It was a shame to be in Calgary for only a couple of nights as there’s so much more to see and do, but it was great fun meeting up with Kat again. I have been to some great places, but Canadian hospitality is second to none.
Next morning, I caught the Brewster Express to Banff. Banff is somewhere I have always wanted to visit since I did my work experience as a travel agent when I was at school and this was their top winter location. I remember seeing the snow covered mountains, crisp clear blue skies in the brochures (no internet back then!) and thinking how wonderful it must be to go there. Well now I was finally doing it. The bus picked me up from the hotel in Calgary and dropped me off at the hotel in Banff which was really handy as it meant no walking with my backpack in freezing temperatures. The journey was only about 2 hours door to door and it wasn’t until we came over a crest of the hill that got a glimpse of the mountains. Although I had seen them previously whilst on the train from Vancouver to Edmonton, they never fail to amaze.
Once at the hotel, the Banff Park Lodge, and checked into my room I changed into thermals and then went straight out. It’s too good a place to stay in a hotel room. The hotel was only a 2 minute walk to the centre of town. It is very picturesque, almost quaint with nice little signs hanging up outside each shop.
There are bus stops along the road with live ETA information displayed electronically. Just because it’s a remote town doesn’t mean it’s without technology. It was 15 minutes before the next bus was due but being -23 it was too cold to stand at the bus stop, so I visited a couple of the shops instead and bought some maple syrup caramels, which were really nice, and waited until the bus arrived.
It was $5CAD for a 24 hour bus pass so it was worth it. The Banff Gondola is a pretty big tourist attraction in Banff and the bus went straight there. It was about $63CAD for a round trip on the gondola, but it certainly saves a good few hours hiking in the thick snow and freezing cold to the top of Mount Sulphur at 2,451m high.
Despite its name, there is no sulphur smell. At the base of the gondola there is a sign warning people to wrap up warm as it’s usually 10 degrees colder at the top than at the base. It was already -23 at the base… The best views were sitting with your back to Mount Sulphur and as the gondola rises the view of the Rockies and the Banff Fairmont Springs hotel present themselves.
After about 8 minutes I was at the top and really could not believe the views I was seeing.
At the top there is a visitors centre with cafe, restaurant information centre and of course a gift shop. There is also a mountain ridge walkway which is really worth doing. Most of it is on wooden decking. There were no slip issues despite the snow and ice but the air was so clean and fresh. I swear if that could be bottled somehow, it would make someone a millionaire. Despite this, I felt like a millionaire on top of this pretty much deserted mountain, surrounded by stunning views in every direction. In fact stunning does not do the views the justice they deserve.
After a few hours at the top, I went to the cafe and had a black cherry cola to rehydrate which was very nice, if not a bit sweet and a coffee to warm up. I then caught the gondola back down to the base, again brilliant views as I descended. There is a very popular sky bistro at the top which always seems to be fully booked for dinner and am not surprised.
Once off the gondola, there is another attraction within about 5 minutes walking and it is the Banff Upper Hot Springs. These are naturally heated pools on the side of the mountain. It was less than $10CAD to go in and you could stay in for as long as you liked, up until 22.00hrs. The outside temperature was now down to -28 but the water was +41. The water was shallow, say about 2ft deep but enough to sit / lay down in. It didn’t take long to get too hot so I ended up sitting on the side with ice was forming in my hair. That was quickly dispensed with a quick plunge, only for it form again in a few minutes time. The views would be great, seeing the sun set and the shadows form on the mountains, but in reality couldn’t see that much of the views here because of all the steam and vapour.
I stayed in until the sun had set and besides, I was beginning to prune. By sheer coincidence as I arrived at the bus stop it was only a 3 minute wait for the bus. If I had missed this one, it would have been 51 minutes until the next. Back in town, showered and changed I went straight back out again and went to quite a famous restaurant called Saltlick. The steak, beers and an Old Fashioned cocktail were absolutely amazing and was a perfect way to end a perfect day. I highly recommend it.
Next morning I had booked a one day tour to Lake Louise. The lake is famed for its turquoise clear waters but this still being a Canadian winter, you wouldn’t actually be able to see the lake itself as it was under about 1.5m of ice and then snow covered too. I was picked up promptly and transferred to another bus which was about a third full. On the drive out there, the guide provided lots of information, perhaps too much as could not take it all in and also stopped in various locations, allowing us out to take some pictures.
Once at Lake Louise we had about 4 hours of free time to explore and if am honest could have done with at least 8 hours. We were dropped off at the Fairmont Chateaux Lake Louise which is a rather plush hotel and just the sheer volume of snow on top of a small wooden building gives an indication of how cold it gets.
The skies were blue, not a cloud to be seen. There were intricate ice sculptures by the side of the lake from a competition that’s held annually and people were jostling to get photos with them, myself included.
After that, I went for a walk on the lake itself. How often do you get a chance in life to walk on a frozen lake? I should point out it was safe to do so, the ice was well over 1.5m thick, vehicles could drive on this without fear of falling through so I think I was ok… Once in the shadow of one of the mountains, the temperature dropped at least a further 10 degrees so it was a relief to get back into the sun again.
Walking back people snowshoeing and cross country skiing passed me going the opposite direction, at one point even a horse drawn carriage went by.There were options to go dog sledding or snowmobiling but I just opted for a leisurely stroll in the snow.
The following day and back in Banff, I just wondered around the town and walked part of the was down the Bow River.
I wish I could have spent much longer here as it by far one of my favourite destinations I have ever been to, but I think the “less is more” is right here. Besides, I had to get back to Edmonton and catch the train to Toronto. It’s the same train I took from Vancouver to Edmonton, but it would be 4 days before I arrive in Toronto.