confidentlygettinglost

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Goodbye Whistler, Hello Canada

After saying a heartfelt goodbye to Whistler, I set out on my newest adventure to finally explore Canada. I had always hoped to do a road trip and discover the country where I had grown up. However, my priority had always been elsewhere. The foreign has always been more enticing, but, as I have been learning, Canada is quite foreign to me. No two regions are the same. It is exciting discovering new things alongside someone who is not from here… being able to see things through Blake's eyes. However, I almost feel far removed from the country was raised in, and grew to know. This feels as though I am abroad again, with few things familiar to me. It has only been a short time travelling thus far, but I am excited to see where this journey takes me.

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September 11th: Squamish

We left Whistler on a rainy dark Tuesday to set off on new adventures. The weather reflected a bit of my mood that day, as I was sad to leave behind the familiar. Reality had sunk in that for the next month or two, I would no longer have a home and be bearing the brunt of all of the elements living in a van. However, I have found my own happiness in being free to explore, so that will be a small price to pay. My nerves started to get the best of me as we left the limits of Whistler but as the sky's began to clear towards Squamish, I knew I had made the proper choice. We stopped in Squamish for the evening to give Blake time to say goodbye to his friends that he had made here. The rain began to come down again so after setting up the van from our hauls at Walmart and Canadian Tire, we set off to the Copper Coil, one of Blake's old haunts, to say farewell with his old friends. After a beer, we left to explore Shannon Falls. We had made day trips to Squamish before, however, we had not yet been to the falls. Upon first site, these falls are quite breath taking. They expand far up as you can see on the mountain. They can even be viewed from afar. They aren't quite Brandywine Falls, however, they have their own unique quality to them. 

After leaving, we went to Nexin Beach, if it could be deemed so. It lacks the qualities of a beach by any definition but its got a spectacular view of Shannon Falls and the Bay area in Squamish. 

It was a perfect spot to watch the sunset before leaving to get dinner at the Watershed. The food there was spectacular and I highly recommend getting the baked brie. The restaurant is situated on the water, and had a beautiful view of the mountains. It was a beautiful place to get heartwarming food before heading to bed early. As the campgrounds in the area were all full, we resigned to camping on a small quiet backroad, anxious to start the road trip the following day.

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September 12th: Vancouver

As a birthday present to each other, Blake and I agreed to spend a day in Vancouver together enjoying the city. We woke up early to start the drive to the city, just as the first days light was rising. 

We made it to Cypress Lookout just in time to see the sun cresting over Vancouver. The views were spectacular and I had never seen how large and expansive it truly is. The city covers almost all of the land in the area. It was breath taking. 

As the tour groups began to arrive, we left to head to the tourism centre… Capilano Suspension Bridge. We were both curious to see what the hype was about and we tried to go in with open mind. We were greeted with six dollar parking and expensive tickets. Thankfully we were able to receive reduced fees as "a student" and as a fake card holder, to lessen the blow. However, after entering we did not stop laughing. Two drip coffees inside was 8 dollars, and the entire experience was slightly anticlimactic. 

We arrived before the crowds, however, the place was already slightly mad with tourists. A sign marking "extreme nature ahead" indicated the sort of morning we were going to have. The place reminded me a lot of my job guiding nature tours back in Whistler, reminiscent with the suspension bridges and ecology facts. However, after staring everday at the stunning Fitzsimmons, the tiny riven below wasn't cause for excitement. Nonetheless, Blake and I persevered and enjoyed the experience, laughing at the corniness that came with going to a major tourist destination. 

Afterwards, we left to enjoy a quiet lunch at a small sandwich shop, and then proceeded to Stanley Park. The fall colours were starting to emerge and the park was quiet for a Wednesday. We strolled around taking in the beautiful water views, and enjoyed the bursts of sunshine. 

We ventured to the seawall to be close to the water, picking up shells on the beach and watching the seagulls fly about. 

Soon we grew hungry again and made our way towards Granville Island. An area unexplored for both of us. The market reminds me so much of Kensington Market in downtown Toronto or of Byward Market in Ottawa, bringing me a tiny piece of home when I wasn’t looking for it. We strolled around checking out the small stores and food markets. Blake held me back from buying every cacti and succulent in the shop windows, and I prevented him from purchasing everything else. We settled on a candle for the van scented like Douglas Fir trees and parted before we had the chance to purchase any of the amazing specialty foods in the windows. 

We wandered our way to Gastown to my favourite coffee shop, Revolver, and to visit a clothing store called Little Mountain. After seeing the classic steam clock, we proceeded to check into our Air BnB on Melville Street. On the 15th floor we had a beautiful view of Vancouver around us, and we enjoyed our last evening in the comforts of an apartment. We gorged ourselves on Chinese food, which we had been deprived of, not having anywhere in Whistler, and that night we rested well, anticipating the new places ahead.

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September 13th: Vancouver to Harrison

In the morning, we ate delicious chicken and waffles (a disturbing concept for Blake), from a cute little breakfast spot called Yolks. Although there isn't a lot of seating, the food is delicious and the service is quite good. 

Though we had planned to visit the Vancouver Aquarium, we decided to leave and save a few dollars for the road trip ahead. We stopped at Ikea and a mall on the way, and it felt so strange to have so many choices in front of me. Whistler provides only what is necessary for tourism, nothing more. It was so nice to be able to return to all of the stores I had been missing and to have regular pricing once more. 

We enjoyed our last taste of the city late into the day before leaving for Harrison. We stayed at the Chehalis River Recreation Site that evening and had a beautiful river spot. The hosts at the site were so extremely kind and friendly, helping us chose a beautiful location and ensuring we were prepared for the evening. We set up camp and cooked dinner before calling it a day.

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September 14th: Harrison to Kelowna

The following day, we awoke very early to make coffee and head out on the road. We stopped in Harrison that day to eat breakfast at a small café, enjoying the lake views, before hitting the road towards Kelowna. 

We stopped in Merritt for lunch and took in the rolling hills, and made the rest of the finally push towards Kelowna. 

We had intended to camp in Bear Creek, however, because it was a Friday, the site was full. So we made the extra 20k journey down the road towards Fintry Campgrounds. It was worth it. The drive there was spectacular, winding along Okanagan Lake, and the site we got was one of our favourites thus far. We were able to enjoy a private site that was a bit more secluded from all of the families camping in RVs in the area. It backed straight onto the water and we were able to build a beautiful fire, have a glass of locally made wine and eat pasta and garlic bread before curling up to watch an episode of tv on my laptop.

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September 15th: Kelowna to Vernon

In the morning, we slowly got ready. We made coffee and bacon with avocado on toast before that days adventures. 

We walked to Fintry falls which was only a short five minute walk away from the campground. The stairs up to the falls were short and they were quite pretty, only getting better as you climbed. The spot had a breathtaking view of the Okanagan region and was a historic site with old barns and an estate on the property.

Following this, we ventured into downtown Kelowna for Blake to see his best friend and so he could pick up his snowboard (which he had been talking my ear off about for weeks). I resigned to purchasing a winter jacket because fall had come quickly upon us and I was slowly freezing each evening. However, I admit it has been a lifesaver, now that it is snowing in the Rockies (IN SEPTEMBER). As he went for lunch, I went to a local shopping centre to purchase warmer clothing, and to sit in Starbucks and enjoy some solitude. It had been a long time since I had sat in a café alone, doing research for a trip. I quite enjoyed it, but was happy once Blake arrived. We finished planning our adventures for Mt. Robson and Jasper and left to camp in Vernon for the evening. 

That night we stayed in Ellison Provincial Park, where we got a lot that was right on the ridge line. We made dinner and had a campfire, before having an early night so that we could explore the park in the morning. 

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September 16th: Vernon, Kamloops and Sun Peaks

In the morning we woke up early to be able to go to drink our morning coffees on the lookout point just behind our site. 

The views were stunning, and we took a moment to appreciate how lucky we are to be able to experience this. We explored our way around the park and found a pretty lookout on a cove area, and made our way back to the van to pack up and hit the road once again. 

That day we drove to Kamloops expecting a large city, however, we soon discovered that it wasn't as we thought. 

We had anticipated hiking the Hoodoo Trail on Cinnamon Ridge, however, after exciting the vehicle we found that the area wasn't very safe to leave the van. We quickly photographed the beautiful red ridges in front of us and promptly got back in the vehicle to leave for Sun Peaks. 

We made our way to Whitecroft Falls, however, were greeted with no signs and no service to find out how to get to the falls, so we resigned to skipping the hike. However, about 15 minutes later, we arrived in Sun Peaks where the skies opened up to a massive downpour. Happy accidents turned into fortune. Sun Peaks is quite a small ski town with beautiful buildings, however, very little action. It is off season but the down felt quite abandoned. We strolled around and quickly had to run back to the van due to the heavy rain. 

We decided to proceed to the closest campground at Heffley Lake and set up for the evening. It was cold and rainy but our soup and sandwhiches warmed us up just fine that evening. We had a pretty little view of the lake, and tried to keep warm inside the van. I read my book and Blake played a game on his phone and we both fell asleep early that evening.

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September 17th: Heffley Lake to Valemont to Mt. Robson

We woke up early the next morning to vacate the site before any park hosts came to collect fees. The other campers hadn’t seen anyone in days, so we didn’t want to see them today. Oh… the things you do for 12 dollars. We grabbed breakfast on the road and hit the highway to get up to the Rockies. We stopped along the way to take in the surroundings at Little Hells Gate (having no idea what it would be), but pushed on just as quickly out of excitement to see the mountains that brought Blake to Canada. 

Occasionally we got a glimpse of the beauty of the Rockies, but we still had no idea what we were in store for.

This was the day and the moment we had been waiting for. But the cloud-cover in the area had other plans for us. 

We arrived in Valemont feeling a little disappointed. We couldn't see the beautiful mountains around us and could only see a slight view of Mt Robson, the height of the Rockies. 

Disappointed, we left to make camp at Robson Meadows. On the way we stopped to view Rearguard Falls, just as the sun emerged from the cloud-covered sky. 

This picked up our moods slightly, and as we set up camp, the site was almost empty giving us the pick of locations on the grounds.

No campers had arrived yet so we had a selection of sites. We found a beautiful site close to water, bathrooms and showers, with a stunning view of the mountains behind us. We later discovered that just walking behind the site, you could see an incredibly breath taking view of Mt Robson. 

We decided to stay for two nights to give the weather a chance to cooperate, a choice we later would not regret. We had no service but neither of us were upset about it. Our surroundings were gorgeous and we had all we needed right at our fingertips here. We started a campfire that night and woke up the next day to blue skies.

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September 18th: Mt. Robson

That morning there were only a few clouds covering Mt Robson, so we took our coffees and went and sat just behind our site to take in the views. By far one of the most stunning places I have ever had my morning coffee!

We hoped to hike to Berg Lake, however, we weren't prepared to make a 40km trek that late in the day. We have vowed to come back and take the trip there again in the future but we explored the surrounding area. 

hat day we visited Overlander Falls,stunning in their own right, and went for lunch just below Mt Robson. 

Afterwards we took a short drive to Berg Lake Trailhead to see how close we could get to the base of Mt Robson, shortly before returning to the campsite to make dinner.

That evening was intensely cold, but the stars were out in full force as the skies cleared. The glow on Mt Robson was incredible and might be one of my favourite moments of this trip. 

We made a fire that night and had a stir fry to warm us up that evening. Although it was dramatically cold, we both slept well that night.

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September 19th: Mt. Robson to Jasper

The next morning we woke up to clear skies and could see the entirety of Mt. Robson. I think both Blake and I screamed. We ran across the frosted grass to get a full and complete view of the mountain. It never looses its effect. It takes your breath away. It towers above everything else. 

We visited it one last time, grabbed a coffee for the road and made our way to Jasper. 

We stopped along the drive a couple times to take in the surrounding mountains and lakes.

On the way we stopped at Mt Fitzwilliam and Yellowhead Lake to appreciate the beauty of the jagged mountains and the still clear water of the lake. 

We both couldn't help getting excited as we crossed into Jasper National Park and the border of Alberta, this was Blakes first time leaving BC in Canada, and my first time in the province. As we entered Jasper, we waited to see what awaited us.

It does not disappoint. As we had a clear blue sky day, we could see everything around us. The mountain chain was incredible and I had never seen something like it. We sat down for lunch at a local brewery and took in the views. After filling up, we went around town to explore the local shops and pick up a few groceries for dinner. We headed to Wapiti Campgrounds to set up for the evening and found our site was closest to the Athabasca River. 

We explored the site and set to making quesadillas and burritos for dinner. We both overate that evening but it was well worth it. Blake made a roaring fire and we sat talking and laughing for the evening.

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September 20th: Jasper

The next day, we awoke to rain and cloud cover, but the park ranger told us that on rainy days, look down, not up. So that is what we set out to do. We explored Maligne Canyon that day crossing the bridges and taking in the stunning surroundings. It was crazy to see what water can do to stone over the years. The history of the canyon was interesting to learn and we enjoyed spending a couple hours exploring.

We left to explore Maligne Lake, but as we were driving, we were met with snow. We took in Medicine Lake, as it hadn't completely receded for the season yet, and turned around to visit it for another day. 

On our way back, we stopped to view the fifth and sixth bridges of Maligne Canyon before proceeding back. 

We went back to the village to get a few things and went back to set up camp for another few nights in Wapiti (seeing many elk in the campground/ even just behind our site).

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September 21st: Jasper

Its snowing in September. Tell me how it is snowing in September. I do not like or enjoy the snow unless it is from beside a fire (inside), reading a book, drinking a hot beverage (preferably with Baileys in it). We awoke to a white wonderland of a campsite … and promptly both decided to stay in the warmth of the van a little longer. The cold can start to get to you a little bit when exposed to it at all hours, never getting any lasting relief. So we hid inside. I read my book all morning, and Blake was sweet enough to make bagels and coffee for us. We both had very hot showers, and decided we needed a day to just catch up and take it easy. 

We went to a coin laundry, bought coffees and resigned ourselves to being productive. Blake phoned his family, and I wrote this blog. I think we both needed a day to rest, as life on the road can get a little difficult at times. We planned our next adventures and prepared for everything ahead. It felt refreshing to rest and I have been grateful to not be on a tight schedule. I think we will both appreciate a day like this every other week or so. That evening we rested, made dinner, and had a lovely campfire.

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September 22nd: Jasper

We woke up early with high expectations for the day. We ventured out to view Mt. Edith Cavell, to hike the meadows and the Path of the Glacier. That did not happen. We arrived to find that the road to reach the path had been closed and the hike would quickly turn from a moderately easy hike, to a difficult one without any planning. 

To try to raise our spirits, we thought to visit Athabasca Glacier, however, found another road block. Slightly defeated, we ventured to Maligne Lake but were met with more disappointment. 

The water had lost its colour, the clouds were low, the banks were muddy and we couldn't see any of the scenery. We bought over priced food to hope to give the clouds a chance to clear but our prayers were not answered. Today would not be the day we saw Lake Maligne. 

We left feeling heartbroken... but the day wasn’t over yet. On our drive, we saw so much wildlife pushed down into lower altitudes in search of food.

On the drive back, we saw a sign for a small walk we had both been wanting to check out so we pulled over to see what it was. To our surprise we were met with two beautifully stunning turquoise lakes, Lake Annette and Lake Edith. Both did not disappoint and in my opinion are highly underrated. The water is crystal clear, and you can see every rock laying at the bottom. It has stunning mountain views and we both were at a loss for words. 

We strolled around the lakes, taking it in before departing to grab dinner. The lakes had redeemed the day, but Blake asked to sit down at a pub to have a beer and just regroup. We found a place called Whistler Stop Pub and ordered a beer and a pub burger. The burgers were surprisingly quite good and only eight dollars. We ate our fill, bought ice cream and retreated to the campground to have a campfire and relax.

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September 23rd: Jasper

We woke up to blue skies filled with white fluffy clouds. Halleluiah. I think the day before had taken a toll on both of us, as we grew increasingly frustrated with the weather. The blue skies were a welcome sight. We hurried to get ready for the day to be able to get in as much sightseeing as we could. We first went to Pyramid Lake, but were met with one large cloud covering Pyramid Mountain, the very mountain that we had intended to see. 

Staying positive, we left to view Lake Annette and Edith again in the sunshine to give the cloud time to pass. Annette and Edith were stunning on a cloudy day, but wow, are they ever breath taking on a sunny morning. 

We drank our coffee and soaked in the sunshine before realizing Blake's camera battery was about to die. As we don’t have power outlets in the van, and our car adaptor blew out last time we used it, we headed to town to get a coffee and find a spot to charge the battery. 

We went to The Other Paw to grab lunch and it did not disappoint. There I bought the "Beauty and the Brie" panini and it was fantastic. It was a chicken sandwich with brie, fig jam, apples on focaccia, and it was mouth-wateringly good. The café is a busy spot, but the atmosphere is quite nice. 

Once getting back on the road, we returned to Pyramid Lake and were not disappointed. The lake is quite pretty but it is Pyramid Mountain that steals the show. In the centre of the lake is an island connected to the main land by a bridge.

It is a beautiful spot to enjoy an almost 360 view of the mountain range from. 

After taking it all in, we stopped to explore Patricia Lake and we left to hike the Valley of Five Lakes. 

We took to the Columbia Icefields Parkway to reach the trailhead and were met with spectacular views that we couldn’t resist. 

This hike is phenomenal and in my opinion should be a top must-see in Jasper. The hike itself is extremely easy with high pay off. 

Along the walk, you get a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains and five lakes varying from turquoises to greens. We spent so long exploring the area, and we couldn't believe that we hadn't heard mention of it before. 

We left extremely happy and extremely hungry. That evening we went to the Dead Dog for dinner. Don't let the name scare you off, because it had some pretty great food. 

After living in Whistler, both Blake and I had become accustomed to expensive food, so when we found that this bar had a Sunday special of a 6oz steak, served with salad, fries, onion rings and garlic toast for 11.95, we jumped at the chance. 

On the road we eat mostly vegetarian for cost efficiency, so its rare when we get to eat steak. The amount of food was absurd, and yes, it is very bad for you. But after a couple hikes in one day, I believe in treating yourself. 

We smashed through our food and both left so happy and satisfied. We returned to our campsite at Wapiti, started a campfire and both sat reading our books. 

That evening we had about 4 elk sleeping just behind our van, and I swear Blake almost screamed when he went looking for a stick to poke the fire and was instead greeted by eight eyes staring back at him. After having a couple laughs about it, we called it a night, prepared for the following days new adventures.

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September 24th: Jasper

We woke up quite early to begin preparing for all of the activities that we had planned for the day. 

We started first at with a 6km hike to Wabasso Lake. The trail is quite easy and well maintained, but both Blake and I found little enjoyment through the hike. We had found fresh grizzly scat and both of us lost our confidence quite early into the hike. Although we understand how to hike in bear country, but neither of us have yet encountered a grizzly before. We carry bear spray and use a bear bell, and try to make a lot of noise by playing music while walking, but we both would rather avoid a bear encounter. We walked quite quickly, alert to all of our surroundings but for the first 45 minutes we didn't see another person on the trail. After a couple switch backs, we ran into a couple walking on the trail which put our minds both further at ease. 

At the top of one of the switchbacks, we found a stunning view of the surrounding mountains. Both Blake and I sat taking in the view for a while before continuing on towards Wabasso Lake. 

When we arrived, we were completely alone and the lake was so still and quiet. The lake is definitely not the most stunning that I have ever seen, but the mountains in the background were quite beautiful. 

After taking in the surroundings, we left to retrace our steps back towards the van. The lake isn't really worth the hike in my opinion but the panoramic view that you get along the way is definitely worth the time and energy. On our way back the sun burst through a bit, so we sat to enjoy it a bit longer.

After having a quick snack at the van, we continued on to Horseshoe Lake. Oh my, that did not disappoint. It is such an easy breezy walk, with the most stunning crystal clear and still deep blue water. It almost looked like glass and you could see perfect reflections of the deep red and brown cliffs. I was in awe of how clearly you could see the colours of the leaves reflecting in the still water. It was breathtaking and, yet another underrated place in Jasper in my opinion. I sat while sipping my coffee, enjoying the beautiful colours and I couldn’t believe how peaceful and quiet it was there. 

Once we finally dragged ourselves away, we continued down highway 93 towards the Athabasca Pass. There is a lookout point which is hands down one of the most stunning views I have ever seen in my life. The enormity of the mountains is mind-blowing. I was speechless at how gorgeous it was there and how lucky I am to have seen something so beautiful. 

To finish off the day, we ended at Athabasca Falls.  It is quite a popular tourist attraction in the area but it does not disappoint. With a stunning view of the mountains in the background, the falls are definitely a must see in Jasper. 

We wandered around the canyon and explored the stunning rock formations which used to be the original path the water used to take in the area before being diverted. It is quite interesting to venture down and watch the path which the water used to take. 

We walked down to the bottom of the canyon and saw where the falls turned into the Athabasca River which travels all the way into Jasper. I would highly recommend the walk down to the river because it is quite lovely scenery. 

But even more so, I would recommend walking up and past the falls towards the mountains. The views are incredible and worth the extra five minute walk that it takes. 

As I sat there, I began to wonder how Jasper could get any better, but the following day, I was proved wrong once again.

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September 25th: Jasper

Early mornings aren't really my idea of fun. But this morning was well worth it. We woke up at 6 to get ready and drive to Maligne Lake. We were determined to see the lake at sunrise and hike to Bald Hills to see the panoramic views. It was magical watching the sun rise over the mountains. It felt surreal. 

For a moment, I just wanted to sit and take it all in but Blake was excited to start the hike. Honestly, I love hiking but I was dreading this one. I knew it would be well worth it, but unfortunately I have been quite sick so I knew the elevation gain was going to be a challenge for me this morning. To my surprise the hike up was quite easy and we completed it in excellent time. Unfortunately though, we had chosen the long hiking trail at the intersection point. We gambled and chose wrong, but the views of the surrounding area made it quite pleasant.

When we reached the top, we found that the view point was quite small and a group had reached it first, blocking our vision. We wandered towards the summit but turned around because the trail was very muddy making it hard to keep our balance. We wandered our way back and found the view point empty. We sat taking in the view for a long time, seeing no one else for around 20 minutes. 

We waited anxiously hoping to see the sun come through the clouds, but unfortunately it remained overcast. Once a large group arrived, we gave up and turned to hike back down. We definitely selected the wrong path on the way down. We decided to take the other path to see the views, but we were met with extremely muddy terrain and many roots and rocks. The hike down became very difficult and we both slipped a number of times. The views show Maligne Lake for the majority of the hike, however, neither of us could enjoy it while we were focused on just remaining standing upright.

Once we reached the forest service road again we both could relax again. We walked quickly back towards the lake out of hunger, but we were alert for wildlife. Many hikers had seen a moose on the road that morning so we hoped to finally see one ourselves. Unfortunately, we weren't quite so lucky. When we reached our van once again, we decided to treat ourselves to hot soup at the café before continuing our next hike. After we ate lunch, we continued to walk to Mary Shäffer's Point.  The walk was quiet and the views beautiful of the water and bay area. We sat for a long time before walking back to return to Jasper.

Once we got back to town, we ate a large dinner and hit the hay early after a long day. This was our last night in Jasper, but after a week we were both looking forward to seeing new scenery.

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September 26: Columbia Icefields Parkway

THE LONGEST TRAVEL DAY YET. There is no possible way that I could ever summarize everything that we saw. I wish I could describe how beautiful the Columbia Icefields Parkway is… but its impossible. It is by far one of the most scenic drives I have ever been on. Every inch of the Parkway has something beautiful to see.

We awoke early to hit the road, but first we treated ourselves to brunch. It was national pancake day so naturally I indulged in the heaviest sugary creation I could find at Smitty's (trust me, I did not expect it to be that indulgent).

Once I had a sugar high, we got onto the road to start the two hour journey that turned into ten. Every extra minute it took to get to Lake Louise was well worth it. We were happy to stop at every pull off every chance possible to take in the breath taking views. I could go through every single detail, however, I think its wise just to include titles and photos to simplify things.

Goats and Glaciers:

Sunwapta Falls:

The drive:

Athabasca Glacier:

This was very difficult for us to both see. Unfortunately, the glacier has receded over 2kms since 1920 due to the climate warming, about 5 metres per year. It was difficult to see the amount of tourism built up around it, watching buses drive up on the glacier and the amount of cars in the centre across from it. It is something so old and rare, that its hard to see it not being protected the way we both feel that it should be. Thankfully there are information panels on how you can reduce your CO2 emissions and how to get involved, but we still believe a lot more should be done. But anyways, we got back onto the road and continued and crossed into Banff.

Waterfowl Lakes:

Crowfoot Glacier:

Peyto Lake (the first time - more photos to come):

Bow Lake:

Herbert Lake:

By the time we arrived in Lake Louise we were exhausted and the grocery store was closed. So we went to an awful pub, ate horrible food and called it a night. We stayed at the Lake Louise Campground nearby. We were shocked to see that they had an electric fence surrounding the tent camping area to prevent wildlife from encountering humans. It was amazing that they were trying to protect larger animals from becoming accustomed to human interaction. We settled in the grounds and relaxed after such a long day.