Alberta - Banff


From Jasper we headed back down the Icefields Parkway to stay a couple of days in Banff National Park before heading back to Calgary to fly home (well, to Olympia, the closest thing we have to a home). Banff is very popular due to its gorgeous scenery and relative closeness to the population center of Calgary. It is also very expensive this time of year, which is why we ended up staying a bit outside of the park near the town of Canmore. That required us getting up early to get a parking spot at the very popular Lake Louise. We did a nice long loop hike that included much of the Lake Louise shoreline and a route up the mountainside to still partially frozen Lake Agnes, with beautiful lake and mountain views all along the way. Despite the crowds, it was a fitting end to our latest trip.

Next up? Deborah will be visiting friends and family on the east coast, with me joining her only for the first week. Apart from that we will be in Olympia for the summer, until mid-August when it will be back to Maryland for Deborah’s 40th high school reunion, then off to Montreal and eastern Canada. Until then, au revoir!


Still snow and ice at Lake Agnes
(photo by Deborah)




The neighborhood of our Airbnb near Canmore



Video of Three-toed Woodpecker pecking at the bat box outside our Airbnb



Lake Louise







This rock formation is known as the Big Beehive



Deborah overlooking Lake Agnes



Lake Agnes











Chipmunk



Lake Louise. The color seemed to get better the higher we went.







Lake Louise



The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise



Canoes for rent on Lake Louise





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