Trip in May to Jasper & Banff

[D. De Valk]

Hello every one up North. We plan to drive up Rt 5 and enter Jasper Park at Jasper and then meander down to Montana and home to Prescott, AZ. I've read and been told many interesting things to be aware of as well as not to do.

I think the best people to ask are the ones who have been there and done that, as the saying goes.

We'll be pulling a 30 ft 5th wheel with an 07 Chevy 3500 CC LB 2WD D/A no pets just the two of us.

Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Dave $ Tilby De Valk
davtil7@cableone.net

[D. De Valk]

Hello every one up North. We plan to drive up Rt 5 and enter Jasper Park at Jasper and then meander down to Montana and home to Prescott, AZ. I've read and been told many interesting things to be aware of as well as not to do.

I think the best people to ask are the ones who have been there and done that, as the saying goes.

We'll be pulling a 30 ft 5th wheel with an 07 Chevy 3500 CC LB 2WD D/A no pets just the two of us.

Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Dave $ Tilby De Valk
davtil7@cableone.net

[Little Kopit]

I don't know that area of Canada, but I can suggest that you can go to www.google.ca and put in as search term "name of province & tourism".

Much as I think crossing the border is just following common courtesy (take off the sunglasses & turn off the engine), it always pays to be informed. So, go check out the official regulations. http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel/visitors-e.html
Our customs tend to focus guns, cigarettes, and liquor. Guns may come in only in very specific cases.

Food and pet concerns are things I think really look for. Just think if it could pick up insects or bacteria since it left the store, it may be questionned and confiscated. Citrus fruit, root vegetables, meat out of it's purchase container.

& pet food, check on regulations on both sides of the border on this one, if relevant.

& firewood is verboten of course. Think insects again.

Remember the border guards have a job to do. They can't ask every person everything, but every so often they do a thorough search. If you happen to land that (& I have going south), the better informed you are, the faster you will be through & on your way.

Enjoy.

[Novi]

Hello Dave and Tilby I think you will have a wonderful time up there. I have been in Jasper and area and hiked the mountain trails near Jasper Lodge. There are a few simple things to remember. You are out in the wild north. If out hiking on the trails I'd stay on the trails. You only have to go a very short distance and you are out in the wilds. I have come across wolves, fox, elk, deer, and I was less than 1/2 km. from the Jasper Lodge. The animals roam freely at night anywhere they want to go including in the cgs. I've seen bears along the side of the road. Remember they are not tame. They are dangerous and can move real fast. If you are there in elk rutting season the females get very aggressive in protecting their young. You may not even know you have intruded too near, but those areas are usually well marked. Just by being aware of where you are you are unlikely to have any problems. Many thousands of people go there every year. It is really something to see. If driving at night be careful moose are a really big animal and they like to stand in the middle of the road. Have a good trip.

[Little Kopit]

& the moose in Jasper are likely as big as the really big boys around here:





&





Now, when I got these from "The Rock", I sent them off to a couple of very savvy photo people who have the full Adobe Photoshop photo edit software. They're real. The big boy wasn't Photoshopped or popped in there. He really is that big. The test is also in shadows, dust of his hoof prints and 'wind'. Verdict they were taken through a vehicle window. We can see the side mirror in shot two.

[The Big Kid]

Nice Bullwinkle pics. I love that he has the tourists on the run. There are always a lot of them gathered around when a moose/deer/elk gets close to the road. In BC/Alberta, more people are killed by them than bears/cougars.

Dave, you will enjoy the trip. Some of my thoughts:

Jasper itself has no RV parks. There are campgrounds in Jasper National park. Serviced sites are hard to find. I stayed for 3 nights at Wapiti(3 km south of Jasper on highway 93)right across from Whistlers campground. Between the 2 campgrounds they have over 1000 sites. Its a little pricy because you are in the park, but it was great, and a herd of elk walked through our site. The Northern Lights were FANTASTIC, we woke up the kids and made them come outside and watch. From there we day tripped out. Did the Glacier walks, tram rides, and other touristy stuff.

If you are going to tourist Edmonton, we stayed at Glowing Embers on the west end of town, near the Mall. It was near all the major arteries for moving around town.

We were on a 2 week trip from Vancouver Island, up to Kamloops, then Yellowhead highway(5) up to Jasper, in to Edmonton, secondary highway(22) south to Calgary, then Trans-Canada(1) back to Kamloops, then again down the Fraser Canyon to Vancouver.

We were living in Victoria at the time, and I grew up near Kamloops, so if you have some more direct questions that need direct answers, ask away.