After a few long days of driving from Las Vegas, I was finally in the Canadian Rockies. I ended up spending 4 days in Jasper National Park, 2 near the town of Jasper, then 2 more at the Columbia Icefields. When I first reached Jasper it was a bit rainy, but that just enhanced the conditions rather then made it worse. The area's peaks even got a dusting of snow. The first order of business was to secure a campsite. The first few I saw looked like the typical RV parking lots, full and unappealling. After a little bit I settled on Wabasso Campground. I set up camp, ate lunch and went exploring. Quite quickly, in a field just north of town, I saw a herd of Elk. Unfortunately, all the hikes I had really set my mind off were closed due to Griz issues.

After a couple days near Jasper, it was down to the Columbia Icefields. I was a bit worried as I was heading down there on a Saturday over Labor Day weekend (US Holiday). As luck would have it, I got a real nice campsite that overlooked the valley towards the glaciers of the icefield. This area was the highlight of the Canadian Rockies for me. Not too crowded, best campsite, spectacular scenery, lots of wildlife. The next morning, I took a hike up to Wilson Pass. The hike is supposed to be one of the best guarantees to see wildlife (Bighorns) and did not disapoint. There were large rams scattered about and they seemed quite comfortable with the human presence allowing great photography opportunities.