Well my first trip report so here goes. Let me preface this by saying I took over 1000 photos so here is just a sampling......
Family of 4 in our 2006 SMB 4x4 Sportsmobile build RB50 V-10
2300 miles
7 Canadian National Parks visited (Revelstoke, Glacier, Yoho, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Waterton)
1 US National Park visited (Glacier)
9 days and great weather with only two days with rain.
Friday August 6th
Left after work around 4:00pm from Seattle WA. We got on I-90 and headed East. We dropped our Chocolate lab off with mother and father in laws in Ellensburg as they live in Yakima. We then took cut off I-90 at Quincy and headed North up 281 into 28 which turns into 97. We got to Lake Chelan around 7:30 ish so decided to camp our first night at a state campground on Lake Chelan snagging the last site in the campground available. It was a crowded site with no privacy, hot (temp around 85 degrees). We did not like this first campground but it worked for a quick stopover. Won't include pic as it isn't worth it.
Saturday August 7
Had to do a full pancake breakfast with bacon and eggs as it was my youngest boys birthday today (turned 6). We made it to the border in good time and with some interogation, quick inspection of the van, checking our passports, and confiscating some fruit we had, we were on our way. Do not bring firewood, fruit, guns, limited quantity alcohol, has to be specific bear spray (saying bear spray on can) not mace, or citrus to Canada. Made our way through Kelowna and on to Revelstoke where we wanted to camp but found out they didn't have any campsites and before we knew it we had already passed through Revelstoke by the time we got the maps out.
Glacier was next and came up fast. We ended up camping at the campground near the loop trail on the river. Plenty of availability as all the site around us were empty! In Canada you pay for the night and add $8 extra for a fire permit if you want a campfire. At each campground they have a firewood area that is fully stocked and you can grab as much wood as you want for your fire which is free if you pay the $8 fire permit. This is something we did not know until we got there and was a nice surprise. We made our meal over the fire. Temps around 50 and night around 38.
This was the view from our campsite with a hint of the mountains in the background and a preview of what to come.
Sunday August 8
Went for a small 2 mile hike around the loop trail from the campsite. Went up the road to another hike into Balu pass which left from the Glacier visitors center parking lot. Went straight up for a mile but then put us into a sweet high alpine meadow and valley. Lots of bear warnings here but didn't see any.