Mina & Riley Lakes Loop

Hi Everyone, it's good to be back in touch! Our last two weeks in Banff were filled with visiting (and hiking) with family - Peter and Vivian the first week; Kathryn and Jacob the second. We have now moved 175 miles north to Jasper where we will be for the next 4 weeks. We are currently in Wabasso Campground which is 10 miles southwest of Jasper.

A highlight trip with Peter & Vivian was a guided hike to the Burgess Shale and looking for, and finding, fossils that are around 500 million years old. 

It was raining when we began our hike up to the Burgess Shale and this group of intrepid hikers, who passed us during one of our rest stops, found a unique way not to get their clothes wet.

Enjoying lunch at the base of Bow Glacier Falls.

On July 4th Peter and Vivian left to return to California and Kathryn and Jacob arrived from Buffalo. We had an hour's overlap in the Calgary Airport. 

Jacob enjoying Johnston Canyon.

Another visit to Bow Glacier Falls.

Lunch at Lake Agnes across from the teahouse.

Our campsite in Wabasso. Much more rustic and secluded than our site in Banff.

Today's hike to Mina and Riley Lakes is, according to the Lonely Planet guidebook, "considered a good first-day orientation hike" to the Jasper area. This is lovely Upper Mina Lake.

Riley Lake with typical Jasper mountains as a backdrop.