6-week Canadian Rockies trip, 2005

[Darren]

Last August and September, I went on a 6-week solo trip to revisit some places I had been 11 years earlier with the family. Anyway, this post is a super short cliff notes version of the full trip report I put up on this.

Trip summary
44 days, 43 nights (all camped in the 4Runner); 12,122 miles (19,510 km)

The first two days of the trip, I went up to Lander, Wyoming where I met forum member, K.C. O'Connor ("kcowyo"), for the first time. He was the most gracious host while he showed me around the Wind River Range for a couple of days. K.C. is a great guy and I foresee us doing a number of future trips together, including another one possibly as early as next month. Thanks again for everything, K.C.!

From Lander, I headed up through Yellowstone and into Montana and spent four days in Glacier. I drove into Canada and spent four weeks roaming around the Canadian Rockies and hitting all six of the area's beautiful national parks. I came back down through Idaho and spent three memorable days there as well before spending one last night in Wyoming and coming back home.

If you want to read the extremely long report complete with 900 pictures, you may view it here (http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/canada_05.html), otherwise the below pictures are some of the highlights from the main spots I visited.




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/4runner2.jpg
Sawtooth Range, Idaho




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/4runner.jpg
Banff NP




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/wy1.jpg
Myself and K.C. driving around in BLM land just outside of Lander, WY




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/wy2.jpg
Myself and K.C. at the campfire




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/montana.jpg
Lake McDonald, Glacier NP




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/banff.jpg
Peyto Lake, Banff NP




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/jasper.jpg
Medicine Lake, Jasper NP




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/yoho.jpg
Takakkaw Falls, Yoho NP




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/kootenay.jpg
Vermilion River, Kootenay NP




http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/forum_report/idaho.jpg
Idaho fall colors near the Wyoming border




Again, here is the link to the full meal deal: http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/canada_05.html

[HongerVenture]

I already found this on Yotatech... its is making for a nice lunch break.

The only problem is that lunch break is almost over and I've barely hit the tip of the iceberg.

Great pictures and great report... all that I've come to expect from you Darren. Thanks for letting me continue to travel the Rockies vicariously through you! :bowdown:

[paulj]

It looks like you covered some of the same territory I did last summer. In June I looped around the Kootenays, and then over Rogers Pass to Lake Louise, and back through Kootenay NP. In September I returned to the Columbia trench, and looped through Kananaskis Country.

I haven't had a chance to look at all of your travels, but from a glance at the Kananaskis section, it appears I hit the area in nicer weather. It got down to 26C the night we camped at Canmore, but the sky was clear, giving good views of the fresh snow on the mountains. I spent at least 15 minutes trying various shots of the reflective ponds near Mt Kidd - at sunset. There were snow patches in the shade at Interlake Campground, as well as at Highwood Pass. I even drove down the 940 Forestry Rd to Coleman. In the Crowsnest Pass area we saw lots of downed aspens. Apparently a couple weeks earlier an early wet snow had fallen, overloading a lot of trees before they had dropped their leaves.

Here' are some of my pictures (with less dialog)

http://www.pbase.com/paulj3/kananaskis05

paulj

Looking a bit further I see you returned to the Kananaskis area in mid September, about a week before we passed through there.

[kcowyo]

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

And that folks, is how you roadtrip!


I am now officially not going to get any work done today! I'm already blown away (but not surprised) by the quality of the preview pics. I'm off to see more and I'll comment once I am thoroughly overwhelmed.

I'm so glad I could play a small part in getting your trip off to a good start Darren. It was as much fun for me spending time with a fellow Toyota enthusiast and talented photographer, who just happens to make a mean bowl of camp Tortellini!

[Scott Brady]

Darran,

As always, you leave me slack jawed... Where is your next adventure planned?

[HongerVenture]

Darren,

I'm loving the reading. In any case, the two pictures that you target as your best and second best are quite stunning... however, I think my personal favorite is "Day 36 ~10:32 AM — Herbert Lake." I would link to it but figured it was up to you to link your own pictures as you please. I just love the way you composed that shot.

Just a great write-up... I found myself getting bummed when I read about gloomy days and getting excited when you reported a sunny day.

Joel

PS - Is there a chance you're willing to send a larger res of that one to me for use as a wallpaper for my computer? Just curious.

[Darren]

What a wonderful set of compliments. Thank you, gentlemen!

Scott, either in April or May, K.C. and I are planning to head over to Canyonlands region for a week or less. Still working out the details on that one.

Paul, I did look look at that page and the others and really meant to comment and thought I did. I must have gotten sidetracked, so I appologize. Very cool stuff! I need to find your thread again. [Edit: Ah, I see that it isn't your thread after all, so I'll hold off on commenting over there, but yes, I looked through all of your galleries extensively and enjoyed doing so.]

Joel, I have no problem with hotlinking, though that's not necessarily a common view with others. But, feel free to link pictures here or elsewhere. The only time I have a problem with it is when someone claims my pictures as their own, which I've run across once! I'll see if I can cook up a larger size of Herbert for you.

Thanks again!

[Ursidae69]

Darren, you rock man! I think you owe the taxpayers about 4 hours of my salary! :D

[mountainpete]

Those are just great pics and it's nice to see some of my stomping grounds!

As a kid, I spent many a summer in this area: http://www.mycolorado.org/canada_2005/day10.html

My first real trek as a kid (probably about 7 years old) was Red Rock Canyon. I go back whenever I can and walk up the bottom of the canyon and wade the pools (the water is darn cold too!).

Pete

[IggyB]

Spent the evening last night looking through the pictures and reading the story.

Thank you for the great pics and write-up. Those are fantastic pictures.:luxhello:

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Darren!

Simply Awesome!:elkgrin:

Thanks so much for sharing!:lurk:

~Mark

[sacto_patrol]

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

I feel like I owe you some money. As I feel I experienced the trip with you.

Simply wonderful, I really appreciate you posting the link and taking the time to prepare such a wonderful write up.

[Nullifier]

Man seeing those pics of Idaho are just getting me amped up about my august trip out there. No doubt that was an awesome trip! I will have to make sure I put together a presentation of our Idaho run like that. What a great read!

[Darren]

Thanks again, everyone!

I just noticed that there are two forums for completed trips and I guess I have never closely read what the differences are. It looks like this one is more for shorter trips. Oh well. Someone can move it if they want.

[OverlandZJ]

Darren, thank you so much for your time invested in preparing this trip report.

I only had enough time last night to read the Glacier area pages (heading out that way in ~10 weeks) but you...as well as others here....have provided invaluable information for my upcoming trip. :bowdown:

The only thing i didnt appreciate...is the pics of Bannf etc as i wont have the time to head that far north. :o :shakin:

:clapsmile

:camping:

[CLynn85]

Wow, amazing trip and amazing photos. Thanks for the your attention to detail and the time you put into it. An ispiration for us all.