Friday the 24th saw us awake in Jasper to the unusual but very distinctive sounds of bull Elk. It was rutting season and looking after their harems was a full time job. It also didn't bother them if it was early in the morning and they were only 20 metres from our cabin door. We were staying in a river front cabin at Pine Bungalows on the Athabasca River about 2kms from Jasper (the Pine Bungalows website)and the area was a favourite haunt of the elk. At one stage I looked out the bathroom window to see a large male walk past only a couple of metres from the cabin. No photos to prove it because it was still a bit dark and I was half asleep.

But here is my tip for the day. If you want a close up photo of the wildlife or scenery buy a camera with a decent zoom. Don`t expect a wild animal to stand there and pose while you get close enough. Some people are just plain stupid. Despite numerous warning signs about keeping a safe distance from male elk in rutting season some people just couldn't help themselves. They had to get closer. Not only do these people risk getting hurt, they also get the animal killed if it attacks or they spoil the occassion for everyone else by scaring the animals off. You can guess what happened that morning...
(P.S. the next day we watched someone climb over a railing at the Athabasca Falls to get a better photo???? Need I say more!!)

Anyway, after our early morning wake up call we walked into town and picked up the rental then headed off to the Jasper Tramway at Whistlers Mountain. It was a beautiful clear day and the view from the top was fantastic. We climbed quite a bit higher up from the tramway terminus to get a better view (and better photo`s). In the afternoon we saddled up for a 1.25hr trail ride around one of the local lakes (Lake Annette). It was t-shirt weather (21degC) as we set off on the ride. We had considered a longer ride but our backsides were glad we stuck with the shorter option. It was good fun and a different way to enjoy the countryside. That evening I gave in and let Michele do her shopping thing in the main streets of Jasper.
Image 1 from Whistlers Mtn above the tramway.
Image 2 of some tourists on Whistlers Mtn (Mt. Edith Cavell in background).

The next day (25th) we headed off in the morning to spend some time around Patricia & Pyramid Lakes. We were a bit slow getting going this morning as I had been awake half the night because I was informed by sms at about 1.30am that a certain footy team had won the premiership - Go the Power!!! - Michele was rapt in this news because she knew I would be in a good mood for a few days :-) Sorry got sidetracked there for a minute.

Anyway after lunch we headed off to Maligne Lake. On the way we stopped by at Maligne Canyon which was well worth the visit. It is a very narrow canyon but over 50metres deep in places. There is a trail that follows the canyon for quite a way which includes a number of bridges. The scenery on the way out to the lake was, as usual, pretty ordinary. I don`t know what people see in this place!!!
Image from Maligne Canyon.
Ordinary scenery on the way to Maligne Lake.
A few hitchhikers...

At Maligne Lake we took the 1.5hr cruise out to the end of the lake where the run off from the glaciers turns the water a real torquoise colour. It is a beautiful place to visit. We took the postcard shot of Spirit Island. This island appeared on the Canadian $20 bill for many years (stand corrected here if need be!!).
Image of Spirit Island on Maligne Lake.