Day 8: Jasper National Park

After visiting the two lakes of Mount Robson Provincial Park, Moos Lake and Yellowhead Lake, we leave the park and the province of British Columbia. Now we are in the province of Alberta and adjust our clocks one hour ahead, which means there is only an 8-hour time difference with Germany. We quickly reach Jasper National Park and purchase an annual pass for all national parks in Canada worth $145. First, we head to the town of Jasper. It offers everything tourists need. We visit the visitor center and get information about hiking conditions. Then we buy David a black bear stuffed animal, which we promised him. We also buy bear spray because the encounter with the bear yesterday left its mark. Our hike today takes us to Old Fort Point, a 4-kilometer hike to a hilltop. The trail starts in a sparse forest, with colorful wildflowers, and takes us to a 1,170-meter-high mountain peak. We are rewarded with a great 360° panoramic view. We see the mountains, forests, and the river and lakes. We spend some time on the plateau and continue our loop trail. In the distance, we spot a black bear in a clearing. We push through the undergrowth and almost think we took the wrong path until we find the connection to the trail. Now we reach another viewpoint overlooking the rushing river, and then we start the steep and stepped descent. After 2 hours, we reach our car and drive to the campground. On the side of the road, the children spot a bear again, but we drive past it too quickly. Our campground is a clearing with many deer, and we sight a few at the entrance. Unfortunately, they have disappeared by the time we park our car. The children participate in the Junior Park Rancher program, and we explore the surroundings for plants and animal tracks. We hear a bird call and search for it nearby. Then we spot a ground squirrel that is making these sounds. It stands on a tree trunk, monitoring and warning its fellow squirrels. Then we see many squirrels scurrying into their burrows.
There has been a problem with a beetle infestation at the campground, affecting a large number of trees that had to be cut down to prevent the spread of parasites. As a result, there is free wood for campfires.