Jul 14, 2021
Maligne Valley
Jasper is home to some incredible features, such as Mount Columbia, Alberta’s tallest mountain, Maligne Lake, the second- largest glacial fed lake in the world. As well as diverse wildlife including grizzly and black bears, mountain goats, wolverines, elk and bighorn sheep. To date we have not seen one elk when normally they are all over the place. I am convinced that the removal of all the damaged trees is affecting their usual roaming areas.
We had not been on the Maligne Road long when Colin exclaimed ‘a bear’. I saw a black shape in the distance but by the time I picked up the camera it was gone. Shortly thereafter he spotted a fawn along the side of the road. I missed it.
Mid July 2015 this area was struck by lightening and resulted in a 5000 hectare fire. The wild flowers and under growth are slowly coming back.
We did all the must see stops along the 48KM to Maligne Lake. The best part of the trip for the twins was the lake.
They didn’t care how cold it was.
Jasper Park has placed a red chairs here and there in scenic areas. Impossible to get the girls to pose.
Finally a family picture.
It is rather obvious that these two are made for the Isla miles long beach.
We walked the Mary Schaffer 3 KM loop. The mix of shade and sun helped us deal with the 90F day.
Mount Warren (3362m/11,031ft) the the extreme left ( ends at that thin tall spike – third hump in ), Mount Charlton (3219m/10562ft) is next and ends with the two splotches of white glacier. Mount Unwin is that tall peak on the right ( 3270m/10,728ft).
The walk we took was named in honour of Mary Schaffer.
I took this photo off the public education boards. Very scratched up but you can see the actually wooden raft that they travelled down the Maligne Pass to find this lake.
Mary Schaffer was an American that was way ahead of her time in terms of exploration. You can read a bit more about her here.
The colour of that glacial water is so very pretty. You can see the mountain in behind. The next day we were so smoked in that we could not see the mountains.
While the girls had their picnic kibble and water, they were being disturbed.
This fellow insisted on harassing them.
On our way back to Jasper this herd of female bighorn sheep came towards us. I was upset with that silver car mid photo. He kept moving ever so slowly herding the sheep along. He should have just stopped and let nature unfold. Guess he was in a hurry to see the lake.
The rest of the herd appeared after he passed. They are still shedding their winter coats. There were a few lambs in the mix. No full grown males, just the females.
I wished that they had not been pushed to run by that silver car. We did get a lovely close up view of this mamma and her three babes. The one on the left has three of his four feet up in the air. A great way to end the day.
Smoky skies.
We are experiencing some extreme temps within 24 hours, 90F during the day and at night as low as 43F. So we use the furnace early in the morning and the A/C later in they day. Maligne Canyon, Maligne Valley and Maligne Lake turned out to be a lovely day. Neither of us had ever visited this area of Jasper National Park before. Our only frustration to date is to find somewhere to fill our empty 5 gallon water container. We finally found a small store that will sell them but you have to buy the jug as well. We already have two. The Whistler Park water tastes very fresh so we will use that for now. Jasper Park is full of Albertans and us British Columbians as well as folks from Quebec, I hear them everywhere. Next are the Ontarian’s, then a few from Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
I just found a good article that explains the pipeline contruction that we have been seeing as we travelled this way. Click here to read about it.
<< Older Posts Home Newer Posts >>
Elk are very solitary and any disturbance in the forest will push them out of the area until things quite down. They are doing some logging around here that has been pushing them around quite a bit.
Thanks so much for the elk explanation. We did see two far on the outskirts of Jasper as we left this morning.
Such lovely photos, we actually had this trip in the planning but it will have to hold off due for health. Love the photo of the four of you we don’t see many of those as one of you always has the camera in hand ??Dave is asking you a question… can the girls swim? Or not in their makeup?
Hopefully when you are ready to travel again, the smoke will no longer be with us. Good question Dave. We don’t know yet. None of our other four pups went into the water, they did not like it. I have a feeling that these tow might but we plan to get them lifejackets just in case.
Nice family photo! It sure does seem like the girls will have a great time on Isla 🙂
Thank you. They are getting a bit bored at not being able to zoom everywhere off leash.
So many beautiful photos – two that stand out for me – the girls looking down the long path and the Momma sheep and her three babies – well the squirrel, too, and the photo of the four of you….just all of them. Thank you for sharing your day.
Thank you Sandy, I thought that the family portrait went well. Colin took the one of the squirrel. I am so proud of my sheep shot.