25th April 2012

Hi all. We left Jasper today and headed to Banff along the Icefield Parkway. This really is the Rocky Mountains. We really spent most of the day getting to Banff even though the drive itself is only about 4 hours. We just had to keep stopping so we could take it all in and check out points of interest along the way. We also like to take plenty of photo's, you just cant help yourself it is so beautiful. In the end though I stopped taking pictures as they just don't do it justice. We called into the Columbia Icefield to see the Athabasca Glacier, which was amazing. Emily enjoyed the walk up to the Icefield Centre as they had to carve out a pathway through the snow to enable people to climb the stairs.
We also stopped to check out Lake Louise and although it was lovely, it is still frozen solid. I think this is something that needs to be seen in the spring/summer to truly appreciate it's beauty.
Emily has had a ball playing in the snow at almost every stop we make. We stopped for a while at Marmot Basin. This is the ski field closest to Jasper.
Well, that's about all for today but will blog again tomorrow after we get a chance to explore Banff.

Marmot Basin Ski Fields

Em at the ski fields having a play in the snow

Pine trees in the snow coming down from Marmot Basin

Caribou crossing sign

Driving along the Icefield Parkway

As Above!

Emily walking through the iced over stairway. (Sorry couldn't rotate this photo???)

Throwing a snowball!

Em & Mark in front of the snow bus that drives up onto the Glacier

Sign for Lake Louise

A very frozen Lake Louise

A small section of the Lake starting to thaw.

A stream flowing from Lake Louise.