On my Yamaha V Star Classic minus helmet, bags and camping stuff.
Motorcycle Diaries of the Northern Rockies
(mostly in pictures)
by William C. House
Reverse Spins
August 2012Itinerary: (in seven days)
1. Two nights Glacier National Park
2. Waterton, Kootenay River in BC, Radium Hot Springs
3. Kootenay Nat. Park, Banff, Lake Louise, Ice Field Parkway
4. Athabasca Glacier, south on the Ice Field Pkwy, Yoho, BC's Glacier, Kootenay Lakes, Nakusp Hot Spring
5. Columbia River upper lakes, Nelson BC , long ferry ride, Creston BC, Idaho, Kalispell and Seely LakeDodged rainstorms on the way to Glacier. Managed to avoid all except a few drops. Set up camp just before dark at a campground right on Lower St. Mary's Lake. I had rather noisy young Blackfeet Indians for neighbors. One girl left in her car, swearing loudly at some guy late at night. I think she came back in the morning. I thought, "Is this what camping is like now?" Oh, well. Lots of mosquitoes too. I forgot the insect repellant but did have a special net that covered my head. Cooked with an MRE stove. Made Katmandu curry which I had bought at REI. Delicious, although too much food since it was meant for two. I enjoyed it as I lifted the net for each bite. In the morning made some good coffee and poured the rest of the boiling water into one of those paper cups that had organic cereal in it. I added nuts and dried cranberries which I had packed in two zip-locked bags for snacking. It was quite good. There were a lot less mosquitoes. I bear-bagged four times during the trip. Left my campsite intact except for my valuables and headed off to Going to the Sun Road. On the oher side of the Park, headed to Columbia Falls for a few supplies including insect repellant, than back over Going to the Sun in the opposite direction which afforded a whole new perspective.
On Going to the Sun Road, Glacier
Going to the Sun Road westbound, looking to the left.
Higher up on Going to the Sun
Stopped for construction near the top of Going to the Sun. The guy on the left is from Whitehorse. He had a Sirius/XM radio, CD player and CB on his bike. That's his buddy on the right from Alberta whom he talks to on the CB. The girls behind me in a small RV were playing some pleasant New Age-type music. That's my bike to the left sans rider. On the way back, coming in the other direction, I stopped at the Logan Pass parking lot and hiked up to that saddle. Lots of snow, on the trail too. Met a young Japanese couple with cute, very small kids. We instantly bonded since all three of us went to Waseda Univ. in Tokyo. I only went there one year. They graduated and now live in Virginia. People ask "Did you take the trip by yourself? Weren't you lonely?" My answer, "Sometimes, but I met lots of people."
Mountain Goats checking out the tourists going by just over the top of Logan Pass, Going to the Sun Road. The sun was behind them so they were actually hiding
in the shadows. I made them more visible with Photoshop. Most drivers were just released from construction and tended to zoom by without seeing them.
Those walking around usually missed them too. I pointed them out to several of my fellow travelers. If I had a totem, these beautiful animals might be it. They belong to the antelope family by the way.
Check out the little one on the left.
Mountain sheep dodging cars.
A black bear about 35 yards off the road in Glacier. Traffic came to a standstill on the two lane road which drove a woman ranger nuts.
Not far from this spot,
a very large grizzly was munching on berries. He was several hundred yards away. Wasn't worth pulling out my mini-Nikon camera.
Sundrift Gorge on Going to the Sun Road
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That evening I went a little ways north and watched the sunset at Many Glacier, considered by many—the heart of Glacier. On the road to Many Glacier, people were stopped by side of the road. We watched a mama grizzly and her cub but too far to take a picture of. Didn't have a zoom lens. As you will see, I saw lots of bears on this trip, including six or seven grizzlies. The Many Glacier Lodge to the left, evokes thoughts of Switzerland. In fact, in Robin William's movie "What Dreams May Come," there's a scene in Switzerland. Not the case, it was filmed here at Many Glacier. Stayed too long to watch the sunset. On the return ride to my campsite, I had to deal with bugs appearing as darkness increased. |
Many Glacier looking to the left or southwest in front of the Lodge. Two short boat rides take you to a worthwhile hike to Grinnell Lake and Glacier,
which are hidden from view behind that mountain on the right.
On the deck of Many Glacier Lodge, looking west and slightly north. On the right side, glaciers in the past carved a narrow crest with a sharp edge called an arête.
At one point during the sunset, a small pinprick of light suddenly appeared through a hole in the arête not far from the top. I think it's in this picture but hard to see.
Waterton, BC, the Canadian end of Glacier. Drove on a side trip of about 10 miles up to the right where there was another beautiful lake and recreation spot.
Took this picture standing in front of the Prince of Wales Hotel. That's the charming Waterton Village below. At the end of the lake is the U.S.
and a place called Goat's Haunt, only reachable by boat or hike.
Prince of Wales Hotel at Waterton
After Waterton, I headed north on Rt. 6, then west on Hwy 3 to BC. Then turned north on Rts. 95/93 following the always beautiful Kootenay River. Majestic mountains on both sides. Went to Radium Hot Springs in the early evening. The only time I got rained on during the entire trip was sitting in the Radium Hot Spring pool. While I soaked, spotted three mountain sheep on the steep mountain-side just across the road. Decided not to push on to Banff since I would probably run into the same rain storm. Got a motel room for the only time that trip. Camped out all the other nights. The next morning headed into the Kootenay National Park on Route 93 and rejoined the Kootenay River. Saw these three bears 20 yards off the road on the way. They sure looked like grizzlies. I figured I could out run half the tourists there, so I stopped and took pictures too.
Marble Canyon cut deep by a creek through white marble made from the re-crystallization of limestone.
From here I soon entered Banff National Park. Went to the town of Banff, walked around enjoying the sights and sounds. Checked out many restaurants. Settled on a Korean restaurant. I felt like having my favotite, Bi Bim Bob. Got inside and the place was packed with Koreans just off-loaded from a tourist bus. Not a seat in the joint. Remembering a Japanese restaurant a few blocks away, upstairs, I returned to it and had a nice Japanese lunch of sashimi, chicken teriyaki and spicy tuna roll with miso soup, of course. Got to practice what little of Japanese I remember. Lovely town, touristy but that's OK. After about 1 1/2 hours or so it was time for the beautiful glacial lakes.
Moraine Lake, BC, not far from Lake Louise. Absolutely breathtaking in beauty and color.
Perfection in creation, not a rock, tree or twig out of place.
Lake Louise, Banff National Park, famed in some esoteric circles as the abode of Archangel Michael.
His etheric retreat, home to countless Blue-ray angels, is high overhead. No I didn't see it, but felt it.
The hotel at Lake Louise. I've never heard so many foreign languages spoken in one place as I did here.
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The Tea House at Lake Agnes. At the end of a 3.5 kilometer hike from Lake Louise, going up the whole way (elevation gain of 1,300 ft.), there is a charming little Tea House to reward hikers for their efforts. They offer more than just tea although their tea list from around the world is quite impressive. Lake Agnes was named for original First Lady of Canada - Lady Agnes MacDonald, the wife of Canada’s first Prime Minister. Elevation: 7,005 ft, |
Lake Agnes
Looking down at the Lake Louise Hotel from the stream beginning its rapid descent from Lake Agnes.
A charming couple from Toronto that I met halfway. I hiked with Chris and Irene the rest of the way.
Their son Ben was only 15 and almost as tall as me. Couldn't stay too long up there, had to get to the campsites near the Columbia Ice Fields.
A black bear very close to the road having an evening meal of berries on the Banff-to-Jasper Ice Field Highway.
About half-way up on the way to Jasper, right across from a place called the Rocky Mountain House is this rest area and view point hidden from the road by some trees. It's one of the most beautiful panoramic scenic views I have ever seen. If you'll notice, the mountain to the left above and the one to the right below, are one and the same. This gives you an idea of the immensity of the vista below. That's the North Saskatchewan River, it travels east through a couple Provinces. The area below here is a favorite for wildlife since it is usually warmer there.
End of the line at the Athabasca Glacier. Those buses cost about $1.5 million each. The tires are $5,000 each.
Me at the Athabasca Glacier which is flowing out of the Columbia Ice Field
above. Picture courtesy of our tour bus driver.
I camped down below across the road from here. Because I once again arrived near dark at a campground, I had a hard time finding a spot.
The only one available was labeled "Handicapped." I grabbed it and hoped the Canadian Mounties wouldn't kick me out. They didn't.
We were told that the water was safe to drink and that it would take years off your life. We all partook.
The beautiful Peyto Lake, looking north up the Ice Field Parkway. You had to take a short hike to get to this viewpoint. Definitely worth it.
The water is a milky-white-turquoise because of the minerals, including limestone and dolomite.
Where the water comes from that feeds Peyto Lake.
 Nakusp Hot Spring |
Backtracking on the Jasper Hwy, just before Lake Louise, I turned west again this time on Rt 1. Passed through Yoho National Park and then Canada's Glacier Park. At Revelstoke, I turned south on route 23. Traveled through lovely heavily forested valleys that were narrower than the others I had been in. I followed a series of lakes. The first one was Upper Arrow lake. On this leg of the trip I took two ferries, both free. The first one crossed Upper Arrow Lake. Got down to Nakusp Hot Springs which was 10 kilometers up a windy road. Arrived at 7:30 pm, set up my tent and went straight to the Hot Springs until they closed up at 9:30. You tend to meet other bikers on a trip like this. While in the smaller hotter pool, I talked to a Harley driver who was a Captain in the Edmonton Fire Dept. He and his girlfriend had hit 5 inches of hail near Golden. He was able to follow the tracks of a large truck. I asked if she was worried at all. She said no, since he cared so much for the bike she knew that nothing was going to happen. He then said his son asked him to Will it to him when he died. The captain said no, "When I die I'm going to drive that Harley off a cliff." I said, you could have a near death experience and come back to a demolished bike. He said, he already did have a NDE while trapped in a fire. He died and distinctly heard, "It's not your time, you have to go back." His esophagus hasn't fully recovered to this day. I should've asked him if it changed his life. I regret I didn't. Then his girlfriend from Toronto told me she had one too but that all she remembered was a tunnel of light. Sometimes you never know who you're going to meet. |
| Was going to check out Ainsworth Hot Springs which has some pretty cool caves, but I missed the turn at New Denver and ended up in Nelson, BC. I'm glad I did. Wonderful town with great shops and restaurants. Some great bookstores too. Since I did Padmasambhava's mantra on the way to Nelson, which echoed in my helmet by the way, I bought a Yak bone wrist mala from Tibet at a very nice New Age store. Around the corner was a store filled with Indian, Buddhist, and Tibetan stuff. I bought a miniature brass Manjushrii and a Tara. They rode in my pants pocket the rest of the trip. This compelled me to do Manjushrii's mantra as well: "Om Ah Ra Pa Tsa Na Dhi." The town of Nelson (Wait, this name will always resonate with me because he epitomizes all that was good and noble about being a Captain in the British Navy. Was their ever a better ship that sailed the seven seas, than the HMS Victory?), anyway, Nelson sits right on the end of one spur of the Kootenay Lake. Took the ferry not far from there across Kootenay Lake. It is the longest inland ferry ride in BC. I love boats, any kind, doesn't matter, big, small and in between. Yes, I do own some boats, albeit, small ones: a 13' Sun kayak and an 11' Perception kayak. Met another lovely couple waiting for the ferry. They were from Saskatchewan. We continued our chat on the boat. Fortunately the crew let my row out first. I only had to pass two RV's as a result. I traveled down a narrow winding up-and-down road on 3A right along the eastern shore. Fantastic. Nothing better than seeing great scenery on a bike. |  |
A site listing the hot springs including Radium, Nakusp and Ainsworth: Hot springs in the Kootenays and BC Rockies. This whole area of BC and western Alberta is without a doubt the best vacation spot in all of North America, unless of course you prefer a beach.
The Southern Interior of Eastern BC
The End, hope you enjoyed the trip. William
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