(2)  Vancouver - Lethbridge

3 days of driving from Vancouver to Lethbridge is the best part of Canada but you have to drive winding mountain roads all the way. This is the Canadian Rockeys which is a lot more beautiful with high and sharp mountain tops, lakes, falls and glaciers, than American side Rocky mountains which has mostly wide flat mountain tops, just like elevated flat planes.

Trans-Canada Highway 1 from Vancouver to Kamloops, about half the way to Lake Louise was generally good road, with double lanes mostly and 3 lanes from time to time, without much sharp turns. However, after Kamloops, the second half was a single lane highway with passing lane from time to time and slowed down frequently due to many campers and trucks. Generally, most of Canadian drivers seem to follow the speed limits (90Km - 110 Km) very well though there are always a few crazy fast drivers in Canada too.

The weather cooperated very well as it was partly cloudy for the most of the day but had few occasional showers at the end of the day when we were driving down hill road after the Glacier National Park.

However, we had a hard time on Day-5 (8/19) driving from Lake Louise to Waterton National Park, due to poor road signs of Canada. We left Lake Louise at 10:30 AM, about 30 min. earlier than planned, fueled the car at Banff, had a lunch at the entrance of Calgary and started to drive south on the Highway 22. We were supposed to drive Highway 22 for the most of the way. However, after less than 30 min., the road was divided to two directions and there was no road sign showing which one is which. (or I might have missed road sign as it was too small.)

I asked which road is Highway 22 to a lady who stopped car there and she said the road to the left is 22X but didn't know what the road to the right direction is. I thought  22X will meet  22 somewhere sooner or later as the number is same 22 and there was no other person to ask.

I drove 22X for a while but it was heading to east continuously while I had to drive to south. There was no one to ask and no road sign showing Highway 22. Finally, I realized we are lost and we shouldn't continue 22X in this wide wild flat country road without any town or house around to ask.

I stopped car, turned my notebook computer on and looked at the map program. And, I found Highway 22X has no relation to Highway 22 and is a road to east all the way. I returned 22X for 9 miles, met Highway 2 and drove down to south. As the result, I think we have waisted almost an hour driving wrong road because of poor road sign of Canada.

All this problem is actually started not only because of poor road signs but also because of my GPS navigator which doesn't accept any destination without street number and street name. My destination was Waterton National Park and the hotel within the park, both of which do not have street number and street name. Therefore, I could not use the navigator but had to depend on rough road map I have printed. I thought it is easy because I just had to drive Highway 22 all the way.

In addition to this road problem, when we came almost to the end of Highway 2 to meet Highway 3, there was a strong wind for almost half an hour making the car skidding and hard to drive at this wide flat country road, just like Central America plain. Any way, it was a hard day of driving but still arrived at Waterton National Park on schedule at 5:05 PM.

Glacier National Park, BC

"Glacier National Park" of Canada has nothing to do with American "Glacier National Park" in Montana, U.S.A.. I think both parks have same name just because both of them have a lot of glaciers.

Banff National Park, AB

Banff National Park is the most famous tourists attraction in Canada together with Jasper National Park which is very next to the north of Banff National Park. Highway 93 connecting these 2 national parks between Jasper and Lake Louise is the best highway to drive among all highways I have ever driven, with so many beautiful spots on both sides of the road such as Lake Louise, Columbia Icefield, Peito Lake, Athabasca Falls, etc. (For your info, there is a Korean restaurant at the Banff Ave., the main streeet of Banff.)

I believe the best spot in Banff and Jasper National Parks is the "Columbia Icefield" and the second best spot is "Lake Louise". White glaciers on the mountain at opposite side reflected with blue sky creates really fantastic scenery at this huge lake.

We have visited this lake in 2002 when we travelled Banff and Jasper area for about a week as a golf trip. However, since we were passing by this area again this time and it was really beautiful lake, we stayed one night and took this picture. In 2002, it was cloudy on the day we came to this lake and could not take a good picture. This time also, it was rainy in the night and cleared in the morning but still with a lot of clouds, even though it was much better than 2002.

Lodging of this area is generally more expensive than other areas and the Fairmont Chataeu Lake Louise Hotel at the northeast beach of the lake is one of the most expensive hotel to cost $550 - $600 a night at least with discount. (most rooms with lake view will cost $800 - $1,000 a night.) We stayed in a cheper but clean and nice hotel near-by which still cost more than $250 a night.

The following pictures are Highway 93 road side sceneries taken in 2002. If you are interested, you can see more and larger pictures, clicking http://www.thechofamily.com/trips.html and looking for (12) Banff Golf Trip - 2002.

Calgary, AB

Our original plan was to stop at Calgary for one night and see Mr. Deung-Il Hwang, our old ham radio friend - Korean ham radio call sign HM1AY. However, unfortunately, their family went to Europe for about a month and we missed him this time. (We met during 2002 golf trip to this area.)

Therefore, we changed plan, by-passed the Calgary and drove directly to Waterton National Park from Lake Louise this time. However, I just want to introduce this Calgary Tower where we had a lunch at the revolving restaurant and enjoyed magnificent view of the city in 2002.

The Calgary Tower was officially opened June 30th 1968 and has become the City of Calgary's most famous and identifiable physical landmark. The Calgary Tower offers the best view in Calgary and is a must-see on any tourist's itinerary. Throughout the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, a flame burned at the top of the Tower, making the Calgary Tower the World's Largest Olympic Torch. The torch is still lit today for special occasions, like Canada Day. 

Visitors to the Observation Deck are able to virtually "step out into" space on the glass floor experience. (Upper right picture of the above pictures) Imagine standing 525 feet above the ground in the heart of Calgary and being able to look straight down and directly out in front of you into the heart of the city. The experience is awe-inspiring and will challenge the emotions, but rest assured --- the thrill will be worth it.

The glass floor is 36 feet long and more than four feet wide, the glass panes that make up the floor can each hold the weight of a couple Hippos! With only a glass wall in front, you will be treated to the unusual experience of literally being suspended in mid-air. 

Waterton Lake National Park, AB

Highway 2 where we met strong wind and had hard driving. It was widely open flat country road.

"Waterton Lake National Park" is also called "Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park" together with American side "Glacier National Park", the first and the only International Park, as they are connected together. More than 90% is American side Glacier National Park and less than 10% is the Canadian side Waterton Lake National Park.  The beautiful Upper Waterton Lake shown below connects Canada and U.S.A..

We visited American side Glacier National Park in June 2006 but could not come to the Waterton Lake National Park crossing the border to Canada because we didn't bring passports. Also, we could not cross the Glacier National Park east-west either because the snow was still blocking the "Going to the Sun Road" crossing the park east-west in mid-June. 

If you are interested in the pictures of the Glacier National Park in Montana, please click
 http://www.thechofamily.com/trips.html and look for (21) Glacier National Park Trip.

Waterton Village provides  you all the conveniences for you - hotels, restaurants, shops and cruising services. The tour cruise takes you all the way south to Glacier Nationasl Park, U.S.A. and back for 2 hours 10 min., 4 times a day.
 

Jane by the lake in front of our hotel.

The Prince of Wales Hotel at the hill top which has best view of the Waterton Lake.

Cameron Falls close to the Waterton Village.

On Day-6 (8/20), we left Waterton Lake National Park early at 11:00 AM and arrived Lethbridge by 12:30 PM, a short one and half hours drive (77 miles) to take a rest for full afternoon at the hotel. It will be a long drive from tomorrow to cross Canada untill we arrive Niagara 5 days later.