DAY EIGHT - Johnston Canyon & Stormy Mountain Lodge

Many of the locals recommended Johnston Canyon as a must see for it's scenic walkway through the forest along a river featuring three gorgeous waterfalls.  Since it was nearby, we decided to give it a go for today's adventure.  Rain was coming down during the short drive to the Canyon.

When we arrived, we went to the local gift shop/diner to wait for the rain to stop.  The diner was like taking a step back into the 50's with an old fashioned ice cream soda fountain, and covered bins filled with the pastry of the day and "take back" metal signs hanging everywhere and little round bar stools at the counter.  One of the metal signs read, "We serve food 3 times a day."  Since were were between feedings, we didn't order food, but settled in for a long rain delay with a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

Shortly, the rains stopped and armed with Bear Spray, Mosquito repellant and rain jackets, we were off, which was a blessing because our group is NOT the most patient.  

The paved trail was packed with people and mosquitoes (there is definitely a pattern developing here.)   Most of the trail was an elevated cat walk type of trail attached to the side of the mountain.  No way in Hell the "bunny huggers" in the good 'ole USA would allow construction of such a project in a national forest.  And I must admit, it did somewhat distract from the natural beauty, but sure made it easy to view the river and falls.

The three waterfalls were spectacular and incredibly powerful because of all the rain, but still the most amazing aqua color.  We did a Chevy Chase, "Look kids, it's Johnston Canyon." gaze, took a few photos and headed back down the canyon.  We didn't waste any time getting out.  The mosquitoes were brutal and  attacked when standing still.  Kenny had a huge mosquito on his face, so he moved his bug repellant fan to his cap to ward off the disease carrying pests.

Finally, some exciting wildlife.  Kenny spotted a huge Elk feeding along side the road.  I would loved to have put the skillet shot on him but decided it was probably not good form in a national forest in a foreign country with witnesses. So we settled for shooting a few photos and moved on.  Check out that rack!!  

Stormy Mountain Lodge

Our destination spot for lunch was Stormy Mountain Lodge, a quaint, rustic, isolated, unforgettable diminutive mountain lodge surrounded by cozy perfectly maintained log cabins.  The perfect spot to snuggle up with someone special for an uninterrupted day or two.

 Resting at Stormy Mountain Lodge 

 
The warm and welcoming lodge had an instant calming affect on us.  The walls were simplistically decorated with snowshoes, skis, bear skin rugs, elk mounts, antler sconces, local paintings and other pastoral items.  A bar with three bar chairs filled one corner, while the check-in desk stood opposite.

Large over stuffed sofas separated by a sleigh coffee table rested in front of a blazing fire where we enjoyed tea and scones after a delicious lunch.  An upright piano was sitting in the corner obviously reminiscent of times gone by when the innkeeper would entertain guests after a hearty meal.

Individual Cabins at Stormy Mountain Lodge

Guess you can tell I liked this place a lot.  Sheryl and I loved the experience.  Kenny seemed relaxed enough, but when Sheryl asked if anyone was ready to leave, Kenny shot off the couch like the "King of Speed"  when the light turns green.  He went from prone position to full upright in a split second.  

Lake Minnewanka

We also stopped to check out Lake Minnewanka, where boat rides and fishing charters can be arranged.  Not much special about this stop other than the beautiful scenery where the mountains plunge into the lake, and the water has that amazing aqua color.

                   Ice Cream Fix at Lake Minnewanka

Kenny found an ice cream shop while Sheryl and I explored the boat docks.

We had another fabulous dinner at Coyote followed by shopping for another suitcase to take home our Canada treasures, always a sign of a successful trip.  But NO BeaverTail tonight.  

Blue Corn Tortilla Chicken Enchilada

We were too full after the most amazing Blue Corn Tortilla Chicken Enchiladas at Coyote.  This is the second best find in Canada.  Not a traditional Enchilada, this delicious Enchilada is made like a tostada, loaded with chicken, onions spices, cheese and then stacked and topped with Mole sauce.  The last bite of this Enchilada was every bit as tasty as the first.  I told the Chef, I would come back to Banff just to have one of his Enchiladas.  Wow!  Makes my mouth water just remembering.  

DAY NINE - Lake Louise

Lake Agnes Tea House

Since we had such a great time hiking to the Lake Agnes Tea House at Lake Louise, we decided to do a repeat.  We awoke to dark, cloudy skies.  The concierge assured us that above those low lying clouds was blue sky and sunshine.  Duh!  That's pretty much the case during any monsoon!  But we were not dissuaded by the threatening clouds and took off for Lake Louise.  Sure enough, before we reached Lake Louise, the sun was shinning as brightly as KB's face when we decided to leave Jasper.  

Kenny "pacing" himself.

We paced ourselves today because we knew what was waiting for us at the Tea House.  So in route to Lake Louise, we had a small snack for breakfast holding out for the tasty sandwiches on home baked bread, hot soups and an assortment of tasty treats.    It was announced early on in the hike that we were taking our time today.  But alas, we passed everybody on the trail.  The hot rod in KB just couldn't hold back.  We reached the tea house in record time and the lunch did not disappoint.

Sulphur Mountain Gondola

View from atop Sulphur Mountain

Before returning to the hotel, we went to the Sulphur Mountain Gondola for a quick sightseeing trip to the top of Sulphur Mountain.  Three hundred sixty degree views of Banff and the surrounding Rockies were stunning. 

We had early dinner reservations at Coyote so we could get back to the hotel in time for our final and best massage.  

DAY TEN - Home

For the first time in 10 days, we awoke to beautiful blue skies just in time for our drive back to Calgary to catch our flights home.  It's been an amazing vacation from my Aspen summer vacation.  Sheryl spent hours planning and organizing this trip and it was time well spent.  We ran from sun up to sun down and enjoyed every single adventure ... yeah, even Jasper.  We've done a complete recon for future trips and I've highlighted a few notes below.  

• The Fairmont Hotel, aka Banff Springs Hotel, Stanley Thomas Wing, is a great headquarters, allowing for nice day trips out of Banff to areas like Lake Louise and Johnston Canyon.  Do not stay in the main part of the hotel.  It was built 125 years ago and the bathrooms are minuscule.  The Stanley Thomas is an add on but very nice.  There's really no need to pack and unpack moving to the Fairmont Hotel in Lake Louise.  There's nothing to do there in the evenings, anyway and it's only 1/2 hour drive from Banff.  
• Lake Louise is a must see.  The Tea House hikes are spectacular.
• The Agnes Tea House in Lake Louise is #1.  Awesome hike, strenuous, but not a killer.
• The Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House in Lake Louise is #2.  It's a little longer and a more strenuous hike than Lake Agnes, but totally different views and well worth the effort.
• The Banff golf course is nice.  Very scenic.   It's expensive and not quite worth the price.
• Horseback ride was really fun and a great way to get the lay of the land.
• Lake Moraine is a must see.  Climb the rock pile, but take the trail instead of forging a beaver dam and crawling up boulders.
• If you want really GOOD food, eat at Coyotes.  Breakfast, lunch or dinner.  They have regular unsweetened iced tea, too.
• Don't forget to get the best piece of tail on the planet at BeaverTails.
• Don't miss the Stormy Mountain Lodge for lunch or an intimate weekend getaway.
• You make the decision as to visiting Jasper or not.  Mountains surrounding Jasper are not as spectacular and rugged as Banff, there is not much to do, the Lodge is nothing special, service was pretty rough and the cabins look like double wide trailers.  It's a much older, slower crowd.  On the other hand, the drive up was stunning.
• Most importantly, remember to travel with dear friends.  Wish everyone could have friends like Kenny and Sheryl.  I'm so blessed.