Into the Canadian Rockies

Glacier National Park in Montana was absolutely stunning. We drove up the "Going to the Sun" road--winding through the mist and fog and trying to out-do one another with our effusions of awe and wonder. Our pit-stop for fresh Huckleberry ice cream was definitely worth it. Who knew that ice cream in cold rain could still be so enjoyable?
There were waterfalls every direction you turned. It was impossible NOT to see waterfall.

Come on Brian---smile for the camera

Skipping rocks at the many lakes we visited became a favorite pastime. I was even able to send off a few good ones. However, skipping rocks did become dangerous at some points, like when Emily received a good whack to the side of her head with a rock.

After a couple of days in Glacier, we made our way to the Canadian side of the park--Waterton Lakes, and then continued on to Banff National Park.

The Canadian Rockies are nothing but impressive.

The wildlife was one of the highlights of the trip for me....
This mama bear and her two cubs were amazing to see! We saw all three of the bears stand on their hind legs on the top of the ridge, and then we drove up a dirt road to get a closer view.....
Our next view was just a little too close to comfort for some (John) but it was amazing to see a bear in the wild up close (and from relative safety of the car)
The view of Waterton Lake is gorgeous. We ate dinner at the little town of Waterton below at this little fried chicken place. Ask Matthew about the kid's meals there sometime.......
This is the Prince of Whales Hotel, built to encourage the construction and use of the Canadian Railway.
On a hike near Lake Louise we saw this porcupine. This picture was taken on the way up, but on the way back down the trail we saw him climbing a tree and snacking on pine needles.

The glaciers in Banff were HUGE! I loved this mountain capped by an enormous glacier.



We had a blast on this trip. The wildlife, awe inspiring peaks and lush forests of the Rocky Mountains were the perfect destination for our end-of-summer vacation. More of our mountain adventures will be chronicled on here as soon as I can get my own computer up and running. Before our Canada trip Brian and I went on a fun (or at least beautiful) overnight backpacking trip in the Uintas. So stay tuned for more adventures!