The Canadian Rocky Mountains
The Canadian Rocky Mountains offers so many beautiful places to explore and such great opportunities for hiking. The heart of the Canadian Rockies lies between Banff and Jasper, a distance of about 300 kilometres, with striking mountains, hiking trails, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, glaciers, and even an ice field.
This is the first of a series of photographic posts focusing on the highlights of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, including Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, Peyto Lake (part of the Banff National Park), Jasper National Park, and the Athabasca River.
While I enjoy occasional day hikes at home in Mallorca, it had been a good few years since I had done anything more than a couple of days hiking. Travelling alone across Canada and considering the risks and the distances involved in exploring the Canadian Rocky Mountains, it made sense to join a small-group trip. A bit of company and safety would go along way, and I still enjoy contact with friends that I made on the trip.
Banff
I broke the train journey from Toronto to Vancouver, in Edmonton. The hiking trip would be nine days between Banff and Jasper, followed by five-days canoeing on the Athabasca River. After the first night in a comfy hotel in Calgary, the next two weeks would be camping, sleeping bags and ground mats.
The first day was a gentle break in: the drive from Calgary, setting up tents on the outskirts of Banff, a brief visit to town for provisions, a short hike nearby, and the evening wind down with my group.
Full of energy and bounce, I took the next day’s six-hour hike to Harvey Pass in my stride. We were joined by a friendly and curious chipmunk.
The final stretch to Harvey Pass opens up to the most magnificent show of mountain peaks.
By the end of the day, my knees were not impressed! They were blown up like balloons. Fortunately, I was able to get some knee straps in Banff to help me on my way. A few beers with my companions back at the campsite also helped.
