We woke around 7.30 and looked out the window to this.
It was apparent that the rain in Banff the afternoon and night before meant that the higher altitudes had received a good dusting of snow at the same time.
The morning sun had managed to shed a pink glow on the clouds around Banff. With this sight, we quickly got ourselves organised and hit the road before the weather closed in again.
In Summer, Johnston Canyon is absolutely crawling with tourists. It's the most heavily used hiking trail in the Canadian Rockies. Every day about 10am the buses arrive with hordes of tourists to add to the numerous hikers with camper van and car transport. We've driven past there before when there has been an overflow of cars out of the overflow car park (and it's a bigun') and onto the Bow Valley Parkway. Having been to the canyon now, I can't imagine what it would be like with that many people on such a narrow trail. Horrible I imagine.
Saturday we woke up to a cold but nice day and decided to try to get to Johnston Canyon before the crowds did. It worked because we only saw 1/2 a dozen other people on the 3km walk up the canyon.
The first stage of the trail runs from the car park along a walkway that's slung off the side of the canyon (below) with the stream, that's constantly cutting the canyon, below. The stream has the same blue as all the lakes around Banff National Park.
I'll let the photos do the talking from here on.
Water Fall 1
Johnson Canyon has 7 waterfalls along the 3km hiking trail. This is the first one you come to and is called Lower Falls. Inventive name yes?
It's the second highest of the seven.
Johnson Canyon has 7 waterfalls along the 3km hiking trail. This is the first one you come to and is called Lower Falls. Inventive name yes?
It's the second highest of the seven.
Waterfall 2.
Only three of the waterfalls in Johnston Canyon have names. This one is the first of the unnamed falls.
I quite like the side chute to the left that appears to come from a hole in the rock.
Only three of the waterfalls in Johnston Canyon have names. This one is the first of the unnamed falls.
I quite like the side chute to the left that appears to come from a hole in the rock.
Waterfall 3
This is the 3rd and most difficult to view of the falls. Again it's unnamed.
I did the wrong thing and went off the track and down a fairly steep hill to get the shot.
This is the 3rd and most difficult to view of the falls. Again it's unnamed.
I did the wrong thing and went off the track and down a fairly steep hill to get the shot.
Waterfall 4
This is Stellar falls. No other explanation required.
This is Stellar falls. No other explanation required.
Waterfall 5
Another of the unnamed falls in Johnston Canyon.
Another of the unnamed falls in Johnston Canyon.
Waterfall 6
This is the tallest and most dramatic of the 7 waterfalls. The Upper Falls are near the end of the trail. You can view the falls from below or follow a short trail to the top of the falls.
This is the tallest and most dramatic of the 7 waterfalls. The Upper Falls are near the end of the trail. You can view the falls from below or follow a short trail to the top of the falls.
This rock wall wraps around the corner to the left of picture (below) and forms part of the Upper Falls. This wall is 30+ metres high (I don't know exactly). The photo doesn't really give it perspective.
This picture below puts the wall's size into some perspective. The platform I'm standing on there is the lower viewing platform for the Upper Falls.
Notice the leaching colours on the wall. Some of it is from minerals and some from algae.
Notice the leaching colours on the wall. Some of it is from minerals and some from algae.
Waterfall 7
This little waterfall sits just above the Upper Falls. I suspect most people would see the Upper Falls and think that was it. In fact you need to walk a little further along the path from the top of the Upper Falls.
The trail actually heads way into the hills to the Ink Pots and beyond, but that's a story and a hike for another time.
This little waterfall sits just above the Upper Falls. I suspect most people would see the Upper Falls and think that was it. In fact you need to walk a little further along the path from the top of the Upper Falls.
The trail actually heads way into the hills to the Ink Pots and beyond, but that's a story and a hike for another time.
Copper Mountain
The Johnston Canyon hike is mainly focused on the waterfalls and the trail is surrounded by forest. You tend to forget about the surrounding mountains. On the return journey, you notice many different things to the way in.
There was a break in the timber at one point, letting the mountains on the other side of the valley show themselves. The big dump of snow over night made for some interesting scenery.
The Johnston Canyon hike is mainly focused on the waterfalls and the trail is surrounded by forest. You tend to forget about the surrounding mountains. On the return journey, you notice many different things to the way in.
There was a break in the timber at one point, letting the mountains on the other side of the valley show themselves. The big dump of snow over night made for some interesting scenery.
Mt Norquay Lookout
Mt Norquay is the nearest ski mountain to Banff. It's not that exciting at this time of year with the lack of skiing options, but it's an interesting short drive from Banff, across the Trans-Canada and up the hill to the lookout point. You get a pretty decent view over Banff and the surrounding mountains. About 1km up the road is the Norquay Ski Resort.
For the record, that's Mount Rundle to the left of picture and Sulphur Mountain to the right with Banff in the valley below.
Bow Falls
You may recall a photo from our last trip of the Banff Springs Hotel taken from across a ravine. Well, at the bottom of the ravine is the Bow River and a little downstream, Bow Falls. After a great morning walking through Johnston Canyon, we went to see what Bow Falls was all about. Unfortunately it was a bit of a disappointment in comparison, but I thought it was worth the comment.
Golf Canada Style.
Back in Australia, playing golf with Kangaroos is "par for the course" as it were. In Canada they basically substitute elk for roos.
We were doing a "ticky tour", as Kerri likes to call it, around the Banff Golf course when we came across this family of Elk. They didn't seem too worried about anything other than eating the lush green grass on the 3rd fairway. It was about the last place I had expected to see wildlife (around stacks of people), but in hind sight, probably not that surprising. The same theory applies back home. Why eat the tough vegetation when you can eat the manicured grass of the golf course?
Introducing mum. There were actually three elk cows in the family, one was only half gown.
These two little ones were a little more skittish than the older animals, but they still weren't exactly worried about us.
This guy was the one I was most weary of. That armoury on his head was very impressive, but I wasn't going to be on the wrong end of those antlers. Many people have been nailed thinking these animals are like placid domestic cattle. These are wild animals and, just like kangaroos, will dish out a hiding if you piss them off.
