CAN: Spirit Island

Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Spirit Island is a peninsula that looks like an islet, which is located on a remote shore of Maligne Lake. Surrounded by high peaks and glaciers, it's a view many people associate with the Canadian Rockies. Most people get up close and personal with Spirit Island via cruise tours. Paddling on your own can take four hours one way.

Premium Cruise passengers are given 30 minutes to spend at the shore.


Would you believe me if I tell you that the toilet there is one of the most expensive to build and maintain?


I'd love to wake up to such a view every morning~

Enjoy some photos of Spirit Island below. It's indeed a spiritual place for the Nakoda, a group of indigenous people in Western Canada, who believe that mountains are physical representations of their ancestors.



The fact that Spirit Island is surrounded by the same mountain range on three sides is very rare,
which makes it particularly significant to the Nakoda.
Here's an amateur attempt at panorama shot. In fact, I've only started playing around with panorama photography because of my BFF who loves doing that.


There's a very short trekking route that loops back to the shore, allowing you to see Spirit Island from different angles. The guide offers an interpretive walk to any keen passengers.



Take note that one section of the path is a flight of stairs.


Anyone knows the name of this particular plant?

The toilet is powered by solar panels.



I was shown a cross section of a tree trunk by the guide, who went on to explain how to calculate the age of the tree.


I was truly thankful for the opportunity to marvel at the Canadian Rockies.



I wonder how easy or difficult it's to operate that kind of boat.
On the way back to the pier, the guide went to each and every passenger or group of passengers to find out more about our country of origin, our experience in the Canadian Rockies, etc. Anyway, for those who don't wish to pay such a price for the cruise, you may want to consider a 90-minute guided walk along the shores of Maligne Lake that are nearer to the pier.


Mary Schaffer, an American-Canadian naturalist and explorer, once said,
"If Lake Louise is a pearl, Maligne Lake is the entire pearl necklace."

The entire experience lasted for about 2 hours.
Did you know that Kodak showcased a photo of Spirit Island in New York City's Grand Central Terminal in 1960? More recently, Apple used an image of Spirit Island when launching an iPad model in 2014.

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