Athabasca Falls

June 19, 2010

My Scenery

I got myself back on the road after the tram trip. Excited for the day I looked forward to the drive. Little by little I was beginning to realize that my lovely, beautiful, time speeder scenery was going to be drifting away and being replaced by endless fields of flatness and billboards. I mean just take a look at what my view was of me just simply driving.

You don’t have to get out of your car and take your time taking a picture to capture beauty here. It is just smacking you across the face with it.

(^^Pictures of mountains on my drive through Jasper National Park)

Athabasca Falls

I love water, in case I have not been clear on that. I adore it. I am more than happy to hike for three hours, like I did recently, with the promise of a waterfall or raging river. So, the Athabasca Falls was not only the most stunning, but the most breathtaking part of my trip. I couldn’t believe not only how accessible and close to the road it was, but also the grandeur of it. I was just astonished by its power and beauty.

As you walk up to the waterfall you immediately notice the mouth of it. The river’s glacial cloudy blue water turns to a complete white as it falls. It is astounding how the calm river runs its course and as soon as it hits that fall turns into a tempestuous river, creating a heart pounding noise that can be heard from feet, perhaps miles away. Access to the waterfall is created all around it from the top to the river below where it regains its serenity.

I honestly couldn’t get enough of it. It was just so exciting to be near it. It feels like it gives you an exhilaration boost by just being near it. All that energy that is created by the fall seems to engulf your body as well. I wanted so bad to just jump the fence and get my hand in the glacial freezing water, but there were plenty of signs warning us about the dangers of it. They really try to scare you since they actually describe what it is you experience as you fall through the fall.

After spending some time at the top of the waterfall I proceeded to go down a slightly steep staircase that was actually the previous location of the waterfall. One thing I didn’t know and kind of learned was that waterfalls and rocks are always battling it out. The water trying to make the rocks recede and the rocks fighting the water. Interestingly enough sometimes the rocks win and make the water find another channel in which to run its course. Which is what happened here. The rock won and made the Athabasca River find another route, leaving an empty channel on the rock. Now stairs have been made there which gives people closer access to the waterfall and the river below.

I went down these rocks and found myself at the peaceful end of the raging fall. It returned to its previous calmness and continued its course like if it hadn’t just experienced a turbulent fall. It was great to see up close and just observe.

One of the things I realized is that this is a place I would like to be thrown to when I die. I really prefer the idea of being cremated vs. being buried. As I stood there watching I knew this is where I would like my ashes to be thrown, here or somewhere just like it. There is something soothing about the fact that one can become a raging power, but at the same time carry calmness and peace. One doesn’t have to be one or the other, you can be both and luckily the calm and peaceful part is the longest. :D.

(^^ Rainbow :D )

Jasper Tramway

June 19, 2010

Up and ready!

Before sleeping the night before I set my alarm for 7:00am because I wanted to get to the tram early in the morning, well that didn’t work too well, but I was out of the campsite and up the hill by 10:00am.

When I got to the tram there was a long line. I almost decided not to go on it, but decided not to skip it. It would probably be the only attraction I would be able to get on due to my schedule. Although halfway through my waiting I almost opted out because it was torturous.

Such a foreigner

I hated every second that I waited to purchase my ticket. The first reason being the fact that no one, I mean NO ONE spoke English. Now don’t get me wrong, people spoke English to buy their tickets because I guess everyone must know it for business such as that, but no one spoke it besides that. Everyone spoke another language for their social conversations. I mean there was French, German, Dutch, and lord knows what else, everything, but English or Spanish. It made me feel so left out because mostly I had no freaking idea what was going on or what they were saying. Now I don’t like snooping into other people’s conversation, but not knowing what anyone was saying made me feel so out of place and hated that I was not trilingual or Canadian. So that was reason one.

The other reason I hated it was because this definitely made me feel the loneliness of driving and being by myself for such a long time. For the first time I was wishing someone was with me to enjoy the experience. Yet, there was no one there to talk to or share stuff. So, it was a pretty miserable line.

Finally!

Once I bought the tickets the waiting time for the tram was not long. 10 minutes and I was on it going up the mountain. It wasn’t really scary at all, except for when it passed the tower and it swayed for a bit. I didn’t look much on my way up because I don’t like that feeling much. I took a picture and faced the crowded tram until we go to the top.

Once at the top I could feel that it was a little colder, but it wasn’t too bad. The tram doesn’t actually take you to the very very top, it takes you probably 30-45 minutes from the summit. Then it is up to you if you want to climb up to the top. Although the sight from their little shop was more than enough for some people.

I decided to climb it. It did seem pretty steep, but not something I hadn’t done before. So I put my jacket on and climbed up. The first five-ten minutes were fine, until I passed the 10 minute mark, then I began running out of breath rather fast. I don’t think it was the mountain because I had done those types of walk before and although they had been hard for me, they weren’t impossible. This one, I walked for like 3 minutes and had to stop and take deep breaths in and my heart was racing. I think it was the air, at least that is what I think. Anywhoos I tried it a couple of times and got further up, but after a while I gave up and decided to just go back down. It was taking me too long and I needed to get back on the road, that and it was tiring. :(

I was happy enough with my view, took a few more pictures, and headed down to the shop. I jumped on the tram and headed down. This time the tram was way more empty than on the way up and I was able to enjoy the view down comfortably. Although I did have to look away quite a few times, didn’t want to get scared. My heart jumped a beat when the people next to me were talking either Portuguese or Spanish. I really couldn’t tell since I really couldn’t hear/understand them at times, but I was just happy to hear a language that was similar to mine. I just smiled wide :D.

The tram is definitely a place to stop if ever in Jasper National Park. They also have another tram at Baniff National Park if you pass the one in Jasper or are coming from the south. I think the one in Baniff actually takes you all the way to the summit. I definitely enjoyed it, with the exception of the line, but that was a personal misery. Enjoy the pictures.

^^ The look coming down from the mountain.

Getting to Jasper

Jasper National Park

June 18, 2010

Getting There

As I sit at Barnes and Nobles my road trip already seems so far away, like something that occurred in a dream years ago. I try to feel what I felt while visiting all those places and the rush of being somewhere new each night, but its a bit gone. Which only makes it harder to write because I do not feel it as much, but I will.

Jasper National Park of Canada is located in Alberta in the Canadian Rockies. I left my campsite around 12:00pm, no I am not the bird that caught the worm. I got on the road and enjoyed the view as always. I arrived at the gate of Jasper National Park around 4:00pm and I was already getting tired of driving. I looked at the map and realized that Jasper National Park bordered with Baniff National Park so decided to pay for a two day pass.

First Sight

Its hard to say that Jasper National Park was a sight to see because honestly almost all of the Alaska Highway had had the same look of beauty and splendor, but for very good reasons was this a protected area. 20 minutes into my drive into the National Park I found a glistening lake and pulled over. I got off, took off my shoes and enjoyed the touch of the sand on my feet. Other people were actually getting into the lake because it is very shallow. You can walk pretty far into it and not be but a couple feet deep in water.

Camping Entertainment

A couple hours into Jasper I decided to make camp. I pulled into one of their rather more well developed campsites and paid about 30 bucks for the night. I didn’t really enjoy that price, but I didn’t want to keep driving. When I paid they told me about a group of Natives who would be doing a performance in a couple of hours. I was super excited to see them. I drove into my site and realized that I was right off this very cute creek and it totally made the 3o dollars worth it. Just the sound of running water was worth it all. I set up my tent super close to the creek, made myself some dinner, and sat right by the creek as I ate. As the responsible camper that I am I cleaned up all my trash and placed all food related materials in my car, last thing I needed was a wild animal visit.

Oh! Almost forgot. I camped really close to the tram that I wanted to get on to get to the top of a mountain. So, as soon as I ate and set up camp I drove over to a phone and called the tram people to see at what time they closed, 6:30 was the last trip up. Well, my phone said 6:00pm, so I thought “sweet!” I drove up the mountain, my Carlitos Jr. pushing up the steep mountain. I park, walk, climb the steps, pretty empty place, but I just think its because its the last trip up. I go in and let the woman know I want to get on the tram and she just gives me this confused look. So I of course go into detail of it and how I called, etc. Then her face shows understanding and explains to me that crossing from British Columbia to Alberta I lost an hour. So its not 6:15, but 7:15. *Sigh* Back down the stairs, walk to my car, and drive Carlitos back to our campsite.

I parked Carlitos Jr. and made my way to the campsite’s theater center. Now, I probably should have looked at the map of the campsite before making my way there, but I remember seeing signs for it when I was driving, so I thought it wouldn’t be too bad, since I also remember seeing the center close to my camp when I was looking at the map earlier that day. I needed the walk and this would be a good 15 minute walk. Well I take the path designed for cars and after much mini sweats, I get to the theater area 30 minutes later. I wasn’t too upset about it, but was cursing the fact that they made it seem so close, but was farther.

I get to the theater around 8:00pm, just in time for the performance. I take a sit and wait, wait, wait, wait. The rangers at the park locked themselves out of the building and now all chairs and such were locked up inside, so the audience and performers were waiting for them. After a few minutes they just bring chairs from another place and the dancers and drummers perform on the grass.

(My view on the road!!)

Now, the group of Natives were actually made of youth. This time was the same time that the Summer Solstice was happening, so their elders were performing ceremonies and rituals with other tribes in their own gatherings. It was very sweet and amazing to see these young children, teens, and young adults performing their dances, drumming their drums, and chanting. They danced a variety of dances, but the show stealer, I’m sure that is not how you say it, was that of the 5-7 year old who danced the “Man Dance”. In this dance the man goes hunting, goes to war, and becomes a man. This little boy went on for a good five minutes, without stopping, showing his skills. He was just adorable! I loved it.

Overall it was a good hour, but cursed myself for forgetting my camera. I was only able to take one picture, since it seemed that my brain was also left behind, because I didn’t remember that I had my iPhone until the last dance.

So, right before the group began their dancing a few people came from out of the woods behind the theater center and I realized that that might be a shorter way to my campsite. I thought I would be able to take off at least 10 minutes just crossing over campsites. Well I decide to go that way. I crossed a bridge, crossed a couple of campsites, and there was Carlitos Jr. I was just a couple minutes away! I got even more upset because if I would have looked at the map I would have seen that and gotten my camera. Oh wells :( .

I uploaded pictures, blogged a bit, and watched a bit of TV before closing my eyes and letting my fifth day disappear.