Friday - Canada Day

 Canada's 126th independence day - great day to be in Jasper!  Slept late and missed the pancake breakfast  - interesting note:  you could either bring your own dish/flatware or "borrow" the same for a $3 deposit.  Recycling and composting are quite institutionalized here in Canada - bins for these are located side by side with garbage bins throughout Alberta. 

Took the Tram up Whistler Mountain, a short drive from downtown and highly visible from our hostel - cloudy day, but the clouds were high enough to let us see the peaks. 

Tram base, Whistler Mountain, Jasper

Western side of the Maligne Range, Jasper National Park

Tried my first Smokie - grilled outdoors on the Tram platform, served in a hot dog bun - similar to kielbasa and satisfying.  The top of the tram is, like the one at Lake Louise, not quite at the summit.  Although the trail to the summit was open, and approximately a half-hour hike from the upper tram platform, we opted to eschew the summit as it was minus 5 Celsius and breezy, with light snow falling.  Quite invigorating!

Got back in time to view the Canada Day parade - quite long!  With a variety of floats, people on horses, and a great bagpipe/drum band up front.

 

 

 

Late lunch at Earl's - great steaks and a tasty strawberry daiquiri, and as they're on the 2nd floor, offer stunning scenic vistas.  Their to-go boxes have composting/recycling messages on each of the six sides - educational and entertaining!

 

Another quiet evening - missed the fireworks which didn't start until 11:15 p.m. due to the late sunset typical of this time of year.