the crowded walkways and hordes of tourists, make your way down the road a few more minutes and there will be a large turnout on the left side. Follow the sound of the crashing water and you'll find it. This is where you can enjoy some falls all to yourself. Smaller? Yes. More private and falling from greater heights? You bet. Watch your step as you peek through holes in the rock and step over the dimpled ground.

Check it out:

From there just enjoy the stunning trip down the road, stopping whenever you desire to snap a photo, stroll around, explore. There are TONS of lakes to check out in and between Jasper and Banff. Some noteworthy spots: Lake Louise, Lake Maligne, Emerald Lake and Peyto Lake.

Icefields Parkway:

If you're lucky you may even see a bear or moose. But KEEP YOUR DISTANCE. They are wild creatures that can often be aggressive if you enter their space.

While in Banff we did try some exotic meats and fondue at "The Grizzly House". I highly recommend making it there. You'll find a very rustic interior complete with animal heads mounted on the walls and an old telephone at your table. Not sure where you can call, but there was a dial tone. Lighting is dark and noise level is pretty high sometimes. The place can get quite warm also, so be ready for that, especially if you plan to order a hot plate of exotic meat samples and/or a fondue pot (which you should do). We chose the hunter's fondue and we were given boar, venison and buffalo alongside a melty pot of blended cheeses and the traditional bread pieces.

If you're feeling particularly adventurous and indulgent, the exotic fondue includes shark, rattlesnake, ostrich, frog legs, buffalo and venison. WOAH. Sadly I didn't get a picture of our awesome meal, but it was grand. Here's their quaint soda display upon entering to tide you over.

We also grabbed some poutine at a pub to use the wifi for a bit. It certainly wasn't great poutine, but it was hearty and salty and satisfying after a week of exploring.

Banff as a city we enjoyed much more than Jasper. It seemed like a "real" city and had quite the youthful population. Tons of Australians and Kiwis flock there for a gap year, which also bolsters the young, adventurous population there.

Just south of Banff, make sure to hit some of the hot springs on a day trip. We chose Radium Hot Springs and it was a perfect afternoon.