Day 27, September 8

Day 27, September 8

Locations: 93A; Columbia Icefield; Maligne Lake

Miles driven: 281

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There were a couple of raindrops during the night, during which, I only had about three hours of sleep due to my unhappy stomach. Maybe it was all those apricots and almonds I had before I went to bed! I had seen stars a couple hours earlier, but it was overcast by now and lightly raining. I left the lot at 6:40 and hoped the fog would clear out some time this morning as it has the past couple of days. I thought I had seen a couple patches of blue, but it turns out that it was just lighter patches of gray above the darker clouds. It was still fairly dark, so it was tough to tell for sure. I figured I'd head back to Otto's Cache picnic area or somewhere nearby and just go back to sleep.

I ended up going to the Meeting of the Waters Picnic Area at the Whirlpool and Athabasca River confluence and stayed there for awhile. A couple patches of blue eventually showed up and I thought I'd head over to the Mt. Christie Viewpoint, or somewhere nearby and wait things out. On the way over, I passed the Geraldine Lakes trailhead, which I have already done a number of times, but this time I thought that this might be another possible camping option. I ended up driving further down the parkway and it started to rain steadily after I got to Jonas Creek Campground, which was now closed for the season as well. I went as far as Parker Ridge and turned back around. As I reached the Jonas Creek Campground coming back, I saw sunlight on the distant peaks to the north for the first time. We'll see if it will stay out.

I went into Jasper and fueled up and got two bags of ice. It was overcast and there wasn’t any sun shining through now. I stopped in the Robinson’s IGA grocery store and picked up some bologna and some parmesan cheese to go with my tortellini, which until now I had just eaten plain. I also stopped in the Jasper Public Library one more time and paid for two hours ($10) of internet access. I checked the weather forecast and it indicated a chance of rain today, but the next four days were to be partly cloudy with the temperatures going from the low 50s to the upper 50s and possibly 60. I was hopeful that this would pan out. Some blue sky did start to open up above town around 1:15.

I went back down to Otto's Cache and sat for a bit waiting for the sky to open up a bit more. I then went up Moab Lake Road a bit and fixed a couple sandwiches and took a nap at one of the pullouts above the river bank. I was here a couple hours. A nice big patch of blue sky opened up and now took over half the sky. I headed back out to see if the sun was shining anywhere else, so I went to where I shot yesterday at this time along the Athabasca River looking to the Endless Chain Ridge. I stayed here a bit, but the way the clouds were aligned, there was no chance for the sun to get through anytime soon. So, off I went over to Maligne lake. Sunset was cloudy and uneventful.

At 8:30, on the way back out from Maligne Lake, I saw the first moose of the trip off and below the side of the road. I couldn't tell what it was as I passed in the fading light, but looked back and confirmed it was a moose. I pulled into camp at 9:55 at the Moab Lake trailhead one more time.

8:15 AM — Traveling south along the Icefields Parkway. Mt. Christie and
Brussels Peak are in the distance.