Glacier National Park and the town of Revelstoke

Just like the Yoho Valley & the Takkakaw falls in Yoho National Park, we had rarely ever visited Glacier National Park because most trails are closed throughout the year except for the summer months.  Unfortunately the hikes in this park are either very long and technical, and we were not yet ready to take our boys (or ourselves...let's be honest) on day hikes in the backcountry, or very very short.  

We stopped at the interpretative centre with its gorgeous view where the children completed their Xplorer assignment book to collect another National Park badge.  There was an assignment to take a picture in one of the pants of the early mountain explorers, so here you get to enjoy a goofy picture of us at the same spot. 

Then we left a bit further for 2 shorter hikes near the highway.  First we followed the Loop Brook trail that takes you around the remainers of a historic railroad loop that was built to reduce the steep grade to get the trains through the Roger's Pass across the Selkirk mountain range.  Only the pillars of the former railroad bridges that curled in this valley remain but it's visible enough to imagine the old itinerary.  

Walking on the old railroad

A little further we went to the confluence of the Asulkan Brook and the

Illecillewaet River at the Illecilewaet Campground.  Weather was in the mean time chilly and threatening for some rain and while we cheered for lots of rain that would bring relief to the many forest fires burning everywhere. 

the meeting of the rivers

Canada Park's landmark red chairs

We saw the remainders of the historic Canada Rail hotel that once brought tourists to this park but is now completely destroyed.  We had the opportunity to hike a bit further up to the foot of the glacier but the rumbling thunder in the air that sounded threatening in the mountains made us decide to only walk the smallest loop and return to the car.   We witnessed dry thunder which is so feared in Canada as cause of many forest fires but the rain didn't come.
When pulling up on the highway again, there was a strong campfire smell and I saw emergency vehicles a bit behind us on the highway pulling a black burnt tree log to the side of the road. Yikes, lightning must have hit closer than we had imagined. 

Revelstoke.

Not much later we were already in Revelstoke in a familiar hotel: the Mountain Glacier Resort.  We could check in early into our log cabin room which our boys adored very much.  We had exactly the same cabin as in 2015 when a bear casually walked through the hotel garden while we were enjoying the hot tub with baby Kabouter. 

Upon arrival in Revelstoke the smoke conditions were quite heavy and the mountains around were not to be seen anymore. Fortunately it improved over the next days. 

Our cabin in smoke and blue sky

In the afternoon, we visited the railroad museum (see a future post) and strolled through town. 

This is a mid-afternoon picture on a smoke afternoon with pretty bad air quality in Canada due to the forest fires.  This was a level up from the days before, although you don't realise it as much when you are in the middle of it.  I was surprised to spot downtown a few stores closed because of smoke conditions, while other patio's or take-out stores were simply open as always. 

Even Pokemon Go wanted to warn us about air quality (the next day when we had blue sky so don't know what it was like the day before!! I didn't check the day before)