It has been noted that the drive from Lake Louise in Banff National Park up the Icefields Parkway north to Jasper National Park is the most beautiful drive in the world. I spend a couple of our remaining summer days driving that scenic route and immerse in the other-worldly environs of pristine Jasper National Park.
The cold rain and wet snow in sections of the road remind me that, yes, autumn is at hand. But once I reach the boundary of Jasper National Park, I throw away any seasonal distinction. Wether it’s summer or autumn is immaterial. What’s captivating is the present. Here are some glorious sights of Jasper National Park.
The mysterious, clouds shrouded Medicine Lake in the morning light:
Hurricanes hit Texas and Florida, here we’ve been affected by the wild fires from B.C. all summer. At the shore of Medicine Lake I feel the effects:
But the natural beauty remains. The charred remnants of trees along the edge of the lake would become rich organic matter spurring new growths.
A short 30 mins. drive from Medicine Lake is the picturesque Maligne Lake, serene and reflective:
For those who must do something to seize the moment, there are canoes for rent and scenic cruises:
Before reaching the townsite of Jasper, the 93 Icefields Parkway leads to Athabasca Falls, where one can witness the power of Nature in an aesthetic mode. Who had turned the mighty torrents into Nature’s sculptors, carving quartzite and limestones into magnificent art installations?
In the Jasper townsite, even the man-made locomotive matches the scenery in the evening light. Like a watercourse streaming through the landscape, The Rocky Mountaineer passenger train passes through Vancouver and across the Rocky Mountains into Alberta’s Banff and Jasper National Parks.
Even a cargo CN train exudes poetry. I credit it to the spirit of the environs:
Just like the animals preparing for winter, I’m gathering visual memories to feed the cold months ahead.
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Other Travel Posts on Ripple Effects:
Establishing Shot: A Visit to Toronto
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