Car Camping Road Trip

 

I had 10 days off this past September and, as I had not really planned for any off-grid nature adventure, a last minute road trip became the alternate way of getting out of town.  I threw my canoe on the car, thinking I could always paddle for a few hours in different lakes and rivers along the way.  First stop Kelowna,  to hang out for a few days with my sister and her family.   I repaired my canoe with a bit of epoxy on the keel where the paint had rubbed off to the bare wood.  It was still hot so we spent a couple of  hours each day at different beaches of Okanagan lake.  The peaches and pears were so good.

The weather forecast was announcing a week of rain in the Rockies so as I left Kelowna, I was not even sure I would continue on.  It was a sunny day however so I stopped at Alleyne lake, near Merritt.  I paddled a few hours in the beautiful turquoise waters of the lake, surrounded by grasslands and thin forests of Ponderosa pine trees. 

             

Another weather forecast check and it now seemed not so bad after all.  I decided to head back North East to Revelstoke and the Rockies. It was raining on and off on the way up and by the time I arrived, it was almost dark.  I slept in my car on a side street after some good pub food and a movie at the only cinema in town.  I had not driven the Trans-Canada highway toward Golden, BC and into Alberta for many years and I was reminded how spectacular the scenery there is.  As I was entering what were several National Parks along the way, I stopped at many roadside look outs and walked a few trails near the highway.  I pulled up at a campground in Yoho National park, near Field (last small border town in BC). The mountains were towering monoliths and once I set up my tent,  I drove to the famous Emerald Lake.  It was here that I realized, even in mid September, that there were indeed hordes of tourists. Part of me thought I should have done this trip last year during Covid...  Now that everything has opened up, there were many different Canadian and American plates on the many cars and bus loads of European tourists.  Oh well, it was still spectacular and I did sneak off and do a few short hikes on a few trails less trod upon. 

'Revy" has become a popular adventure-seeker town
in the last 20 years.  

Emerald Lake,  Yoho National Park

Field, BC

I was thinking it would be cool to put my canoe in at lake Louise or Moraine lake, probably two of the most famous lakes in Canada.   After talking to a guide at the Banff National Park information, he informed me that for the latter, I would have to get there at 4 am as the small parking lot would be full shortly after that. Lake Louise,  although much better access,  also fills up very quickly.  He suggested I drive 30 km north to Bow lake, which was not as popular,  but essentially the same type of glacier fed lake.  So that's what I did.  I arrived at 9 am,  and there was only one tour bus, with a dozen people walking on the shore.  I had the lake to myself and paddled around for a couple of hours.  There were great views of a glacier and the fog and clouds which hovered around the mountains slowly dissipated as the wind picked up. 

I then drove to Johnston Canyon campground, in Banff,  set up my tent, then walked to the nearby hiking trail that went up the canyon along the famous creek and several falls along the way.  Needless to say, it was a very busy (paved) path that followed the creek.  Some awesome falls though with the sound of crashing water drowning out the stream of people talking.  Each night, I was able to have a fire with wood provided with the price of the campsite.  

Aspen

Magpie

The following day was a long drive.  I stopped in the town of Banff, took a few secondary roads, more stops for splendid vistas. I made my way to Canmore,  a quaint town in the shadow of a chain of mountains.  I then opted for a less travelled gravel road southbound along the Spray Valley, which eventually joined the Kananaskis highway.  The mountains eventually faded away as the highway veered eastward and where I made my way to the north/south highway 22,  which was in the foothills of Alberta.  Having grown up in the prairies,   I was truly enjoying the vast skies and open roads,  a total contrast to the Rockies I had just come from.   I camped near the small town of Lundbreck,  next to a small river escarpment. The sunset and stars in the open skies were stunning. Its always amazing as well checking out these small rural towns, the one Main street, the rusting tractors in the fields, the train tracks... 

 

 

The next few days would be on Highway 3 and the return westward along the most southern highway, close to the US border,  until it rejoined the Trans- Canada in Hope.  I had never been on this highway east of the Okanagan and it was a great driving through Crow's Nest Pass and the various towns and valleys of the Kootenays.   

Crow's Nest Pass

Fernie

Salmo

A cool cigar box dulcimer in a cafe in
Greenwood.

Kettle River

I was part of the 5% of campers that had only a tent in car campsite.
The majority have either camper vans, trailers or RVs.

A retro Bowler (apparently now much sought after).

Hedley

Fires and smoke near Manning Park