On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
These photos from realbtl have everything I love. Gorgeous skies, mountains, wildlife, and even a waterfall. I don’t even know how to describe the colors in the water. Stunning! ~WaterGirl
realbtl
I live about 40 miles from the west entrance to Glacier NP and about 90 miles from the BC border. I’ve found that in summer I can get away from the tourists by making a quick dash for the border, alas not this year. For many years I explored the back roads mostly by motorcycle but lately at 70+ preferring a convertible. Here are a few pictures I’ve collected over the years.
This is why they invented heated seats (not to mention real heaters as opposed to the puff of warm breath from my old TR4 or VWs).
Moraine Lake near Lake Louise. I had a friend along who had never seen the LL area. It’s pretty but very crowded, think Canada’s version of Yellowstone.
On the road from LL to Jasper, the Icefields Highway. This goes by the glacier that feeds the Columbia River to the west as well as flows to the north to Hudson’s Bay and into the Great lakes. Highly recommended.
On the road between LL and Field BC, home of my favorite restaurant, the Truffle Pig.
Yum.
From Revelstoke south you follow the chain of lakes/reservoirs of the Columbia River and the surrounding mountains spawn numerous small streams.
Wildlife. With my telephoto thankfully. One time I pulled into a rest stop in the car that I had used several times before on 2 wheels and saw a mama griz with 2 cubs about 15′ off the entrance road. Definitely glad I was in a car this time and the need was not too great.
mrmoshpotato
Natural scenery and sammiches? You spoil us, realbtl!
Abnormal Hiker
Slight correction: Melt water from the Columbia Icefield reaches the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River, the Arctic Ocean via the Athabasca River, and Hudson Bay via the Saskatchewan River. It does not drain via the Great Lakes
MagdaInBlack
When I was 9, 1967, my parents summer trip was traveling the Transcan thru that area. I have an album full of (Polaroid) pics very similar to these ? We camped the whole way, beautiful rough sites In the mountains, maintained by the govt.
There was no Truffled Pig then. ?
Thank you for the memories ?
Mustang Bobby
Stunning scenery, beautiful photography, yummy sandwich, and cool car. What’s not to like?
raven
Spectacular!
raven
Byrds-“Blue Canadian Rockies”
Amir Khalid
Is that your Mustang GT? Sweet ride.
Oh, and the mountains are nice too.//
HinTN
Gorgeous country on the bucket list, as is the Truffled Pig. Thanks for sharing (and I do love those heated seats with the top down).
Wanderer
We traveled trough that area by rail and tour buses a few years ago. While we had lots of company it did not lessen the beauty of the area and it was wonderful meeting people from all over the world during the railroad journeys. We usually spend time in the Maritimes every summer but sadly this year will be beyond our control. Really enjoyed the photos.
HinTN
@Amir Khalid: The rental places love that color. We got one in Pensacola for our week at the beach. It looks great against sunrise clouds, as well as mountains.
Raven
@HinTN: catch anything?
Barbara
Lovely pictures that bring back good memories. We drove through this area more than 10 years ago.We stayed longest in Jasper right across from the Athabasca River, but went along the Icefields and through Revelstoke.
Gin & Tonic
We were in Banff/Jasper/Lake Louise in the fall a few years back, celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. But we came from the Alberta side, so not much BC. Enjoyed a couple of nights at the spectacular hotel on Lake Louise. I should post some pics, but apparently the next couple of weeks are devoted to newbies.
JPL
Beautiful!
BellyCat
Great pics! What moto(s) did you ride?
Albatrossity
Wonderful photos! Another place to put on my bucket list!
Just One More Canuck
Thanks for these – my mother grew up in Field. One of my prized possessions is a picture of the Queen Mother from their Canadian tour in 1939
SkyBluePink
What serene pictures!
Miki
Oh my ….. Gorgeous!
arrieve
Beautiful pictures! I was there last summer — I actually stayed at the Chateau Lake Louise, which had long been on my list. And it was gorgeous, but oh so crowded.
Jasper National Park on the other hand is so huge it was easier to avoid the crowds. Has to be some of the most magnificent scenery on this planet.
realbtl
Thanks folks. Amir- yes that’s my GT and I only wanted yellow, the color pops on a sports-type car.
Bellycat- I’ve ridden everything from 250cc scooters up, my last bike was a Suzuki GSXs-1000.
Laura Too
Thanks for the wonderful flood of memories. We once did a 5 day road trip from Minneapolis. Camped in Banff park, saw Jasper and headed home. Very little sleep that trip. We had a big old blockhead chocolate lab who loved water. We parked and walked down to the dock area on Lake Louise not far from the beautiful hotel. Very serene until Pete launched himself off the dock and into the water, splashing everyone within 20 feet. They were not amused. We were. Collected our dog and left rather quickly. Someday I would love to go back!
Cathie from Canada
The Rockies are our favorite holiday – we do the “circle drive” from Saskatoon – to Edmonton, to Jasper, down to Banff, to Calgary and home one year, then the reverse the next time.
Apparently one exemption to the Canada US border closings in the west has been if Americans arrive by car and say they are on their way to Alaska. So some are holidaying in Banff and the Rockies “on their way”. Canada is likely going to be closing that loophole soon. But if you hurry, maybe you can still get in!
sherparick
@Abnormal Hiker: Terrific photos. I won’t think that they will just be historical artifacts in 100 years of the way B.C. looked when the glaciers still existed.
Yutsano
I always forget how huge British Columbia is. I seem to forget how much of it touches Montana. Then again I haven’t had reason to go back that way since my friend’s wedding in 1995. I really need to correct that.
suezboo
Truly beautiful. Glaciers and snow everywhere are just not in my mind pictures, so thank you for broadening those.
BellyCat
@realbtl: Sweet…. My garage, between my wife and I had eleven motos and a Vespa. Mostly twins. (No Harleys, though)
J R in WV
Great photos of great scenery, what more can we ask for?
Thanks for sharing.P
And yes, fly yellow is a great color for sports cars, esp convertibles. Dad had one yellow convertible out of all the ragtops he owned.
Tehanu
Very nice. The near-Lake Louise shot reminds me of the Maroon Bells near Aspen in Colorado.
StringOnAStick
I’ve only been to these areas in the winter for back country ski trips, so I haven’t seem them in summer color, thanks! One trip we skied up and over the continental divide and down to lake Louise rather than helicopter our as usual, powder for thousands of feet. One of my best memories and ski days ever.