Day Twenty Five

Woke up to low clouds and general rain, so a good day to go to the Miette Hot Springs. They are about an hour east of Jasper. The road leading in goes along Fiddle Creek. Clouds were very low today with a steady light rain. Arrived at the hot springs with a sign telling us not to feed or approach the wildlife and six mountain goats eating the lawn beneath the sign.

Miette Hot Springs is the hotest of the hot springs in the rockies and the water comes out at 52C. The water has to be cooled before entering the large outdoor pools. One pool is 103F (and about 4 to 5 feet deep) and the next pool is 100F (shallower with ledges all around). Margot found the first pool a bit too hot. They have one more pool which is not heated at all. It was 52F the day we were there. About the same temperature we swam in along the south coast of Nova Scotia two years ago. The girls and Stewart rotated around all three pools and we thoroughly enjoyed our mineral soak in the fog and rain.

Heading back to Jasper we finally saw our first western bear -- a black bear heading straight into the Pocahontas campground. We found a geocache just off the highway near a lake and burnt forest. This forest was part of a prescribed burn that got out of control in 2003. We saw a bald eagle being chased by a blackbird and loons on the lake.

Continued the drive to Jasper. We saw two male elk. Dinner in town was in order as it was pouring rain. Hoping for sun tomorrow.

Mountain goats at Miette Hot Springs.

Outside Miette Hot Springs.

Fiddler's Creek on the way to Miette Hot Springs.

Burned out forest between Miette Hot Springs and Jasper.

Burned out forest between Miette Hot Springs and Jasper.

Elk by the roadside