Off to the mountain top we go.

Whistlers Campground, Jasper AB (3 stars)

We last went up the Jasper Skytram in July 1988 on a trip with Fran and Dennis. Today's flight, as they call it, was wonderful. Nice sunny skies and only a reasonably busy crowd. Lee hiked quite a ways up, far enough to see the down slope south side. It is spectacular country. On the way down, we stood at the front of the cable car and watched ourselves descending. A bit queezy considering that if the front opened up we would be the first ones falling to the ground below.

There is a sign, dear, that says not to lean on the windows of the Sky Tram gondolas. Heed it.

The ride was smooth - with a wee sway as it passes by the mid-flight support tower. We got some great photos of the cable ride back down, including the support tower. One photo shows the layout of our campground. A series of circles of roads such that you can pull thru into your campsite, and pull out through an inner circle with a connector road out. Very ingenious and so easy for our almost 60 ft.

We took far too many photos again including a tiny white flower, a Rock Pika, and an Inukshuk and lots of the mountain peaks, including Mt. Robson. Perfect blue skies - not too cold and not windy. Lee hiked a little further up than I did, and did feel the effects of the thinner air. But his trek offered an incredible view of the Rockies and his camera was smokin. There were tiny pansy like flowers and an Anemone parviflora, the northern anemone or small-flowered anemone. It is a herbaceous flowering plant species in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Aka Arctic wind-flower. The Sky Tram is a special attraction one must see if you come this far.