September was a full month as we spent 3 weeks in the Canadian Rockies camping and hiking.
The following is a photo journal of our trip.....
The following is a photo journal of our trip.....
Drove to Cranbrook BC the first night and woke up to play mini-golf the next morning.
Spent the next night in WhiteSwan Provincial park at a rustic campsite on the shore of Alces Lake, Lussier Hot Springs was a natural springs found just down the road. 
Next stop, Radium. Radium had a beautiful hot springs - a pool this time instead of a natural hot springs but nonetheless the perfect spot to spend a rainy day. Kellen poses next to a moose outside.
Marble Canyon hike
View just outside of Banff
The only Mountie we saw!
Kellen with the Fairmont in the background, Banff's fanciest hotel. 
Johnston Canyon hike
Sunshine Meadows Hike
Fishing....but sadly, no catching. 
Our setup, 22 year old pop up trailer, "just like new". This was our home! Nights got freezing cold - literally, below 0.
The back of the truck - a constant reorganizing act. 
Celebrating Elias' birthday complete with kazoos! 
and presents! 
At Lake Louise - no better place to turn 5!
Oh yeah, and balloons, we had it all.
Lots of cute furry creatures but not a lot of big wildlife. 
Hiking Larch Valley
Elias getting used to the easy fingers of 5
Moraine Lake - BREATHTAKING! God did some of his best handiwork right here....
John and I getting to celebrate 14 years of marriage on a hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers. 
Even got to go out at night and back to Moraine for a sunset - thanks Nama! 
Lake MacArthur. This was really sweet. We got to go into Lake O'Hara which is a hard place to get to. You have to call 3 months in advance of the day you want to go and usually it gets filled up within 1 hour. Well, we got in on a cancellation and got to go to one of the most beautiful hiking spots imaginable. 
Carolyn and I at Lake MacArthur
Our campsite. 
Elias and I in the tent
Next morning John and I got to get up early and go on a super hard hike - Wiwaxy Gap to Lake Oesa. 
Spectacular views
Drove 4 hours up the Icefields Parkway spending the night in the middle. 
Athabasca Falls 
Cool rocks.
Heading to Jasper we saw a moose! 
Boys on the trail of a grouse
Elk on the playground at our campground in Whistler. 
Kickinghorse Mountain gondola ride. 
John and I got to ride some demo e-bikes, so much fun. Although Jen had a crash, not used to pedal assist going uphill!
Stop at a Wolf Center. 
John and I tried Poutin in Revelstoke which is a French-Canadian concoction of fries, cheese curds and gravy. Oh my, it was good in a small dose. 
Stopped by the Othello Tunnels in Hope, BC on the way home which was one of the sites used in the movie "Rambo". We won't be watching that one as a family so the reference was lost on the boys but they had fun going through the old abandoned train tunnels. 
Ferry from Whidbey Island back to the mainland at the end of our trip. Whew! 