Back in Banff! This time a day earlier than the conference (World Media Festival) so that we could enjoy the surroundings. Spent the Saturday at Lake Louise, first climbing the “Lake Agnes and the Beehives” trail: a 4-hour round-trip, 11 KMs long, moderate to difficult, climb (about 500 meters altitude difference) along the famous Lake Louise (named after the daughter of Queen Victoria – she was the wife of the then Canadian Governor General!), right up to a teahouse by Lake Agnes (named after the wife of Sir John A. Macdonald, then Prime Minister, who would have climbed up to that lake in the late 1890’s - “wives of” seem to have been an important factor in the local toponymy!) Short stop at “Mirror Lake”, a small lake on the way up that allows a fantastic view of the big “Beehive” mountain. Even met a SOCAN colleague going up the trail! Had tea (of course) at the top! Going further was blocked by snow still in the trail…went back down the way we came up…
Then a half-hour canoe ride on the (small) lake, to escape the shore filled with visitors (even though we are not yet in the full tourist season!). Lake Louise (in the National Banff Park – the first National Park, created a year after Banff was established as a place in 1885!) is probably, we are told, the greatest attraction in the Rockies because of its very blue waters – it looks turquoise (which is caused by the glacier silt carried down from the surrounding mountains).
We drove nearby for a ride on the “artificial” lake, Lake Minnewanka (dammed again in 1941 – by decision under the War Measures Act – to provide power for some mineral exploitation in the area; however, we are told, it took until 1947 – 2years after the war was over - for the waters to rise the needed 100 feet – useless!) This is the largest lake (27 KMs long) in the Park. Saw a bunch of mountain deer (?) along the lake. Fell asleep for a while on the boat – to the amazement of the very informative guide, even though in the end he did not have an answer to all my questions!
There is light in the Rockies at this time of the year, right up to late evenings! The hot springs pools (e.g. the Upper Banff Hot Springs pool) are open until 11pm! We soaked in a 39 C degree pool of mineral waters near Sulphur Mountain for an hour or so. We read that Banff exists because of the “discovery” (by the white man anyway!) of the hot springs in the late 1800’s: the waters, because of the sulphur, apparently has some medicinal value (that was never proven, but nonetheless very soothing to rest in these hot springs, surrounded by the majestuous mountains!)
Sunday morning, raining! Visit to Whyte Museum. Local history: railroad construction; tourism; alpinism; skiing; luxury travel (CPR) and hospitality (Banff Springs hotel); local tribe pictures; paintings; etc…
Back to business that afternoon with opening of Festival…
Cynthia explored the town of Banff and its surroundings on bicycle in the following days.
Saw some wild life throughout our stay (a bighorn sheep and an elk; no bears though, although we learned you can tell a grizzly bear from the black variety – which could be brown! – by the hump on his back – no need to ask them directly!)
Best meal: dinner at “The Bison”. Discovered “Coyotes” (very good “Mushroom Tagliatelle”!). Had lunch at “Maple Leaf” – very good. Breakfasts at the ‘Wild Flour” (for the coffee!).
Banff, June 13, 2013
