Calgary

Jul 22-26, 2021
AC135 YYZ-YYC, AC156 YYC-YYZ

Our first long distance “post” COVID trip together. Was fun to get back to Calgary and explore the Rockies, but was also pretty smokey from the all too regular wildfires.

Jul 22

After our flight, we checked into the hotel and captured the post apocalyptic style smokey sunset over Calgary.

Jul 23

After breakfast at our airport hotel, we decided to head to the Kananaskis area for our first day in the mountain. Although we’ve been to Banff and Jasper many times and through the area, we hadn’t actually spent any time to explore this area before, and we were pleasantly surprised. There was lots of natural beauty on display, and it was less crowded than the National Parks; however, things were still relatively quiet with the borders generally closed to US visitors.

Barrier Lake on our way into Kananaskis

The dam forming the lake

Short hike to Troll Falls

Troll Falls

Enjoying the view from Kananaskis Village

Proof that we made it to AB together

More of the surrounding mountains from the village lookout trail

Short hike around Wedge Pond

Lower Kananaskis Lake

A little bit of smoky haze from the edge of the lake

Heading out for dinner in Canmore

Back on our full-on travelers legs, we ended the day at a patio at Grizzly Paw Brewing Company. On the way into town, we actually drove by a small active fire right next to the Trans-Canada bringing the forest fires reality very close to home.

Jul 24

With another full day to explore the mountains, we decided to head north towards Jasper and to the Ice Fields. Crowds were still light for the summer, but we found some uncomfortably large crowds at the Ice Fields centre.

Hazy Bow Lake as we make our way through Banff

Found a bit more blue skies further up Bow Lake.

Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefields

Some wild flowers below the glacier

Glacier viewing vehicles

Another view of the icefields

Chipmunk looking for some attention

Tangle Creek Falls

Exploring more of icefields area

With the skies hazy, we can focus on nearby flowers

Stutfield Glacier

Sunwapta River along the Icefields Parkway

North Saskatchewan River as we head back south towards Banff

Mistaya Canyon

Finishing our long day of driving, we headed back to Canmore where we were fortunate to have dinner and stayed over with friends from my work that had a beautiful mountain home.

Jul 25

Before heading back to Calgary for a bit of shopping and our flight home, we explored Canmore.

Upper Bow River in Canmore

We made our way home on the red eye flight, leaving just after midnight, and arrived back in Toronto in time for Tom to head into work.