Banff!

On Tuesday we left the Stoney Nakota Casino under sunny skies, and we cruised up the Bow River Valley.  As the day progressed temperatures rose into the upper 70s.

The Banff Parkway

Matilda likes overlooks

The Banff Parkway has a dozen or so wildlife bridges across the highway.  There are many more wildlife culverts under the highway.

A wildlife bridge

Entrance gate at Banff National Park

We have enjoyed a number of discounts and cost savings opportunities on the this trip.  For one, the cost of diesel is only a little over half what it was when we did this trip 6 years ago.  Then it averaged around $4.25 per gallon; this year it is around $2.40 per gallon.  Second, the Canadian dollar is weak.  $1.00 US is worth about  $1.35 Canadian.  Sweet!  And finally, this year is Canada's 150th anniversary.  Normally, admission to the national parks is $9.80 per person per day.  This year the entrance fees are waived.  We will be in the National parks for about 8 days.  Do the math; we saved a bundle.

The view from downtown Banff

The town was named Banff after "Banffshire", the district in Scotland which was the birthplace of two Canadian Pacific Railway directors, Lord Strathcona and George Stephen.

We camped for 3 nights at Tunnel Mountain CG.  Tunnel Mountains was so named because the railroad intended to build a tunnel through the mountain.  Ultimately, they decide it was more economical to route the railroad around the mountain, but the name remained. 

Our camp at Tunnel Mountain GC in Banff

It was a nice day, and we explored the downtown Banff area.  We walked to Bow Falls and hiked the Fenland Trail, a short loop along the Bow and Spray Rivers

A hike on the Fenland trail

Bow Falls

A posing Magpie

The Upper Hot Springs

Later in the day the clouds rolled in and it started misting rain.  Rain and snow were predicted.  We toured the area at the Banff Springs Hotel as a light rain began to fall.  The Banff Springs Hotel was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway to create a destination for a fledgling tourist industry.   William Cornelius Van Horne, president of the railway, was quoted as saying "If we can't export the scenery, we'll import the tourists."

Banff Springs Hotel

"Semper Eadem" is Latin for "Always the same" and was the motto for Queen Victoria I.  I can relate.  I hate change.  

A carpet in the Banff Springs Hotel lobby

On Wednesday the snow began to fall.  We headed out for some sites that were mostly indoors.  We visited the Cave and Basin National Historic Site of Canada.  

The cave

Remember tenting?

In the afternoon, the snow began falling very hard.  You can't beat a chicken burrito and black bean chilli at the Coyote Grill on a snowy afternoon.

YUM!!!

A highlight of our trip was a visit to the Banff Park Museum National Historic Site, where there were a number of examples of indigenous species mounted for exhibition

The Banff Park Museum

Dorcas poses with more dead animals

Our coach has never seen snow before.  In fact, I doubt it has ever seen temperatures below freezing. Viva La Florida!  Matilda appears bewildered, but not unhappy.

Poor coach!

Before we could move, someone (Dorcas) had to clear the ice and snow from the top of the slide outs.

Dorcas is a brave girl.  Don't fall!

Our last day in Banff was a nice one.  We visited Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka.

Red Chairs at Two Jack Lake

The columbia ground squirrels say goodbye