B & D's USA Hideout: Jasper

2000 miles has led us out of Alaska, through British Columbia, around parts of the Yukon and into Alberta to our first Canadian National Park, Jasper. The Canadian Rockies are beautiful. Big, bold, jagged and snow capped, they divide our continent from east and west. Everything that rains down the eastern side ultimately flows into the Atlantic and all precipitation on the west into the Pacific. Immediately upon entering we witnessed a herd of bighorn sheep with no other agenda in mind other than to graze on the roadside grasses. We camped at the only open winter campground, Wapiti. We have also recently learned that wapiti [wop-i-tee] means literally "white rump" and is the native definition of elk.

With so much driving we've been really itching to get out and stretch the legs. We chose the Wabasso Lake loop and carried a day pack and our car cramped selves around the 17km path. Brian even thought it necessary to take a dip in the freezing cold emerald lake! The trail was long and mostly flat and quiet. Exactly what we needed.