Kootenay / Yoho National Park, BC Canada

After three nights in Whistler we drove nine hours to Redstreak campground located outside of Radium Springs. On the drive we passed several wildfires making the area very smokey. Our first day the smoke was pretty bad, so we took it easy and tried to avoid the smoke. We ended up taking a nice long soak in the Radium Hot Springs.

Both Kootenay and Yoho National Parks on the western side of the Continental divide bordering Banff National Park. They are further away from Calgary making it a little less busy but just as beautiful.

The next day we hiked to Floe Lake and Numa Pass. This is the last section of a very popular backpacking route called the “Rockwall”. I am excited that we will be backpacking the first two sections of this hike later in the trip because the views were absolutely amazing. It was raining off and on throughout our hike which made the Rockwall that much more dramatic with the fog. I have never seen this alpine flowers like these before. This hike might be one of our favorite hikes in the area.

Floe Lake with the Rockwall partially hidden in the clouds

Alpine wild flowers — Wild flowers were at their peak. The bees were very busy.

Molly with wild flowers — Molly admiring the wild flowers

JD and Molly — Molly and I on top of Numa Pass looking over Floe Lake

Wild flowers — Alright, one more picture of the flowers. We couldn’t get over how pretty they were.

The next couple of days we took it “easy” and hiked Stanley Glacier, Chephren Lake and Wapta falls. We booked two nights at the “Dreamcatcher Hostel” which had a big kitchen and they even did our gross laundry for only a couple of toonies and a loon ($5CAD)! It was so nice to cook with a real kitchen. I think we were the only Americans at this hostel. There were lots of people speaking French, German and with a British or Australian accent. A little taste of what is to come in about a month in Europe.

JD cooking — Making the most of a full kitchen in the hostel

Grizzly bear — We saw this big boy on the side of the road. He drew a pretty big crowd.

I entered the lottery to get Lake O’Hara shuttle permits back in April and I actually got them! This avoided us hiking in about 4 miles. Apparently only 5% of entries are successful. Lake O’Hara is a protected sanctuary by the national park, so they only allow about 280 people into the area per day between the lodge, campground and day hikers. On top of getting lucky with the shuttle we had absolutely gorgeous weather. This is one of those hikes that you just have to see with your eyes, because pictures don’t do it justice. Everywhere you look looks like a postcard. There are waterfalls everywhere and the lake color is bright blue / green. Molly and I made sure to get the most of our opportunity by hiking the Lake O’Hara Alpine Loop and we tacked on McArthur lake.