Sunday 26 December 2010

Canada Trip Day 21: Banff National Park

3 July 2010 - After the helicopter ride at Kananaski, we were back in the coach heading towards Banff National Park on the Trans-Canada Highway, which stretches from the west to the east of Canada. The Rocky mountain range that seems to stretch endlessly, accompanying us throughout our coach journey back to British Columbia in the days to come. We passed the Three Sisters, Mount Rundle and Grotto Mountain before reaching the town. While the scenery is wonderful in Banff, the town area and popular mountains, lakes and falls are crowded with tourists like ourselves.

I found myself making associations of these mountains with those in New Zealand, Switzerland and Tibet. I think what I found marvelous about this trip was that the mountains were constantly so close to us with the highway just built always right beside them. There is great vastness of coniferous trees covering the slopes of this monstrous giants, as though every mountain is wearing a green shirt with their summit exposed.

During winter, man-made avalanches are organised to prevent unexpected casualties in these mountains. The roads involved would be closed and traffic diversion organised. These organised man-made avalanches are based on long-term studies of weather patterns, geology and avalanche histories as well as careful predictions of avalanches at different locations.



Charity, one of the Three Sisters

The Three Sisters mountain with Faith, Hope and Charity, named for their three peaks.

The Three Sisters from a distance

Rocky mountains that stretch along west of Canada

Slopes of Rockies covered with coniferous trees

Snow melting with increasing summer temperatures in the Rockies. But, it is still cold here!

Cars queuing at the entrance of Banff National Park

The Trans-Canada Highway is rich with history of railways, coal mining and Canadian native-foreigner relationships.

Holidaying in a caravan

Banff town centre

The Fairmont Banff Springs

The Fairmont Banff Springs

Snow-covered Rockies and coniferous trees

Trees

Camp site

Saw a deer grazing in the forest

Two Jack Lake

Some sort of a dam?

Palliser Range sign board

Going around the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Drive and now we see Lake Minnewanka

Mount Astley on the left and Lake Minnewanka

Leafless conifers

Divers at
Lake Minnewanka

Mount Inglismaldie and Lake Minnewanka

Lake Minnewanka cruise

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