Parker Ridge

Icefields Parkway

We began our day with a scenic drive along the Icefields Parkway.

Glimpses of Bow Lake from the road.

The radiant color lured us to stop at a pullout for a better look.

A clear view of "Crowfoot" glacier.

We spotted a mountain goat from far below.

The 300mm zoom lens I was borrowing from a friend gave me some clarity.

p.s. this is what happens when wildlife is spotted along the roadside.

A nice view down into the valley and the Icefield Parkway.

When you're driving down that highway it's sometimes hard to comprehend the scale of what's around you.

It's good to maintain perspective.

Peyto Lake

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A quick roadside trail led us to this lookout over Peyto Lake.

Thanks for the photo Ingrid!

Parker Ridge Hike

Elevation Gain: 820 ft, Distance: 3.1 m (round trip)

Just up ahead, the top of Parker Ridge, blue skies and some incredible views.

Kate spotted some big horn sheep grazing above us.

And some more below us.

A nice view as we headed to the switchbacks back down the mountainside.

Kate loves her wildflowers.

Bonus: the color matches her jacket!!

Super-fast 35mm action!

Athabasca Glacier

Still on a Rocky Mountain high from our amazing hike along the Parker Ridge, we decided to check out this spot as well before setting up camp for the night.

Wilcox Creek Campground

These kiwi-strawberry popsicles did not survive the drive to our Icefields campground.

Fortunately, we had some fresh limes and gin on hand.

(Hey — it's car camping!!)

Actually, not too bad.

Kate won the prize for roasting the perfect wiener.