September 28, 2006 To stand at the foot of giants that have withstood the torment of time puts life in a new perspective... or it just makes a pretty post card if that is your preference. I have heard a few times that the Canadian Rockies put the US Rockies to shame. What an absurd thing to say. To think that the landscape itself is in a petty competition based on our own egotistical standards is a fun thought though. Undeniably, there is spectacular beauty here that perhaps is unique from anywhere else in the world.

Emerging from flatland

Driving down highway 2 I could see the rockies as a seemingly endless disturbance along the horizon. When something is so far away, one tends to discard it as unimportant, even though your better judgement knows the greatness it would assume from a nearer perspective. Our perceptions are just doing their job, holding what is directly in-front of us with the utmost importance... which I am glad for because I was driving.

The city of Banff

The small touristy city of Banff is located near some hot springs discovered by three railway workers during the late 1800's. This is in fact the spot where Canada's National Park system began and was one of the earliest destinations for tourists. Expecting to arrive at snow and below 0 temperatures, it did not occur to me to pack my bathing suit. In actuality the weather was a wonderful 20° C (~70° F) and even by night stayed comfortable with a warm breeze. I'm sure that it was a fluke, because just a week before they had snow.

My tour of Banff was a quick 24 hours, from mid-day Thursday to Friday afternoon, being squeezed between my other plans. The area consists of a small city with a number of shops, pubs and restaurants. Scattered around a 5 mile radius are most of the main attractions of the park. In the winter, snow sport is also very popular as indicated by the various outfitting shops. Being that I had limited time, my plan was to find the most scenic and spectacular sites.

A trip to the summit

My first endeavor was an arduous hike to the top of Sulphur Mountain. A gondola was actively carting sight seers up and down the mountain, but I decided that I would rather walk the trail. At each switchback I was confronted with my choice to take the less travelled and more difficult path, watching people in the gondola silently and effortlessly gliding up and down. But my comfort was being in nature and in appreciation for my ability to engage myself physically. I reached the top after what seemed to be an eternity and was thoroughly exhausted as well as drenched with sweat.

I paid a due for my ill-preparedness with a $12 meal of a candy bar and hot chocolate, which a brave little bird tried to steal from me. Despite being cold, wet and tired I felt aglow from the exertion. Being faced again with the choice of the path or the gondola for the return trip it was easy to choose the walk. My jaunt up Sulphur Mountain and back was about as much of a workout as I could stand for one day, so I spent the rest of the evening strolling through the town just being a tourist.

A hostel stay

Rather than waste my money on a fancy hotel, I decided to try out the hostel-thing and go cheep. I found the HI-Banff Alpine Centre which for about $30 provided a bed in a 4-bedroom dormitory with a common bathroom in the hallway. My room was occupied by just one other person, a vacationer from England going on a backpack tour. Sharing a room with a stranger (who tended to snore loudly) was not the best night of sleep I've had, but it was a good exercise in extending my comfort level. In all aspects the hostel was nice with lots of amenities and I would certainly stay there again.

Making the final rounds

The next morning I arose before sunrise from a somewhat restless sleep to make the most of my short stay. Still sore from my hike the day before, I decided to drive around to all the main sights and only take the easier short trails. Everywhere I went offered a bounty of photo opportunities. Being out early in the morning, everything is so still and quiet as though the mountains themselves are asleep. The sun began peeking over the summits and through the trees bringing brilliant contrast to the landscape. I continued my photo hunt well into the day going from site to site. At last when I felt that I had taken enough pictures, it was time to head back to Edmonton. I was tempted to stay another day in Banff, but I did not really pack for it and I did not want to miss one of my classes that evening. In leaving I felt I had seen most of Banff, though only a fragment of the Canadian Rockies. I hope to make a trip back to one of the neighboring national parks Jasper, Yoho or Kootenay before my stay in Canada is over.