The Rocky Mountains are awesome!
It took a long time to drive there (by UK standards, but a short drive by Canadian standards) and it was amazing to watch the scenery change en route. We went from long, straight roads and completely flat plains around us to rolling forests with the mountains appearing on the horizon, then we were surrounded by mountains and driving next to blue glacial rivers and under bridges covered in trees for animals to cross.
We drove straight past Banff first and went to Moraine lake, clambered over some rocks for better views and took lots of photos (to follow), then we drove to Lake Louise, which was quite crowded with tourists but an amazing blue colour with the glacier visible on the mountains behind. We went for a bit of a walk along the banks and had a refreshing paddle in the cold water.
I was travelling in a truck with four Brazilians, and another couple were in a separate car, they had made a huge amount of sandwiches for us all and were really looking after me, speaking English most of the time.
It was nearly dinner time when we checked into the hostel at Banff, and luckily for me, Brazilians really like to BBQ. We cooked a yummy dinner, got changed and headed into Banff for drinking and dancing. Despite getting them to teach me how to do samba dancing while we were cooking, I didn't actually samba at all, but I did dance a lot AND I met three mounties! unfortunately, they wouldn't let me take their picture so I have no evidence, but they were in their normal blue uniforms instead of the red which is what I really want to see.
It was a great night out, but we had our alarms set for a early start on sunday so that we could climb a mountain and go to the hot springs and leave at around lunchtime for the long drive back. despite getting up early, breakfast was really busy at the hostel so it took us a long time before we actually headed to out.
Sulphur Mountain is nearly 2,500m high, and very steep so the trail up it constantly turns and twists. There is a handy waterfall halfway up where you can refill your water bottles. It took us 1hour 45 mins to get up to the top and there were spectacular views all the way. I also enjoyed waving at the people taking the gondola ride up whenever we crossed over their route.
We had lunch at the top, then took the boardwalk path over to Sanson peak, which was a weather station in the early 1900s. N.B. Sanson would climb up the mountain over and over again to take readings, and would live up there for the whole winter, unable to get down. You can see the tiny room he lived in.
trekking up the mountain means riding the gondolas down is free and takes just eight minutes. It was already 3pm by then, so no time for hot springs, just the drive back. This time I was in the front seat and kept myself awake with some new forms of caffeine (a free can of energy drink and a chocolate bar) so that I could enjoy all of the scenery and my new friends singing along to the Brazilian radio station.
I definitely want to go back to the Rockies as many times as possible while I'm here. The Sulphur Mountain made Tunnel Mountain in Banff look practically flat and there are so many other trails to wander and mountains to climb.
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