Prince George to US Border: a journey along the Canadian Rocky mountains through the provinces of British Columbia (BC) and Alberta. This stage was stunning and exciting. As a mountaineer, I felt at home here in the Rocky Mountains!
Date
Distance
Altitude gain
Place
21.07.05
125 km
1035 m
Prince George - Slim Creek
22.07.06
138 km
1160 m
Slim Creek - Small River
23.07.05
124 km
0960 m
Small River - Jasper
24.07.05
030 km
0775 m
Jasper - Edith Cavell mountain hostel
25.07.05
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DAY OF HIKING
26.07.05
106 km
1305 m
Edith Cavell - Columbia Icefiled
27.07.05
102 km
1075 m
Columbia Icefield - Mosquito Creek
28.07.05
115 km
0590 m
Mosquito Creek - Canmore
29.07.05
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---
REST DAY
30.07.05
073 km
1025 m
Canmore - Kanaskis Lake
31.07.05
079 km
0960 m
Kanaskis Lake - Elkford
01.08.05
137 km
0605 m
Elkford - Loon Lake (near US Border)
After a 2 day rest period in Prince George (I stayed in a dorm room at the local College for a few dollars), I headed for the Rocky mountains which I reached after 2 days of cycling over numerous hills. Charles with whom I had been cycling left on another route. I had always been looking forward to reach the Rocky Mountains and it was wonderful just to get closer and closer to them! A moment that I was waiting for...passes to ride up!!!
The first pass (Yellowhead pass) was hardly a pass and so I reached the Jasper/ Banff National Park in Alberta the same day that I got to the Rocky mountains. The Icefields Parkway is very scenic and unfortunately there were too many RVs (Camping vans) on the road to say that I really enjoyed it. Never the less, the scenery is great!
...ok and what about cyclists? (they just get eaten!)
Because of the traffic I tried to take all the side roads possible. One road leading up past a number of switchbacks and a constant uphill (12km) brought me to a fantastic spot. The Edith Cavell rustic mountain hostel. It was a quiet place (especially after visiting the terribly touristic town of Jasper which I did not like!). The mountaineers and cyclists staying there were great and we spent hours next to our fire chatting and enjoying a good glass of wine. It got dark and late...time for bed! As the hostel host went to her cabin we heard her shouting 'go away, go away'! We shouted: 'what is wrong'. 'O nothing, just a bear in front of the door'. After shouting like idiots the bear disappeared. That night I used the toilets instead of peeing in the bushes behind the sleeping cabin!!!
I got up the next morning (25.07.05)to go on a hike up a mountain with a great chap from New York, Mike. As we got up we had the most spectacular view towards the north face of Mt. Edith Cavell, a beautiful mountain with the moon just above it in the dark blue sky!
Mike and I had a wonderful walk up a 2600m high mountain, the view was just spectacular and behind us we could hear ice falling from the Angel glacier and we could look straight into the north face of Mt. Edith Cavell.
The view from the mountain in the other direction (Icefields Parkway) also showed what kind of weather that would hit me the next day! (which luckily only lasted a day) and out came the sun again!
I left the great Mt. Edith Cavell valley and cycled on. The next 200km was along the 'overcrowded' Icefields Parkway but if one leaves early in the morning, the traffic is not too bad!
What else can I say: the scenery is really great along the 'Icefields Parkway'
After 2 days on the 'Icefileds Parkway', I headed down to Banff. I still did not meet many cyclists going my way. The views down onto the railway track from the road (alternative route)was just as stunning! The trains are extremely long. I did not count the wagons but apparently they are about a mile long with 2 diesel locomotives in the middle of the train to push the load along the tracks.
I did meet Don and Jan, 2 cyclists on their racing bike. They had already passed me the first day on the Icefields Parkway and then again just before reaching Banff. The 2 very friendly families were from Vancouver and invited me for an afternoon lunch and beer before I continued that evening down to the Nordic Olympic town of Canmore which was more quiet than the big tourist centre.
It was definitely time for me to choose a quieter and more action packed route. In Canmore the weather changed to the utmost best which would last all the way to 'Great Falls' in Montana! I had a days rest, bought food and decided to take a gravel road and jeep track for the next 200km.
I left the 'Canadian alpine club hut' in Canmore on a beautiful morning not knowing that the next 200km would be a bit harder than what I was expecting.
I hit the 70km long 'Spray trail' which was extremely dusty and full of sharp, loose gravel, causing 2 punctures! (I went without a puncture for over 5000km before that on my trip). Even though the going was extremely slow, I had come for this. (to be honest, there were times when I was asking myself, if this really was fun or not).
However, the scenery along the 'Spray trail' reminded me again and again that it was definitely worth the hard work on my legs and it was one of the finest stretches that I had cycled so far.
right: view seen from the 'Spray trail'
After I had completed the trail at about 7pm, I got onto a tar road and reached a campsite which was already full. I was really tired. Sergio and Monica (a very friendly Mexican couple) let me share their camping spot with them and then spoilt me with scrambled eggs, bacon and avocados for breakfast. It was just what I needed to get me going again. What I did not know was that the 'Spray trail' was nothing compared to with what was to come.....
...Elk pass is a mountain bike route which follows the 'Great Divide' and boy was it hard to push my bike up the steepest sections fully loaded with 3 days of food!
left: the Elk Pass jeep track leading over the 'Great Divide' from Alberta into British Columbia. No cars and not a single person along the whole route! Alone in bear country, something which I have learnt to love very much.
right: an action packed route also has it's negative side: it's hard on my gear!
After cycling over Elk Pass and down a 70km dusty road, it was soon time to say goodbye to Canada. I would leave Canada shortly. A kind Canadian had given me 2 beers up the road. After my usual wash (swim) in the river and cooling the beers, I made a fire and just sat there for hours thinking back....the nearly 3300 km bike journey through Canada was so wonderful. The people were so helpfull and friendly and it was a journey which will not be forgotten. It was time to head south into the USA. GOOD BYE CANADA!
After a 2 day rest period in Prince George (I stayed in a dorm room at the local College for a few dollars), I headed for the Rocky mountains which I reached after 2 days of cycling over numerous hills. Charles with whom I had been cycling left on another route. I had always been looking forward to reach the Rocky Mountains and it was wonderful just to get closer and closer to them! A moment that I was waiting for...passes to ride up!!! 
The first pass (Yellowhead pass) was hardly a pass and so I reached the Jasper/ Banff National Park in Alberta the same day that I got to the Rocky mountains. The Icefields Parkway is very scenic and unfortunately there were too many RVs (Camping vans) on the road to say that I really enjoyed it. Never the less, the scenery is great!
...ok and what about cyclists? (they just get eaten!)
Because of the traffic I tried to take all the side roads possible. One road leading up past a number of switchbacks and a constant uphill (12km) brought me to a fantastic spot. The Edith Cavell rustic mountain hostel. It was a quiet place (especially after visiting the terribly touristic town of Jasper which I did not like!). The mountaineers and cyclists staying there were great and we spent hours next to our fire chatting and enjoying a good glass of wine. It got dark and late...time for bed! As the hostel host went to her cabin we heard her shouting 'go away, go away'! We shouted: 'what is wrong'. 'O nothing, just a bear in front of the door'. After shouting like idiots the bear disappeared. That night I used the toilets instead of peeing in the bushes behind the sleeping cabin!!!
I got up the next morning (25.07.05)to go on a hike up a mountain with a great chap from New York, Mike. As we got up we had the most spectacular view towards the north face of Mt. Edith Cavell, a beautiful mountain with the moon just above it in the dark blue sky!
Mike and I had a wonderful walk up a 2600m high mountain, the view was just spectacular and behind us we could hear ice falling from the Angel glacier and we could look straight into the north face of Mt. Edith Cavell.
The view from the mountain in the other direction (Icefields Parkway) also showed what kind of weather that would hit me the next day! (which luckily only lasted a day) and out came the sun again!
I left the great Mt. Edith Cavell valley and cycled on. The next 200km was along the 'overcrowded' Icefields Parkway but if one leaves early in the morning, the traffic is not too bad!
What else can I say: the scenery is really great along the 'Icefields Parkway'
After 2 days on the 'Icefileds Parkway', I headed down to Banff. I still did not meet many cyclists going my way. The views down onto the railway track from the road (alternative route)was just as stunning! The trains are extremely long. I did not count the wagons but apparently they are about a mile long with 2 diesel locomotives in the middle of the train to push the load along the tracks.
I did meet Don and Jan, 2 cyclists on their racing bike. They had already passed me the first day on the Icefields Parkway and then again just before reaching Banff. The 2 very friendly families were from Vancouver and invited me for an afternoon lunch and beer before I continued that evening down to the Nordic Olympic town of Canmore which was more quiet than the big tourist centre. 
It was definitely time for me to choose a quieter and more action packed route. In Canmore the weather changed to the utmost best which would last all the way to 'Great Falls' in Montana! I had a days rest, bought food and decided to take a gravel road and jeep track for the next 200km.
I left the 'Canadian alpine club hut' in Canmore on a beautiful morning not knowing that the next 200km would be a bit harder than what I was expecting.
I hit the 70km long 'Spray trail' which was extremely dusty and full of sharp, loose gravel, causing 2 punctures! (I went without a puncture for over 5000km before that on my trip). Even though the going was extremely slow, I had come for this. (to be honest, there were times when I was asking myself, if this really was fun or not).
However, the scenery along the 'Spray trail' reminded me again and again that it was definitely worth the hard work on my legs and it was one of the finest stretches that I had cycled so far.
right: view seen from the 'Spray trail'
After I had completed the trail at about 7pm, I got onto a tar road and reached a campsite which was already full. I was really tired. Sergio and Monica (a very friendly Mexican couple) let me share their camping spot with them and then spoilt me with scrambled eggs, bacon and avocados for breakfast. It was just what I needed to get me going again. What I did not know was that the 'Spray trail' was nothing compared to with what was to come.....
...Elk pass is a mountain bike route which follows the 'Great Divide' and boy was it hard to push my bike up the steepest sections fully loaded with 3 days of food!
left: the Elk Pass jeep track leading over the 'Great Divide' from Alberta into British Columbia. No cars and not a single person along the whole route! Alone in bear country, something which I have learnt to love very much.
right: an action packed route also has it's negative side: it's hard on my gear!
After cycling over Elk Pass and down a 70km dusty road, it was soon time to say goodbye to Canada. I would leave Canada shortly. A kind Canadian had given me 2 beers up the road. After my usual wash (swim) in the river and cooling the beers, I made a fire and just sat there for hours thinking back....the nearly 3300 km bike journey through Canada was so wonderful. The people were so helpfull and friendly and it was a journey which will not be forgotten. It was time to head south into the USA. GOOD BYE CANADA!