Some more run of the mill scenery on our way to Johnston Canyon. These are the animal crossings across the Trans Canada Highway.
A big highlight was being able to capture these images of one of the many trains that travel the valleys of Alberta and British Columbia. Some of the trains are pulling over one hundred cars.
We started the morning with a fairly gentle hike into Johnston Canyon – about one hour in and 40 minutes out. Once again, amazingly beautiful scenery – the clearest of water running through the canyons, water falls, and lush moss covering the woodland floor and cascading over the rocks.
A prospector named Johnston is said to have discovered this creek in the 1880s. During that frontier era, miners sought their fortunes along the newly laid tracks of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
We continued northwards a little way along the Icefields Parkway. Clouds were coming in and we could see snow falling on the mountain tops, but were able to see some of the glaciers.
On our way back to Banff we made a stop at Moraine Lake which is close to Lake Louise. We deliberately avoided Lake Louise because of the masses of people. We are so, so glad we made this choice. From a placard at the lake: In 1884, Walter Wilcox wrote of Moraine Lake: “No scene has ever given me an equal impression of inspiring solitude and rugged grandeur” adding that contemplating the view from the Rockpile was the happiest half-hour of his life. This is the view …
Beautiful country.