Wed 7 Aug 2013 A day of very beautiful waterfalls in Banff.

Wed 7 Aug 2013
A day of very beautiful waterfalls in Banff.

The famous Johnston falls in Banff National Park
The lower Johnston Falls

The Upper Johnston Falls

Quite touristic, the walk board is a interesting in itself.

The Inkpots.
Spring water percolates up through the sand and
river gravel to form 5 blue green pools known as
the "Inkpots". The swirling circles in the sandy
pool bottoms mark the outlets of the water and air
bubbles as they move upwards from the underground
springs. Different color is due to different
speed of the flow. Milky green pools fill more
slowly and have a havier suspension of fine
materials than the clear deep blue pools.

And now, really surrounded by mountains.
Castle Rock

Add another 10 km hike to get the quota
of the day, to "Boom Lake". Definitely worth it.

Tue 6 Aug 2013 Beautiful Canmore mountains.

Tue 6 Aug 2013

Beautiful Canmore mountains.

Passed some reservoir/lakes on the offroad
to the trail head. Less waterfalls but was
high enough to be above the glacier.
Sorry, some patches of snow remaining on the
northern slopes.

But saw some more wildlife along the way

And less dangerous

And the Moose

Don't forget about the views on the hike.
View from the top, started from down there in the
middle. Passed some alpine meadow, and had to puzzle
my way and jump several small ice melt streams.
The clouds looks more dramatic than they really are.
It was quite a nice day.

Mon 5 Aug 2013 Canmore, Canada

Mon 5 Aug 2013

Canmore, Canada

Going to Banff, but stopped in Canmore, a few
miles before Banff.
And the weather is not really cooperating.
Will stay put here a few days.

Next to the Grizzly Paw Canadian Rockies Brewing Co.

PS: the mountains must block all data, get about
51 Bps internet. Canada and internet, forget it.

Sun 4 Aug 2013 Crypt Lake, Most beautiful hike.

Sun 4 Aug 2013

Crypt Lake, Most beautiful hike.

Just in time to catch the boat to get
to the trail start.

A cliff to pass, a ladder to climb, then a
natural very small tunnel, and this continues with
some goat tracks, and some steep climbing
(good that there are chains)
just to add to the adventure.

Story of a waterdrop.

Just laying there in the sun, just waiting to melt,
dropping into the crypt lake.
Yes, I'm standing on the ice, slowly waiting to melt.

Coming back from the ice, at the end of the lake,
The water drop is slowly, slowly moving towards the exit.

Soon, the water drop will fall the first drop of 500 ft.
All power comes out.
While I'm hiking back the cliff, the tunnel, the multiple
zig zags, and in each turn a magnificent view on the
waterfall and the valley.

Then slowly drain into another lake. All made by a
glacier.

And the cycle starts again.
A full free fall of 300 ft making
over time a yellow canyon.

And from there, down, sometimes steep, sometimes
smooth, sometimes turning a corner.
All finishing in Waterton Lake.

Climbed from 4,114 ft (1,254 m) to 9,074 ft (2,766 m)
to get to the snow, just to observe how the water
dropped all this way into the 'Waterton' lake,
where the boat waits to bring me back.

Sat 3 Aug 2013 Glacier Park in Canada.

Sat 3 Aug 2013
Glacier Park in Canada.

Continues to rain and no visibility....

While having a 'sunshine wheat', suddenly
the sun appears. And I got a beautiful
afternoon in the Red Canyon.

Or more downstream

And this brings another day, hiking in between
impressive mountains and an endless view
of waterfalls. Extra powerful, after at least
the 48 hours of non stop down pouring.

Even a bridge was destroyed by power of water.

Some special wildlife, a dragon fly
(just finished eating a smaller fly).
Thanks to the guy who offered the resting
place as a photo op.

Fri 2 aug 2013 Started raining

Fri 2 Aug 2013
Started raining last evening, just after a great
dinner: Duck oriental, with a few 'Gouden Carolus'.

Was raining the whole day.
Have given my hiking boots a day off.

And also left the country, into Canada.
Now in Waterton, the Canadian part of
Glacier National Park.
They say, it's very nice here, but could
not see anything due to hard rain, fog and
dark clouds.

Just got this waterfall, and the very
special pinkish color of the water.

This weekend is a national holiday in Alberta.
So busy, even despite the rain.
Got the last room in town. The most expensive
on the whole trip. But no internet. Blown out
by the storm, and the official reason: "because
we are completely surrounded by mountains, our
wifi reception is sometimes intermittent".
If you believe that ....
And then around 9 PM, the whole town went down,
no more electricity for the rest of the night.
Must be the dam mountains which moved around....

Thu 1 Aug 2013 Another waterfall

Thu 1 Aug 2013
Another waterfall. You have seen probably
more than enough. But that's the only
picture of the day.