Our last post in April left us in Page, Az at the Wahweep Campground on Lake Powell.
We left Wahweep, traveled thru the red rock country of Utah and landed for the night at an RV Park in Filmore, Ut.
The next day left us a short 3 hr drive to Deer Creek State Park, in the Wasatch Mountains just west of Provo. It's a nice park with Full Hook Up sites, great views, a reservoir for water sports, and only about 15 minutes from Sundance.
On day we went for lunch at the Foundry Grill in Sundance. We've eaten here several times and always have enjoyed our meal. They make a fantastic burger!
The resort has condos, meeting facilities, a ski area, shops etc. I first came here over 20 yrs ago for a Controllers conference during my Prudential Real Estate days.
We stayed almost 2 weeks and then headed north, onward to our goal of Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. We stopped overnight at the Idaho Sky RV Resort in Rexburg, Id. It's a brand new park.
While we overnighted here, I was busy checking weather forecasts for several alternative routes as snow was forecast along our way. I finally settled on the route north thru Butte, Mt on I-15 knowing that I only had 2 places where snow might be a problem, and that I had numerous options to bail out off the highway if the going got tough. On the alternative 2-lane routes, its much harder to bail out if the road gets greasy.
North of Butte, we cross a pass at altitude and ran into some heavy snow and slush on the road. This lasted for about 30 minutes or so.
Once we descended down the other side the skies cleared, it warmed up, and became a rather pretty day.
After an overnight in Helena, Mt we crossed the border and overnighted in Lethbridge, Ab.
Finally we were on our way to Banff. The drive on TCH1 toward the Rockies is a pretty one.
Canada has placed wildlife overpasses along the highways in strategic locations that allow the wildlife to follow their normal migration routes and to hopefully eliminate animal vehicle controntations.
We spent 13 nights at Banff Tunnel Mountain Campground, and then due to weather along the icefield parkway we extended our stay for another 2 nights. The drive along the Icefield Parkway is just too pretty to miss it due to low clouds.
View from the Campground.
No visit to Banff is complete without a visit to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Opened in 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway to spur passenger traffic along it's routes, it is one of the earliest of Canada's Grand Railway Hotels.
View from the deck at the hotel. The Bow River flows down in the valley which it carved .
Bow River Falls with Rob & Pat
Bow River View.
A view of the Banff Springs Hotel from across the valley.
The whole gang (minus Morgan who was working) on our morning dog walk.
We waited out the bad weather and got a decent day for our drive north to Jasper along the Icefield Parkway.
One of the prettiest drives we've ever taken. The pictures just cannot do it justice.
We arrived at the Whistler Campground in Jasper National Park. The campground was savaged by the devastating 2024 Jasper Wildfire. When we were here last, the campground was in a thick pine forest. Now it is an open grass meadow.
A favorite day trip for us is a run up to the Athabasca Falls. Dogs are allowed on the trail which makes it a plus.
As we drove thru the burned out areas, I kept stopping to look at the new growth taking hold. There were lots of berry bushes taking hold first, but also I spotted many young lodgepole pine seedlings.
After Jasper, we headed 4 hrs east to Edmonton. We stayed at the St Albert Kinsman RV Park. Right behind the park is a great park and trail along the river. We took the dogs for long walks everyday along the trail meeting friendly Canadians along the way.
Alberta's license plate says "Wild Rose Country". Everywhere along the trail we enjoyed those wild roses that the plates refer to.
Typically as is my luck, a massive thunderstorm moved in just as we were exiting the bay.
Heading to our next stop the fields were white from the hail that fell but luckily we missed that. None the less, the bus got road grime all over its fresh wash job.
Our spot was a 30a fhu back in site just long enough to fit us.
Our next stop was Jim & Marys RV Park in Missoula, Mt. We've stayed here many times and really like the place. A very accomodating place with helpful staff, very clean grounds, and just loaded with lots and lots and lots of flowers everywhere.
The calm after the storm.
We stayed several days at Bow Rivers Edge RV park in Cochrane, Ab. Behind the park is this nice walkway along the Bow River.
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| Critters along the walking path |
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| The dogs pose on an old bridge over the Bow River |
Our spot was a 30a fhu back in site just long enough to fit us.
Next we were off to our next destination and a surprise for Kate awaited.
To get there we had to cross several mountain ranges thru the Canadian Rockies. Another beautiufl day for a beautiful drive.
Coming down our last grade into Radium Hot Springs, BC
Our destination for the next week was Fairmount Hot Springs Resort. Rob and Pat had secretly planned to meet us there so when they showed up at our door Kate was quite surprised (and pleased) to say the least.
Rob took us one day to the town where he grew up.
After spending time in the hot springs, I found that we all had shrunk
There is an RV Park and hotel sharing the grounds.
After another great week it was time to hit the road and back into the US for us.
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| Traveling in Canada along the headwaters of the Columbia River |
Our next stop was Jim & Marys RV Park in Missoula, Mt. We've stayed here many times and really like the place. A very accomodating place with helpful staff, very clean grounds, and just loaded with lots and lots and lots of flowers everywhere.
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| 75' 50a FHU |
We day tripped to Hamilton Montana. There was an afternoon concert going on at the museum
Then we took the dogs for burgers on the outdoor patio at Naps Grill.
They claim being voted the best burger in Montana and I have to say that I dont necessirialy that.
It was really fresh lean local beef and cooked a perfect medium rare as I requested.
Hamilton is home to the Rocky Mountain Labratory. A high level bio laboratory. Unfortunately, across the board manpower cuts by the DOGE crowd stripped about 50 workers off the job. at a time when their expertise is needed more than ever.
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| Rocky Mountain Laboratory |
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| Rocky Mountain Laboratory |
Our next stop, and current home, is the Nugget RV Park in St Regis, Mt. It's tucked into the mountains about 60 miles west of Missoula. We are here till tomorrow at which point we head over to Deer Park (near Spokane) Washington for a few days continuting our slow treck towards the west coast and the cool breezes off of the Pacific Ocean.
Another fabulous trip! Nothing by comparison, but we just spent a week in Lake George at a model t rally (Camp is restoring one). Went somewhere every day in the model tees, including Saratoga which I remember is your old stomping grounds? Forts, museums, battlefields. Enjoyed it.
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