Day 13 - Calgary, Alberta to Lake Louise, Alberta.

Thursday 16th  June (Central Time)

We had a lovely evening in Calgary with Carol - it was fun to share memories of the parts of the Camino we walked together.

The first part of our journey today was through the last of the prairies, but we could see the mountains getting nearer and nearer.

After a brief coffee/geocache stop in the brilliantly named Dead Man Flats we made it to Banff. What a pretty place!

We had a good look around the stores but were disappointed by the amount of cheap tourist items that were on sale. We even found that the Indian Trading Post didn't sell things made by the local people but mass produced things.

Then we drove up to the gondolas on Sulphur Mountain.

Now I hate heights, cable cars and ski lifts have always been terrifying. For some reason I thought this experience would be different - despite the steepness of the ride. I also really wanted to see the view from the top and I knew Gary wanted to go up so I swallowed my misgivings and climbed on board. 

The gondolas went up 2200 feet almost vertically at some points.

Lets just say one of us had a slight panic attack during the 10 minute ride! It was a really long 10 minutes.

It was seriously, seriously scary!

So we walked down.

Luckily we had come prepared - not! I was wearing canvas shoes and my hiking poles were in the car. But the zig-zagging 5km path down was so much nicer than the gondolas which we were able to watch swinging their way up and down the mountain above our heads.

Back at the car we headed to Lake Louise and the hotel we are staying in for the next 3 days. This will give us time to hike and explore the local area and for Gary to have a break from driving.

Everywhere here is beautiful. The mountains with their snowy tops tower over us and the river tumbles down its rocky path right outside our bedroom window.

Elmo was very pleased to have us stay with him last night.
He was particularly keen on helping us geocache!

5389km at the start of our journey today.

No more prairies we are in the Rockies.

It's absolutely impossible not to photo every mountain at least a million times!

Our first cache of the day!

The name of this village ensured that we stopped for coffee and a geocache. The cafe did bacon butties, mmmmm!

Look there are mountains everywhere.

Another mountain.

Mountains, lakes and trees.

I love this photo!

Gary with a little bear

Gary with a big bear!

My turn to wear a cowboy hat.

Grrrrrrrrr!

Sulphur Mountain had cable cars - well they called them gondolas - but whatever they are called they are still terrifying!

On the way up.

We go higher and steeper

Look at the view! I'd rather not thank you!!!!!

Even higher and even steeper

The view from the top.

Looking down from the top.

The view walking down

The zigzagging path

I'm so glad I'm not up there.

We're still walking down.

I can't believe I went on one of them!

Sometimes caffeine just has to be enough!!!

Bridges over the roads were planted with grass and trees to encourage animals to safely cross.
The road was fenced off just like back in New Brunswick.

Nearly missed taking this photo.

What's the difference between a buffalo and a bison?

The water in the river in Lake Louise is a beautiful colour.

Our hotel for the next 3 nights.

On a quick walk around Lake Louise we saw trees, mountains and rivers!!