blog time coming

We haven't had too much internet time so far, so this update might get windy (by Ryan's standards anyway)

We left South Dakota last Thursday and headed to Bozeman, MT where we camped south of town (Gallatin National Forest). We headed west the next morning, stopping in Missoula before heading north to Glacier National Park. Before reaching Missoula, we were already seeing the effects of the forest fires in the area, as smoke was carrying through the area and limiting visibility. Once we arrived in Glacier, we headed to Bowman Lake, somewhat out of the way of the main tourist route, hoping for a place to camp with fewer people. Luckily, we found that, as well as a gorgeous lake and clear skies.

The next day brought a great hike up to a watchtower overlooking the lake. We learned very quickly how much our hiking legs have deteriorated from so much car time in the last month!

We decided on an evening drive along the “Going-to-the-Sun Road” through the park, but our timing must have been at the peak of forest fire smoke pervading the area from fires south of there. The road was incredible, but unfortunately views limited. I don’t generally get scared of heights, but even my heart was beating a little faster along portions of the road that skirted steep drop-offs into the canyons below. The smoke was like a dense fog, but it made the sun turn reddish as if at sunset even though high in the sky, and everything seemed a little surreal, particularly with the impressive mountains hovering eerily all around.

We camped on the east side of the park and Sunday morning brought us across the border into Canada, eh. Reminded us both of the last time that we crossed the border together (but that’s another story for another time). We stopped in Calgary for coffee and internet; and decided we were in the mood for a movie (Bourne Ultimatum). Our GoogleMaps directions to the theatre (that’s how they spell things in Canada) led us astray, so upon missing the movie, we headed on to Banff National Park, where then we had trouble finding a campground. Alas, we found a place to set up camp for cheap near town, and discovered an evening showing of the movie in Banff, so all was fine in the end. (Life is tough.) We found the town of Banff to be far too touristy, too many people, too expensive for our taste; but incredible surroundings! The neighboring Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are beautiful blue-green glacial lakes surrounded by dramatic mountains with snow-packed peaks.

Lake Louise:
Moraine Lake:

Headed on to Jasper National Park via the Columbia Icefields Parkway, where I was finally able to see some real glaciers up close, and even walked on one.

Ryan befriends a Mounty:We got up for an early morning hike before making a stop at some hot springs for a dip, and showers (finally!).

Yesterday, we reached Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, B.C.! Stopping time last night came at Liard Hot Springs, which was a great place to camp, a short walk from a large natural hot spring pool buried in the marshy forest with deliciously hot waters!

This morning we crossed over into the Yukon! We’re near Teslin, Y.T. with 700 miles to Fairbanks…