Banff

 Today’s drive was about 120 miles.  Pretty easy, skirted around Calgary.  Stopped at a pull off for lunch on the way, it was a prairie dog town.  When I walked outside to drop off the recycling it was bedlam, prairie dogs were running everywhere, dozens of them.  Apparently they were scoping out CC & I spooked them.  Only one stayed out of his hole to watch me.

The rear guard!

Pulled into Tunnel Mountain Campground in Banff, got CC all setup and headed to Happy Hour! 

Our tour today was on a bus heading up to some high mountain lakes. Lake Louise 5,680 feet was the first stop.  Named after Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, the lake is known for its turquoise, glacier-fed lake surrounded by high peaks and a large, beautiful chateau.  The chateau is being remodeled.  We roamed around the lake and took some pictures.  

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Mica went down for a water temperature check.  The lake comes from the glaciers, so let’s say cool…

Yes we were there!

You can see two glaciers on the mountain, the top one is Upper Victoria & the bottom one is … wait for it, Lower Victoria. 

Better view of the two glaciers

We then headed over to the ski area where we had a nice buffet before taking the ski lift up the mountain. It was the same lift used in the winter ski season, so all open air. We saw two grizzlies eating in a field, pretty close to us so I got some good pictures. Then we passed right over a single grizzly, he was less than 50 feet right below us.

At the top of the ski lift we walked around the viewing area & took pictures, including a distant picture of Lake Louise across the valley.  On the way down the mountain there weren’t any bears, so it was just sat back & relaxed.  

Much needed rain is coming in those clouds

Across the valley

Long distance view of Lake Louise 

Then back on the bus, back across the valley and onto the winding road up to Lake Moraine.  This lake is even higher than Lake Louise.  It has some significant landslides which dumps tree’s into the lake, they then form a log dam at the bottom of the river.  We stopped to high five the bear then quick pictures.  

That’s when Mica noticed the “rock pile”.  What do you do when you see a massive pile of rocks?  Climb it of course.  The problem is there is an avalanche concerns here, so they want you to stay on the path.  So we had 20-30 minutes to kill so we scampered up the path to the top.  Well Mica scampered; my way can be defined as trudged up the hill.  But we got some great pictures from the top.  The color of the water was much more vibrant from the top.  Then the long trek to the bus and some much-needed oxygen for me, did I mention the lake is at 6,200 feet!  Gasp, gasp, gasp!!

Note the log jam to our right, it was huge.

View from the top of the “rock pile”

Next we headed to Bow Falls for some more pictures, Mica found some rocks to climb.  Pictures of the falls, then a quick bus ride around the river for another look at the falls from above.

Bow Falls

Mica’s perch.

Once we were above the falls I thought Mica should climb down to the cliff edge for some pictures.  Here is where the discussion started.  If they want, you to stay on the path, they have clear signage that says, “Stay on Path” or “Area Closed”.  The sign here didn’t say “no” climbing.  

Doesn’t say no climbing.  I do like the image on the left.

But Rita said no.  I said go for it.  For some reason Mica chose to listen to her GG and not me….  So pictures from a safe vantage point.

Hotel Fairmont Banff Springs, an upscale “castle” hotel & spa.

Top of Bow Falls.  The light strip of land across the river is where Mica climbed 5ge last rocks

We were going to head into downtown Banff for dinner, but it started raining & we were exhausted.

Wednesday is a free day.  Of course, it’s still raining.  The day started off with coffee & muffins and socializing.  We got back to CC around 11am & dragged sleepyhead, Mica, out of bed.  We decided to head into downtown Banff.  We found Banff Avenue Brewery, so lucky me.  I started to walk around but the rain was unrelenting.  We can’t complain Alberta really needs the rain, for the farmers and to help reduce the risk of wildfires, there are a bunch burning all over.

We had an Evening Wildlife Tour starting at 7:30. And of course it was still raining.  Fortunately, we were on a nice bus.  The tour was about 2 1/2 hours all around Banff.  We saw three mule deer, a whole herd of white tail deer and surprisingly three elk at the golf course.

We tried taking pictures, but the windows had raindrops on them & that made it difficult.  Even though we could see them the pictures leave a lot to be desired.  But here goes.

Yep, it’s an elk

And she’s a big one!

You’ll have to trust me, it’s an elk!

There she is!  Finally….

Up next? Columbia Ice Fields,  We’re going to play on the glacier.

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Calgary

 We arrived in Mossleigh, Alberta for our visit of Calgary.  We’re in a railroad themed campground 45 minutes south.  After we got CC set up, the Caravan had a L.E.O. (let’s eat out).  They found a restaurant & made reservations, it’s an optional dinner as a group.  About 75% joined us.  The dinner was on the campgrounds, in a restored 1887 Pullman Dining Car.  Plus it was prime rib special night, perfect.

I even had the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary, it’s called a Caesar.  It was delicious.  Ok, maybe a couple of them.

After dinner the plan was to take a picture of a sunset in Alberta, the problem is the sunsets at 9:45.   This was a travel day and after a nice steak dinner and a couple of Caesars, I’m worn out.  So, this is all you get.

Next morning, we had an early bus ride into Calgary.  We went to Heritage Park.  It’s a 1920’s themed amusement park.  We had a private tour with an Edwardian dressed guide before the park officially opened.  The “town” consists of original or authentically recreated buildings, basically a whole town.

A “Soddy”. Made completely from sod, roof included!

After the tour & a quick stop at the bakery, the fresh cinnamon rolls were calling our names, we went to the carnival so Mica can go on some rides, all vintage 1920’s.  Unfortunately, they were all “spinning” rides.  Twenty years ago ok, now, woof.  But I rode the flying swings & Rita rode the Ferris wheel.  Mica was on her own for the rest….

We’re flying!

The Caterpillar .

Authentic 1920, runs with one continuous rubber “fan belt.” The ride operator has to balance it as they load & unload.

After the park we headed to the Calgary Sky Tower.  I went to the observation deck for photos & viewing the down to the restaurant level for a revolving early dinner.

Looking up.

Looking down.

Sunday was a free day, so slept in, did some laundry.  Then found Michael’s, Micah’s now the official rock painter for the caravan.  The first to campgrounds she decorated rocks with sharpies signifying our caravan.  Now she has paints to make them better.  Pictures soon.

Then we went to High River, AB.  Home of the TV show Heartland.  Stopped by Maggie’s Diner.  They are filming this week, but probably off today, but still fun.  Plus, I found a nice bar & grill, so burgers, poutine & a local beer.

Then headed for Vulcan, AB.  You know Spock’s home “planet”. Took some pictures, dropped off some postcards then back to CC to relax…

Bust & handprint of Mr. Spock

Tomorrow we head for Banff!!

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

What kind of name is that for a World Heritage Site?  Well after years of thinking the Indians snuck up on a herd of buffalo and either shot them with arrows or speared them, we found out how some really did it.

For over 5,000 years the plains Indians have been tracking & herding buffalo on the plains of Alberta, specifically Blackfoot.  The Blackfoot were able to survive the harsh Canadian winter by have a good harvest of buffalo in the late Fall.  

Here’s a quick explanation.  The Blackfoot would ensure the buffaloes had abundant grass to grain on on the high ground near Old Man River.  Having a true understanding of the buffalo they would use warriors dressed in wolves' skins to slowly cull 300-350 buffalo from the larger herds.  The buffalo numbers were thought to be in the tens of millions.  They would carefully direct the buffalo to what the buffalo thought was a nice valley to eat & spend the night.

The tribe would then make a false wall of bushes & hides that tended to keep the herd close together.  Then another warrior dressed in the hide of a young buffalo would start calling out a distress sound just as the sun was rising.  The herd, of mostly female buffalo had a natural instinct to help and would start going towards the “distressed” calf.  The warriors dressed as wolves then would start approaching the herd from the rear.  

The herd would start picking up speed running in the lanes made by the tribe, picking up speed & nearing a panic would have a full-fledged stampede.  They would be running up a crest in the valley, looking directly into the sunrise.  Unbeknownst to them, also approaching a 300-foot cliff. The warrior pretending to be a distressed calf would escape the “lane at the last minute.  The entire herd would blindly run off the cliff to their death.  Any stragglers would be chased off the cliff by the “wolves”. No buffalo was allowed to survive.

Our guide, Donovan pointing out the actual cliff

What the buffalo would have seen if the sunrise wasn’t blinding them

Looking down to the bottom

A display in the museum of the cliff

The entire tribe would be at the base of the cliff, and they would ensure that every buffalo at the base of the cliff was dead.  Then the tribe would harvest EVERY part of the buffalo.  Hides, meat, organs, ligaments, horns, everything was used.  They would then preserve the meat in various ways so they could survive the winter.

Our tour guide, Donovan Strikeswithgun, was very respectful of the heritage & legacy of his tribe.  The Indians were very aware of their relationship with the Creator & his bounty. We asked about the large numbers of buffalo being harvested, but he pointed out it 300 out of 20-30 million buffalo.

But the name???   In Blackfoot, the name for the site is Estipah-skikikini-kots. According to legend, a young Blackfoot wanted to watch the buffalo plunge off the cliff from below but was buried underneath the falling animals. He was later found dead under the pile of carcasses, where he had his head smashed in.  Hence the name.

After we were finished at the site, we did a Geocache near the cliff, just to aggravate Jackie, who still doesn’t have a Canada find.