A chilly, misting rain with occasional snow mixed in. 
The weather didn’t make for a particularly great start for our drive across the Icefields Parkway. Peaks of mountains peeked out through the clouds now and then. Kent spotted mountain goats. The afternoon cleared to leave us with this view out of our window.
We are spending the night among the glaciers. Not too shabby.
It drizzled a bit but a leisurely stroll around Johnson Lake provided some lovely views.
Sulfur hot springs well up all over the place at Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Through the years bathers have been lowered into a cave to be dipped in a subterranean pool, 
splashed around in a natural rock basin, or soaked in an Olympic sized pool fed by the spring. I like the idea of a natural mineral spring soak but when the steam from this sulfur stream swirls around me the smell about takes my breath away. A soak here wouldn’t be very relaxing to me.
They have returned much of the spring to its original flow paths so it trickles down the side of Sulfur Mountain across a perpetually green hillside, even in the Alberta winter.
Buildings have been generally restored to the 1880s period but the water is strictly off limits to protect an endangered snail that lives in the spring. For a soak, one has only to go into town to the still operating spa. It is fed by the upper hot springs…apparently not a home to the endangered snail!
It is a different kind of beautiful around Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. 
It a bit of an in-your-face reminder; where did you think glaciers and ice fields come from?
They all made a showing this morning on our trek across the Bow Valley Parkway. The road is actually a section of old highway 1that reverted to wildlife viewing only when they built the TransCanada Highway through here. Not only is commercial truck traffic prohibited, the road is actually closed to all vehicle traffic from 8PM to 8AM to give wildlife the full run of at least this little strip of the narrow valley the Bow River has so artfully cut through the mountains.
The wolf trotted down the middle of the road like he owned it. 
A big ole grizzly bear hung out on the railroad tracks just snarffling around. Bull elk with velvet covered antlers munched away on all that is green, where ever they pleased. I think, they think this is really their space. We just get to pass through now and again. Good for them.
Brilliant sunlight. Gleaming white snow capped peaks. Crisp pine scented air. 
Why would we waste a minute of it?
370 and sleeting. It wasn’t the best weather but the falls are beautiful with the spring melt-off. 
The coolest thing, porcupines. 
The sun was low in the sky and when the porcupines waddled across the field the quills were highlighted like a halo making them look 3 times larger than they actually are. Very cool and cute too. Elk and a new bird for our life list-a Wilson’s Phalarope.
It is a matter of numbers and splendid breeding plumage rather than new sightings. American Avocets,
Black Necked Stilts, and Cinnamon Teals in their Sunday best explore the many ponds and channels. The breeze stirs wispy neck and head feathers of snowy egrets. Pheasant plumage is so vivid that it almost looks painted on.
As the sun slides lower in the sky over the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, bugs first dot then cover the car windows. Mosquitoes? They sure look like mosquitoes! Have no fear though, according to a conveniently placed refuge signboard they are actually midges…mosquito-like but no nasty biting proboscises. We are not taking any chances. Windows are staying up.
Can you guess? Ok, I’ll tell you. 
They are trains; engines to be exact. They are the two engines that met at the Golden Spike ceremony of the completion of the transcontinental railroad in Promontory Utah in 1869. These are historically accurate replicas. Unfortunately, the originals were scrapped out for $1000 a piece long ago. We are at the Golden Spike National Historical Site. The engines are wondrous to look at. They are meticulously maintained and drive every day; out for display then back in for the night. One each, coal fired and wood fired puffed their way along the tracks with bells and steam whistles accompanying the clatter of the rails and whoh-whoh sound from the stacks. I love it!
A possible volunteer site for us? Maybe. They use volunteers for maintenance in the winter (pretty cold here though) and in the summer as actual fire tenders on the trains. Sounds very cool to me.