We woke up to a beautiful morning at Lake Louise this morning looking over Mt.Victoria. Later in the day we went up to the Columbian Icefield and walked on the Athabaster Glacier.The lakes are so clear (and cold). We were so lucky with the weather again, lovely blue sky and lovely cold wind!! The mountains are spectacular. Oops bus is about due, will finish this in the evening.

Okay, where was I?? Oh yeah, the Glacier........we went on an Ice Explorer which is a huge six wheel drive vehicle capable of traveling on ice. The wheels are about 5' high and these things are huge, apparently they have one that is used in the Artic. They travel down to the Galcier on a slope I would not even attempt to drive on,about the same as Baldwin Street in Dunedin, I mean it is not what you would like to drive on in the ice and snow (thankfully it was not snowing. We spent a while walking around on the Glacier and watched as the snow was blowen off the top of the surrounding mountains, awesome. We then went to a Lake shaped like a Wolf head, amazing.

Today we headed up the valley more to Patricia Lake which was so still and peaceful, I have a great picture showing the mountain reflection and all the colours in the lake, almost as good as Lake Matheson in the South Island!! We then went to Maligne Canyon where the Glacier waters have gourged out the soft rock and it is now a 180ft Canyon and water way that races down the valley. Awesome!! On our way to the next sights we saw a Coyote...yippee!!

The treat of the day though had to be going up the Tramway to Whistlers Mountain......not to be confused with Whistler over in British Columbia (we should see that one in a few days). This Whistler is so tall, we were taken up to above the treeline and then we walked up to the summit, another 4 or 500 feet or so. What an amazing view, we could see Mt.Robson which is the highest peak in the Rockies. We started out at an elevation of 1304metres above sea level and went up to??? metres a vertical height of 973 metres and I don't like heights. But the best of that mountain trek was...........we saw a black bear!!! We were on our way down in the Tramway Car, thank goodness, when I saw a bear below us, how neat was that!! A shame we did not get a photo, but the cable cars will not stop for us so will have to try and get Nick to send us the photo he took of the Bears bum. What a shot!!

Must be off, got to have dinner as we have an early start tomorrow on the Rocky Mountain Train..............Whoo, whoo