The Rockies of BC
Postcard-perfect pictures of the Canadian Rockies have always left me in the total wonder of how grand these mountains could be. It has constantly visited my imaginations and ranked high among my bucket list. One Victoria day long weekend, I finally flew northeast to check it out and reconnect with friends.
Norbert and Prima were long time family friends. Seeing each other after three decades amazingly closed the gap between those years overnight. Then there were short and sweet reunions with former co-workers (Neri, Tina, and Perla) spanning decades of friendship from Makati, Pasig and then to Canada. With their families in tow, they collectively push me to visit and experience for myself the grandeur of the Rockies.
As my excitement built up, my feet eagerly endured the itching will to walk it, my eyes and imagination created expectations for what is there to see. Minute by minute the enthusiasm escalated.
Driving through Calgary going further North, I can see the snow-capped mountains in the distant horizon. I caught a glimpse flying above them during the flight here. Every minute the figures of the mountains begin to grow. Calgary offers a wide-open space of agricultural lands and some were at the beginning of commercial developments. These immense open spaces made the mountains so visible even at a remote distance. We were blessed with the perfect weather.
In Bighorn №8, along the hamlet of Exshaw by the TransCanada Highway my initial profile picture was taken (smile). It was tempting not to take photos here. The Bow River separates the lookout from the foothills of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. The mountains appear to be so close but they are simply massive!
Wired fences are visible along the stretch of the highway to stop big wild animals (bison, elk, deer, etc) from crossing the highway causing harm to both motorists and wildlife. Instead, the animals are guided to an overpass to get them to the other side. This overpass was designed with trees and grass to provide a natural forest feel for the unsuspecting wildlife.
Passing through Bighorn, the Kananaskis and Canmore we finally approached Banff. Exiting the highway, it’s about 4 km to Lake Louise Drive taking you directly to Lake Louise. At this time of the year, the weather treated us to 22° providing blue clear skies and some occasional clouds. The Lake was still frozen, the shoreline was beginning to melt. Although it showed mostly ice, the site remained alluring. Photos can never capture enough, words go limited as I stood before it. I slowly sat down and drown myself mesmerized in the experience. Breathing its air, I closed my eyes and quietly allowed myself to drift away and be transported to the heavens even for just a brief moment.
After Lake Louise, the plan was to visit Morraine Lake next. Much to our disappointment, the roads were closed. I suspected it was due to the still icy and therefore unsafe conditions going to and the lake itself.
Moving on, we drove to catch a gondola ride to transport us to the 360-degree rooftop observation deck at the summit of Sulphur Mountain. Onboard the gondola, my eyes absorbed everything it could as we glided past treetops, trails, and the wild beneath. We were joined by 2 park staff on this ride to the top. One was from New Brunswick while the other was Victorian like myself.
Stepping out of the gondola, I could utter only wows and more wows as I was awestruck at the welcome of the mountain ranges before me. The observation deck claims to offer the best views of the Canadian Rockies.
A boardwalk connects the observation deck and the historic Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray station. It spans about 1+ km. Strolling the boardwalk provides infinite views of the mountain ranges. Everywhere your head turns is picturesque.
I was wishing for a mountain goat or a bighorn sheep to show up, instead, I got a golden-mantled ground squirrel.
I can never get enough of these immensely beautiful sceneries — they are God’s perfect canvas!
