BANFF AND YOHO NATIONAL PARKS

I have dreamed of hiking in Canada for a few years now.  Every image I see of Banff and Yoho National Park is of beautiful snow capped mountains and turquoise lakes.  So, when we started planning our hiking trip this year I was ecstatic when our dream was becoming a reality.  Unfortunately, the day before we were supposed to leave my beloved cat had a medical emergency so I joined the rest of my group a few days late.  This meant I just had to work a little harder to get it all in!

We stayed in Banff which is just a short 90 minute drive from Calgary.  It is a quaint town surrounded by picturesque landscapes at every turn.  The town is very touristy and busy but we spend most of our time on the trails anyways except for getting our groceries and a few times out to eat.

Most of the days we were were in Canada the weather was really cloudy and dreary which didn’t give me the best pictures but it didn’t stop me from snapping the spectacular views.

This is the view looking down the main street in Banff with the unbelievable view of Tunnel Mountain at sunset.

Even the view from our restaurant was amazing!

The iconic Banff Springs in Banff, Canada.  Truly an amazing site in person and the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever seen!

 

JOHNSTON CANYON:  BANFF NATIONAL PARK

This is a short hike up to an amazing waterfall in Banff National Park.

 

 

This is the closest we got to a bear in Canada

The moss in Canada was gorgeous and colorful

 

 

LAKE O’HARA: YOHO NATIONAL PARK

We had heard amazing things about Lake O’Hara so we put it on our to-do list for our trip. This area has a very sensitive eco system so to preserve it only 47 people are allowed in by bus each day in addition to the campers. They only take reservations 3 months out and they usually sell out within an hour. We were fortunate enough to get through and place reservations for our trip. After our short bus ride into Lake O’Hara your breath is taken away by this picture perfect turquoise lake surrounded by spectacular mountains surrounding it in every direction. Our trail captain, Scott, decided on the hike for us and we had NO idea what was about to unfold!

The Wiwaxy Gap and Huber Ledges hike started out very steep but with every turn you had amazing panoramic views of colorful rock, waterfalls and snow capped mountains.  You climb about 1700 feet in about 1.2 miles.  We started to hit snow covered trails towards the top and I really started to panic because I kept losing my footing. There was a point of no return because it would have been too dangerous down the same way.

The last hour to the summit was honestly brutal. At several points I didn’t think I was going to make it because I kept slipping and it was exhausting because I expended so much energy trying not to fall.  I began to panic and cry  but  kept moving forward and we finally hit the summit which was a spectacular view.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to celebrate because all I could think of is how we get down this snowy mountain.  The next couple hours were full of intense moments as we had to manueveur across snow packed exposed cliffs with deadly drop offs on the Huber ledges.  It was so dangerous and scary as we slipped and slided. We finally reached an altitude of less snow making the trek a little more bearable.
Once we safely made it down to safer areas we stopped for lunch and ran into a very sweet couple who asked if we had just finished the alpine trail. They said they were behind us and while they were approaching the summit we were making our way across the snowy ledges.   I felt better knowing how challenging it was for them too.  They were filming their trek and I can’t wait to see the footage!

I’ve NEVER been so happy to be at the bottom of a mountain before. This 7 hour hike (which should have been about half that) was very stressful and I’m not ready for another one like that for a long time! Even though it was extreme, it also had the most magnificant views I’ve ever seen at every turn. We have since read that this trail isn’t as trecherous when it isn’t snow covered but you definitely must be ok with exposed ledges with drop offs, heights and steep gains up the mountain.

 

I took this from the Huber Ledges as other hikers were approaching the summit.  CRAZY!!!

 

We sat down for lunch after our near death experience.  We were laughing because despite the slips and falls the Pringles were intact!

Lake Oesa

Hillary and Jeremy stopped to talk to us about their terrifying experience on the trail too!

 

MORRAINE LAKE: BANFF NATIONAL PARK
This was an amazing lake with spectacular views and perfect turquoise colored water. It’s best to get here early before the loads of buses and camper caravans arrive. The best view is from a pile of rocks that you climb.

 

 

LAKE LOUIS: BANFF NATIONAL PARK

This is one of the most iconic lakes in the park.  It is best known for the prestigious Fairmont Chateau.  There is a 3.3 mile moderate trail that leads up to a tea house that dates back to the 1920’s. You can get a light lunch, snacks and tea at this quaint stop before heading back down to the lake.

Along the trail you will see some amazing views of the mountains, the Fairmont Chateau and guided horse tours.
The biggest downfall to this trail is it is extremely crowded and touristy. The view of the lake is amazing but the trail was too crowded in my opinion. The tea house is iconic to the area but I would skip it because the area has so much to offer. The view to Lake Louis is steps from the parking lot so grab the picture and move on!

This was our honorary ‘dip’ in Lake Louise but this was about as far as it goes when the temperature of the water is 40 degrees!! Brrrrr!

My wonderful sister in law, Cheryl!

Fairmont Chateau

The historic Tea House at the top of the Lake Louise trail

We saw a few rock climbers along the trail at Lake Louise

Lake Louise on a very cloudy day

 

ICEFIELDS PARKWAY: BANFF AND JASPER NATIONAL PARK

This parkway stretches 144 miles through the heart of the Canadian Rockies.  This scenic route has many stops with majestic views along the way and you are likely to see some wildlife too!  We saw a bear crossing the road here! This drive is a nice break since most of the stops require little to no hiking to the lookout points.

 

 

I really enjoyed our trip to Banff and the surrounding areas.  The unspoiled land and fresh mountain air rejuvenates the spirit!  I can’t wait to go back with more time to enjoy so many of the amazing hikes around the area.