We spent three weeks camping in Canada with Jim’s cousin Sam Claiborne and his companion, Linda Reed. For the most of the trip we were in British Columbia. You can check out the following route description on our Maps page which should open in a new tab or page so you can leave it open and refer back to it as needed. Our route started with a ferry from Port Angeles, WA to Victoria on Vancouver Island, BC. We spent 4 days in the Victoria area and then went up the east side of Vancouver Island to Courtenay. Another ferry took us across the inland passage to the mainland. Heading south towards Vancouver we had to take ferries across two large bays. Then it was up Highway 99 to Highway 97. North on 97 to Prince George and then west on Highway 16 to Smithers where we decided on a route change. We backtracked to Prince George and picked up 97 again heading north. Highway29 took us to the Alaska Highway where we turned south east. The Alaska Highway ends in Dawson Creek and from there we we headed east and then south in Alberta on Highway 40. When we came back to Highway 16 we turned west and went to Jasper. From Jasper it was south on Highway 93, known as the Icefields Parkway which is reported to be one of the most beautiful drives in the world. We left 93 when it joined Highway 1 heading east. We turned south on 40 again until it ran out of pavement. At that point we took several small roads to east and south finishing up on Highway 4 which runs into the US and becomes Interstate 15. I’ll do my best to put the pictures up in chronological order starting with a picture taken on the first ferry. All pictures should pop up enlarged versions if you click on them. Now, on to the Pictures.
Our first campground, Goldstream Provincial Park, just outside of Victoria. That is Sam’s camper and rental car on the left and our pickup camper on the right
Camping in Canada 2017
Approaching Victoria
While we were at Goldstream we went ziplinning. The Adrena Live zip line course is 8 zips. 7 if you don’t count the short “training” line. They are up high in the trees. Gail wore her orange sweat pants so her body would be easy to find if something broke. I took a few short videos. Check them out.
Gail
Jim
Sam
At the zip line office/souvenir stand.
We also spent time touring the Butchart Gardens. It would take a thousand pictures to do justice to the gardens but I won’t inflict that on you. Here are just a few.
After leaving Goldstream we drove up the east side of Vancouver Island stopping at Cowichan Lake Provincial Park for the night.
Along the way we saw some great views and stopped in a couple of small towns to view the totem poles, murals (also known as “murials”), and the goats at a market.
Sam and Linda
Ferry Trips Map 2
The second ferry, from Saltery Bay to Earls Cove worked it’s way up the bay in a view that made me thing of Captain Vancouver, and others, searching for the hoped for Northwest Passage
Crossing the inland passage with the mainland ahead
Our second night on the mainland we stopped just past Whistler (a town we by-passed since it looked like it would be expensive and reminded us of Aspen). We stayed in Nairn Falls Provincial Park. After a good night’s rest next to the rushing river, we hiked up to see the falls.
The view out of our back door and the snow capped mountains across the river.
The trail up to the falls
The Falls