Walk In The Park: Jasper to Banff to Calgary

These Mountains are Our Sacred Places

The creator placed us at Wapta Mnotha (Crackling River),

a favoured area that holds significant spirituality

and a wealth of wildlife, food, and medicinal plants.

Long before European explorers,

a Stoney party arrived at its traditional hunting encampment.

They spotted bighorn sheep high on the mountain slopes.

Although the sun was setting

and elders warned him to wait for a new day,

a skilled young hunter scaled the mountains

and shot some sheep.

That night they all feasted.

These are our homelands where we thrive,

follow the sacred traditions of our ancestors

and maintain our cultural beliefs

and spirituality.

~ Oral history shared by Rock Abraham, Jim Wildman, and the Stoney Mountain Traditional Knowledge Group.

[From signed lookout between Jasper and Banff south of the Columbia Glacier]

The sun atempted to break through the clouds (and this was my view for miles - the sun filtering through the foggy mist just above the forest and mountains).

7:00 a.m. is early to get on the bus in Jasper, Alberta. It requires fully packing the night before, purchasing something for breakfast (including paper coffee cups we couldn't find in the room) and alarms - 2 alarms.*

The first bus driver, Chris, told us the roads had been pretty bad the day before, but he expected better today.** He warned us the Canadian police often stop buses to check that passengers are wearing their seat belts, but it was up to us (if we were caught there would be a fine).

The roads were not good, but Chris was a great driver and made good time. This is some of the most amazing country we've seen.

We hoped to see more wildlife, but that was limited to a couple of crows at roadside parks (hoping for snacks - crumbs left behind by people who stop - they stalk the trash bins).

Because his attention had to be on the road Chris provided little commentary until we passed a spot with a large frozen waterfall. "Do you see the climbers?" he asked. We all looked fast. We saw them, but the photos I tried for only recorded a blur.

If you look mid-photo on the left you will notice some dark spots on the snow. Those are people climbing the ice.

In Banff we changed to a different bus line.*** This bus was pretty fancy and I suspect we all slept a bit towards the end. It is hard to say that mountains and fir trees get boring, but 5 hours in a bus become hypnotic. Off and on the clouds dropped and the view disappeared.

We arrived at the Calgary Airport and checked into our hotel. It was the nicest yet**** and quite roomy for an airport hotel. We prepared for the second early morning in a row - a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call as our flight home is at 6:20 and we must clear security/passport control/ and hopefully customs.

So, all is repacked again. Coffee pot is set for the first cup. Pastries await for breakfast. And the electronics are on their last Canadian re-charge.

Canada has been amazing. Overall the people are polite and helpful. But they are so laid-back that you have to ask questions. Once you ask they will help with directions and answer you - honestly and openly. What we saw of Canada was exceptionally clean and, even where there was construction, we found navigating pretty easy.

We were introduced to First Nations***** culture at the Anthropology Museum in Vancouver and saw art and crafts almost everywhere we went. Spotting an installation at the Calgary Airport that was clearly the work of a First Nations artist, we took photos. An airport/airlines employee (who is also an artist) stopped to discuss the work with us.****** We heard some of how the experience of First Nations peoples was parallel to that of Native Americans in the US. It seems that, in many ways, Canada is more active in its struggles to address the needs and concerns of First Nations peoples.

As we close this adventure, we leave you with our last looks at the Canadian Rockies (forgive me - many bad out-the-bus-window cell shots:

We stopped midway between Jasper and Banff and took advantage of the view.

At the overlook

NOTES:

*The first was my internal clock that had me up long before the phone alarm.

**At one point I looked at DH and asked if he was glad we did not rent a car "after all." There is no question the drive in the slush along the winding ICEFIELDS PARKWAY, where all the stopping places were closed for the winter, would have been unnerving.

Chris also warned us that he was allergic to peanuts and so opening a package would be detrimental to his health and us getting to our destination...so much for our snacks - peanut
butter crackers and salted peanuts (I had granola bars too, but those sometimes have peanuts. So we waited to eat.).

***SunDog and Brewster share the journey in this part of the year. You can plan your own trip, but you will need to do your homework. Trust me! Plan ahead. Read everything you can. Buy your tickets in advance. Ask questions!

****It was modern and minimalist...a bit of an inspiration. [But you had to hunt for the coffee pot and shampoo. Everything was hidden away.]

*****On the plane to Vancouver I had a long conversation with a Canadian woman associated with the justice system who commented on the explosion of work involving testimony of First Nations women. She did not go into detail, but I knew there would be much more for me to discover.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Nations

******She thanked us for noticing the art. She didn't know that seeking out art is one of the reasons we travel. We feel so fortunate to see public art being emphasized - all over Canada.