After Abraham Lake, the road continues on deeper into the mountains, towards the Banff National Park boundary, and the Saskatchewan River Crossing, where Highway 11, The David Thompson Highway, which has brought us all the way from home (running more or less east/west, though that varies in the mountains), ends at the junction with Highway 93, the Icefields Parkway, running between Banff and Jasper townsites, more or less north/south.
Typically we stop for some very expensive, mediocre quality refreshments at The Crossing- restaurant, cafeteria, pub, gift shop, motel, gas. All we've ever taken advantage of are the cafeteria, mainly, gift shop, occasionally, and gas, rarely...
Full album:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111492944361897930115/AlbertaRockyMountainsMay312011EKPToBNP
After the crossing, the Icefields Parkway heads north, mostly following valley level at a not very high elevation, until it reaches one massive switchback and suddenly climbs to a level not far below treeline. Up there, May 31 is still early spring, with only a few of the earliest plants active.
Full album:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111492944361897930115/AlbertaRockyMountainsMay312011FIcefieldsParkway
Typically we stop for some very expensive, mediocre quality refreshments at The Crossing- restaurant, cafeteria, pub, gift shop, motel, gas. All we've ever taken advantage of are the cafeteria, mainly, gift shop, occasionally, and gas, rarely...
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| A little roadside lake/pond that has a nice assortment of interesting plants, a bit later in the season- just getting started now. |
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| Parking lot with a view at The Crossing. |
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| The Crossing |
https://picasaweb.google.com/111492944361897930115/AlbertaRockyMountainsMay312011EKPToBNP
After the crossing, the Icefields Parkway heads north, mostly following valley level at a not very high elevation, until it reaches one massive switchback and suddenly climbs to a level not far below treeline. Up there, May 31 is still early spring, with only a few of the earliest plants active.
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| Halfway around the switchback. |
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| One of a couple of stops at the top of the switchback, where you can look back down at where you came from, and out across the valleys in a couple of directions.. |
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| Among the few active plants this early, a pussywillow, Salix sp |
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| Among the few active plants this early, Fragaria virginiana- flowering from home all the way up! |
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| Among the few active plants this early, Taraxacum sp. at this altitude, maybe a native? |
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| Behind the viewing area, a wooded section with a small waterfall; some nice plants back here in summer, but still under snow! |
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| Snow well below tree-line still.. |
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| Arriving at the Columbia Icefield. |
https://picasaweb.google.com/111492944361897930115/AlbertaRockyMountainsMay312011FIcefieldsParkway
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