Black bears and blue lakes

A road trip around British Columbia and Alberta

As Mona and I heading out of Vancouver, into the lush green mountains towards Whistler, the D-drive of my automatic van is starting to flash. We’re just about to stop at Shannon Falls so I call Canadian Tire, who have just done an oil change and an inspection on the van the day before, to ask what this could mean. “Could be that your transmission is starting to go” says the friendly man on the other end of the line. Well that’s great news. It’s only day 1 of our road trip and our transport and temporary home is about to give up on us.

When we continue our drive, everything is back to normal so we decide to just keep going. The van seems to be running just fine so we head up to Whistler where we plan to have our first stop. At the tourist information, we learn that going up the mountain to do some hikes with the chairlift is nearly 60 CAD (35 GBP; 42 EUR) per person so we ask for other options. Joffre Lakes just after Pemberton is recommended to us by the friendly lady at the information desk so we keep driving a little until we find a clearing just before Pemberton to spend the night. We’re not the only occupants – two other mobile homes are already parked here.

During our pasta and tomato sauce dinner over the gas cooker I can’t help but eying suspiciously into the woods just in front of us. I am seriously worried that any minute a bear will come running towards us, wanting a taste not only of the spaghetti. But nothing happens and shortly after dinner, we go to sleep for the first time in our temporary home.

At 2 am, all of a sudden, the lights start flickering in the van. Mona and I are sitting up straight. There doesn’t seem to be anyone around. Mona notices a red light flashing on the dashboard, and that’s when the alarm goes off. Frantically, I jump out of the car to turn off the alarm, thinking of our two neighbours who will most likely not be pleased. After that, we find it hard to go back to sleep and are feeling somewhat less relaxed than anticipated the next morning. It appears that I shouldn’t have used the key to lock the car because after this first night, we don’t have this problem again.

On our way to Pemberton we take a 2-hour return walk to Nairn Falls before finding a pub to watch the semi-finals of the EUROs. Pemberton is a tiny town and when we ask in the first pub we can find if they’d put the football on for us, they’re happy to do so. The pub has only just opened for lunch at 12 pm. Soon enough we’re joined by a couple of young carpenters from Switzerland and Austria who have Canadian residency, a couple of older Austrians and a German couple with their toddler, who are also travelling through Canada with a campervan. Mona and Otto, one of the older Austrians start chatting soon as Germany is losing despite playing a great game against France. Otto has been in Canada for sixty years, he came over when he was twenty years old with only five schilling in his pocket and when asked what he did for work says he “didn’t have time to work because he was too busy having a good time”. It’s a really nice vibe in the pub and we have already forgotten everything about our restless night by the time we move on.

The hike up to Joffre Lakes is a steep one. By the time we’re just about to reach the first lake, we understand why the estimated time is five hours despite the fact that it’s only an 11 km return. “You’re almost there” hikers heading down inform us encouragingly as we’re sweating and panting up the path. But it is more than worth it. The lakes seem to become more beautiful the higher up we get. The second lake, Middle Joffre Lake, is a mix of bright blue and turquoise, its clear water making it possible to see right to the ground and the snow-capped mountains forming a beautiful backdrop. We eagerly walk higher up. The third lake, Upper Joffre Lake, is just on the bottom of the mountain and the surroundings are eerily quiet, just the chatter from other hikers can be heard. We’re a bit sad that we didn’t bring a tent to camp up here, as on the other side of the lake, probably the most scenic campsite on the planet is welcoming hikers for the night.

It seems to be our lucky day because on our way further towards Clearwater, we encounter a few so-called Recreation Sites, very simplistic campsites which just feature running water and a pit toilet. We stay the night at Cottonwood, right next to a beautiful stream, for only 12 CAD (7 GBP / 8 EUR) per night for our party of two. After a night with no interruptions and the stream gurgling gently right next to us, we’re moving on to Clearwater where Wells Gray Provincial Park is waiting for us.

If we liked the previous waterfalls, Wells Gary Provincial Park tops it all. Spahat Falls are only the start – with 75 metres they’re the second highest waterfall in the area followed by the stunning Helmecken Falls (141 metres). These are the 4^th highest waterfalls in Canada, and all of Canada’s highest waterfalls are situated in British Columbia. The next day, after staying at a “proper” campsite (with showers; Wells Gray RV Park, 26 CAD (15 GBP / 18 EUR) per night / party) and after lighting the corresponding, must-have campfire accompanied by a few beers, we hike through the forest in the rain for more than two hours, just to realise on the way back that we had hiked in the wrong direction. Just when we’re about to give up on the day, the sun breaks through the clouds and dries us as we’re hiking the 1.5 hour Ray Farm – Mineral Springs Trail past Alice Lake which is a beautiful loop covering a variety of landscapes, mineral springs and the old farm buildings.

We want to spend the evening at another Recreation Sites with the promising name Silvertip Falls Recreation Site, a 10-km gravel road journey off the main road in the park (which is also a dirt road). Little do we know that this gravel road is a tick rougher than the main park road. Our little van fights its way up the path which seems to be getting narrower the further up we get while we spot what we think might be a cougar and a bear by the side of the road. By the time we get there, the path is almost too narrow for us and it turns out the campsite is a mere bench in the middle of the lush and dense forest, with no ranger or other campsites (or people) in sight.

Now I didn’t feel comfortable on the side of the road because of the bears and I certainly don’t want to be camping in the middle of the forest with Grizzly bears around. Adding the fact that it’s raining heavy again and for all we know the gravel road could turn into a swamp. So when Mona asks me if I’m fine here I have to decline. So off we go again, towards Dutch Lake, another proper campsite near a cute little lake.

After an early start the next morning, we arrive just in time for the EURO cup finals in Jasper. We’re pretty eager to see a bear now that everyone we meet keeps telling us they’ve seen lots. Just as we’re driving, I all of a sudden see a bear literally looking at me as we drive past, on the side of the road. I yell at Mona to look around and we can only see it crossing the road behind us. Shortly after, Mona spots a bear literally sitting on a large parking. At first we think it might be a statue but as we turn around, we join approximately 4 other vehicles who keep a more or less appropriate distance from the bear while taking pictures. Overwhelmed, we move on to the beautiful, clear Maligne and Medicine Lakes in Jasper National Park, where the eerie atmosphere is enforced by the fact that the forest around the lakes has burnt. The black tree stumps together with the mineral, blue waters and the grey, snow-capped mountains form a bizarre landscape, almost like from another world.

It’s already late by the time we turn around to head to our campsite of choice, called Sharing (15.70 CAD (9 GPB / 11 EUR). However, our drive is interrupted by a caravan of cars lined up on the side of the road and people hanging out of the windows taking photographs. This can only mean one thing – a bear! But we’re even luckier than that. A mummy and baby bear are waddling on a slope, just at the edge of the forest, clear for everyone to see. We admire as the female leads the way, the little bear following and occasionally taking a detour climbing a tree stump or nibbling on a bush.

By the time we get to the campsite, we think it’s 8 pm (it’s actually 9 pm as we learn the next day as the province of Alberta is an hour later than British Columbia) and we’re frustrated to see that the campsite is full. But it seems to be our lucky day as just when we take another desperate tour of the campsite, two girls in another minivan wave us over to share their spot! So it turns out to be a nice and chatty evening with Annie and Ruth from Germany who just finished their working holiday visas and conclude their stay in Canada with a road trip.

Jasper, just like Wells Gray Provincial Park, seems to be a place where the weather can change in seconds. When we get up the next day, it is as miserable as can be with a persistent rain. Moodily, we head to town to do our laundry and wonder what to do with ourselves in this rainy weather. But as we head to a lookout, the rain stops and the sun comes out again, so we embark on the Five Lakes Walk (2 hour loop) followed by the stunning Edith Cavell Glacier Trail. At our last stop, the Athabasca Falls Lookout, I all of a sudden hear someone saying “Christina?”. As I turn around, I can’t believe to see Lisa whom I travelled through Nova Scotia with in front of me! What are the odds? Lisa and her friend Richard from Toronto are doing pretty much the same route as us with a Dutch couple in their camper. And after a happy catch up, Mona and I head over to Honeymoon Lake campsite (15.70 CAD (9 GPB / 11 EUR)), featuring a cooking shelter to shield us from the rain, which is exactly where I am sat now with our camping light, my belly full of the hearty soup we had for dinner, recalling all the amazing things we have seen over the last few days. So far our van, which we spontaneously called Horst “The Honda” McVanface, is still alive and kicking despite the odd warning light flashing up here and there and I really hope it will remain that way.

Tips for hiking and spending the night in BC and Alberta

• Mostly upon arriving in national parks, you will be given a map with hikes and trails as well as camping options upon arrival. Outside of national parks, this can be obtained at local tourist information centres.
• Not all campsite information (e.g. for Recreation sites) are handed out by tourist information but they are really worth a visit because they’re very basic, low-priced and beautiful. Information can be found here: BC Recreation Sites and Trails. They usually only cost 12 CAD (7 GBP / 8 EUR) and this fee is payable as and when a ranger is present (which isn’t all the time).
• Parking on the side of the road, as we understand, is permitted unless signage indicates it isn’t. Just make sure not to leave any rubbish around and be bear-safe, i.e. food, toiletries, anything with a scent should be stored in the car at all times.