Banff National Park, Canada
[March 2022] Since I was so close to Canada when I visited my friend near Glacier National Park I figured I might as well keep going North and visit Banff National Park. It had been on my to-visit list and now was the time. I googled things to do there and came across ice climbing, which I had tried to do during my time in Montana but it didn’t work out. I reached out to the company and reserved a spot in a beginner ice climbing course in Canmore. More about that here (blog forthcoming).
4-star hotel, Fairmont Banff Springs
View from Tunnel Mountain
View from Tunnel Mountain
lake louise
One of the most photographed lakes in the world, I had seen pictures of the turquoise-colored lake during summer, and once I found out it was frozen I immediately knew I wanted to ice skate on it. I had recently picked up some secondhand skates in Montana and loved skating around on the little pond on the ranch. I had always wanted to skate on a frozen body of water since I grew up just skating indoors in ice rinks. So once at Lake Louise I took my skates and even though no one else was skating I found a little patch of ice uncovered of snow and skated. It must have been too late in the season and they weren’t keeping the rink area clear so it wasn’t that enjoyable. After attempting to skate I walked around to the far side of the lake for a few miles round trip.
Closed out the day with a soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs (only CAD9.25) and a bison burger and local beer at 1890 Smokehouse in Canmore. Then I drove through the snow headed back toward Calgary and slept in my van at a roadside pullout. I can’t wait to go back.
Banff Upper Hot Springs