Banff - Mountains to the Left, Mountains all Around

Banff, city in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, on all sides mountains, some still covered with snow - hiking paths in all directions.  What a lovely place to spend a few days.  We got a taste of it - much to return to complete.

The town is much busier than West Yellowstone .... but it is still quiet - the time between the winter and summer seasons.  Lots of restaurants in town - we ate at a gourmet burger bar, an Indian restaurant, and a pub with elk steak and bison burgers. 

We're enjoying our new panaromic camera.  We took great pictures on our many walks.  We started out from our lodge on Tunnel Mountain and walked into town, and over to the Bow River trail - and the Spray River trail.  After our 6 hour walk - everything in and on my body hurt but we got wonderful pictires.

On our second day, finally, the clouds and rain had disappeared and a clear blue sky was shining from early AM, from snow covered peak to snow covered peak in every compass direction.

Having reached near exhaustion over the course of yesterday's hike we chose a more modest endeavor for today. A lake-side walk and canyon trail just north of town would be our warm-up, perhaps a shorter meadow walk to follow.

Lake Miniwanka, a dammed river valley obliterated an early pioneer settlement now providing a forefront to expansive mountain views in all directions.

Leavingthe lakeshore we followed the river up-canyon. Clearly little sun reaches this interior passage as winter's snow accumulation remains 20+ feet to both sides of the river.














What a difference a day makes. Yesterday's hillside mud streams has given way to today's soft pine needle ladden trail.  Of course not forgetting cautions to hikers to proceed only in close groups of 4+ so as to increase ones chances of surviving a bear encounter!

Another roadside attraction?  This lone Rock Mt Bighorn Sheep had settled in for a rest cliffside,overlooking another nearby lake and conveniently close to a popular roadside pullout.  I guess he was posted as a spotter for tourists in search of the next scenic vista.

Awhile later, back in town we settled in for a well deserved brew while we pondered options with dinner time rapidly approaching.