We had 2 options for the drive from Banff to Lake Louise today - the TransCanada highway or the Bow Valley Parkway. We chose the parkway as there was more chance of seeing wildlife along the way. It was only a short drive - about an hour. I'm glad we chose the parkway. The speed limit was only 50 or 60 kms an hour and the views were spectacular. We used the Gypsy GPS guide which is like having your own personal tour guide. He told us information along the way an...

Today's forecast was for morning showers and afternoon storms so we decided to go to the gondola as soon as it looked clear enough. It is only a short distance up the road from our hotel. We got up there about 10am and it was a bit cloudy but ok. Our ride up was pretty clear. You can see for miles around the Rockies and down onto the town and surrounding lakes and rivers. It was spectacular. The building at the top was being renovated but the viewing platform an...

As it was only about a 1.5hr drive to Banff, we decided to have a look around Calgary this morning. It was really nice to only wear one layer and sneakers rather than boots. The sun was shining and the sky was blue. We went to the Calgary Tower which stands over 900m tall. It was a clear day and we could see for miles. The Canadian Rockies on one side were tall and sharp with a dusting of snow. We had an audio tour so we could just tap on a picture of a building...

We walked to the main lodge for breakfast with snow gently falling on us. There wasn't enough to settle on the ground but our coats were covered. Today was the last day the park was open. Everything closes up tomorrow and Saturday until 1st May next year. Even the traffic light gets turned off. As it was the last day, there was only one tour into the park. You are not allowed to drive private cars past mile 15. In the summer, there are shuttles you can catch ar...

We picked up a car at Fairbanks airport this morning and drove 120 miles south to Denali. It was absolutely freezing when we arrived. It was lunchtime but we weren't able to check in until 3pm. Across the road from the lodge was a strip of gift shops, restaurants and tour places. We went over and wandered through the shops that were open. The official close of the summer season is Friday but some places had already closed, including the ice cream shop. b*****! T...