Long time ago since the last post. Many hiking and biking days past since then. I really wanted to reach the Rockies during my trip and I did. As it was a long time out in the bush I try to keep each story short

Yoho National Park

After Golden I rode to Yoho National Park, an insiders' tip. As soon as I arrived at my chosen campground I saw the suprise: it was full. I expected a little bit less interest to Yoho Park and that campground, especially because it was a walk in campground, so only tents allowed and you need to carry all of your stuff to your spot. But obviously every book guide is mentioning the park as an insider's tip ...
I have a lot of luck in my life and so while I was speaking to one of the park rangers two woman invited me in, I joined there spot – problem solved.
Until now I was really lucky with the weather, one day of rain in 3 month, that will change the next days. At the first day I woke up after a really good rain and started my first day hike to the end of the valley. I had no exact plan what to do, so I ended up in a valley before noon and thought, I may go over to a trail on that ridge over there with a good view. At this stage the sun was shining and everything was fine. Some minutes later I found myself hiking through a snowstorm on the ridge. 5 minutes ago I had a good view to the glaciers and valleys around me, but now I couldn't even see the trail. So I fought my way down, lost several times the trail and reached the next trail. As fast as the snow came it was over again. So I had again a good view and decided to go the little bit longer way down to the valley to get back to my tent. The problem with that kind of planing is, that you can end up hiking way much longer then you want to. I passed by a beautiful water fall and was slowly pushing myself back to the campground. It was again a really nice hike, even if there was snow and rain. But I said to myself, I must stop doing so long hikes, this one was an eleven hour journey. I can tell you, I will need some more really long hikes to learn that lesson.
The next day I had a slight lack of energy and so I started really late a small hike to the next valley where there is supposed to be a nice lake. Have way up to the pass I heard a woman shouting, something happened. Some seconds later I saw the problem, she felt and broke her angle, as we will find out later. There was no cell coverage and so her husband decided to get help. When help in form of park rangers arrived, they found the lady covered in jackets, sleeping bags and emergency foil, she is happy and smiling again and got served chocolate and hot tea. A whole base camp was build up around her from a group of 4 hikers passing by. One of them was a nurse, so she toke care of the woman, a guy is a helicopter pilot, so he figured out a good rescue spot. After a while the rescue helicopter arrived and the crew did their job. It was pretty impressive to stand underneath the low fling helicopter, only meters above the trees. The woman was rescued with a long rope and her husband didn't faith (what he obviously often does when his wife has problems). The helping people and me continued our hike, but as there was not to much time left, I hiked just a small loop and decided to stay another day. On that evening I invited a group of girls in because of a lack of spots. A good decision as I will find out the next day.
On my third and last day I finally went over the pass and had a good view to Emerald Lake in the next valley. I ended up on a mountain where I was able to see Field, a small village I drove through on my arrival day. I could check my emails ... (in all of the three national parks there is nearly no cell connection). So I found out on a mountain in the next valley in 2300 elevation meters that I got my place for my master studies in Göttingen, yeah!
One of the four girls is studying medicine and was three years in Göttingen, what a coincidence! I was able to get some information about the city, where to be and what so ever!
On my way to Lake Louise I meet again the 4 guys from the rescue day and in the evening I find myself speaking to a french software developer speaking about robot engineering while doing the dishes. These days where full of strange coincidences.

Banff National Park

Next National Park on my list, because of the distance I will not go to the city/village Banff, just to Lake Louise. I arrived in Lake Louise quite early, I knew it is hard to get a spot there. I wanted to stay there for three nights to get around and fill up my supplies, but I go only one night – all booked out. So I bought everything I need including some water filters and tablets, because the guys in the visitor centers couldn't give me a definite answer to the question of drinking water at the campgrounds. Really bad and not acceptable! In the evening I toke my bike and rode up to the famous Lake Louise, just to have a look, it is really as nice as its popularity make one believe. But it was just a normal nice lake like Emerald lake or many others on my way. It has a nice location with glaciers and mountains around, but as well a really ugly big chateau and busloads of tourists. Lake Moraine I wasn't able to visit what was quite a shame, it looks nice on the pictures. And I wasn't able to do some hikes in the area … but it is not to bad, I have enough to do.
On the next day I started my trip from Lake Louise in Banff National Park to Jasper National Park over the Icefields Parkway. Sounds pretty cold, and surprisingly: It is cold!!! I got some warnings from my travel company because of some bush fires in Jasper and so I expected to end up in a big heat, but till I arrive in Jasper I will enjoy lots of rain and some snow on the hikes.
The Icefields parkway is a world famous route without truck traffic. Only campers and tourists one will find. And many cyclists, finally ..! I haven't seen a lot of them before, so it was good to hear their stories.
As this part is supposed to be one of the nicest parts on my journey I decided to take it easy and so I had a mixture of either way riding 50kms a day or hiking all day long.
The first hiking day I started quite late (because of heavy rainfall in the night and so a nearly swimming tent ... :-) and went up over the Molar Pass. Again I did a lit bit to much, at 7pm I noticed I am in the wrong valley. Even if I had really nice weather on this day, the nights are cold and I had only my day-pack with me. The next day should have lots of rain and so I decided it would be a good idea to run back to my tent. Not the best idea to run near dusk around in bear country, but I didn't want to end up hiking in complete darkness. Of course I saw soon after that grizzle tracks .. but luckily no grizzly. It was a long way back, I could see a lit bit of the sunset and arrived before darkness my tent. I will feel a lack of energy the next days because of that big trip.
I continued the next day over the first pass in 2067 elevation meters and had a nice view at the lookout. One can see Peytro Lake and the valley which I will ride through the next days.
On the next hiking day I really took a small trail, I was so proud on myself. But the Glacier lake I went to was really not worth visiting, so I was a little bit disappointed. On my way I may have seen a grizzly, but I am not sure. There was something brownish 10 meters in front of me with long hair near some berries. I will never find out what it was, but it might have been a grizzly. Near the trail head was a junction on the highway and a small store to buy some souvenirs or groceries ... but of course with prices you won't believe.
On the next campground I had a chat with some other cyclists with a nice warm fire in the shelter building. The first time I had fire since my test ride. Most of the time there was a fire ban because of all the heat. It was so great, especially because there was a lot of rain on this day.
The next hike was up the sunset pass, a pretty nice name, the hike itself was not to nice. I saw a nice valley outside of the park-border with a lake and had an awesome view on a lookout.

Jasper National Park

The next day was a really tough one, I need to get up the next and last big pass on the way to Jasper. It was really windy, steep and cold, but no rain. I arrived at the summit without any energy and camped near the Columbia Icefield, one of the biggest field of glaciers outside of the arctic circle. I don't need to mention how cold it was at 2000 elevation meters beside a glacier during the night...!
I visited the information center in the Icefield center and was shocked. So many people... it could have been on an airport. Even the staff was shocked. I couldn't get any weather forecast or other information but some cookies. That was worth it
I drove by the glacier and hiked up the mountain nearby on the next day to have a better view. On this day I had again snow and company from a horde of bighorn sheep. I had not to much energy and called it a day. Seems like I learned something in the last days
As I was slowly running low on toast bread I decided to ride in two days to Jasper from that point. On the way are just two nice waterfalls I both will see and an endless ridge of mountain peaks which was pretty short
I didn't do to much kilometers on these days and as soon as I could see Jasper, sun was coming out and I could see rain coming down where I was some hours ago. Strange weather!

That was my journey through the Rockies, one of the most famous spots in Canada. It was really awesome to see the valley and drive through. The nature in the valley is to dry to be loved from me, I liked the Glacier National Park better and the Rainforest of the West coast. But when you are in Canada, you really should drive that road.

This time I tried to make the story short, as you can see in the gallery, there are a lot of pictures taken, enjoy.
Soon I will give you more information about my next steps, it is time to think about going back to Vancouver.