A Would-be Missed Opportunity to Banff
Ashley and I celebrated our one year anniversary with a spontaneous trip to Banff in Alberta, Canada. But, it almost didn’t happen.
Plane tickets into Calgary are pretty dang pricey depending on when you intend to book. That, and we were only planning a short stay. So to spend a fair amount of money on a short trip was pushing it, but also, I didn’t want to rush through the trip. I had it in my mind that I wanted to spend a month exploring the mountains, looking over every blade of grass, and breathing as much alpine air as possible. So, despite my insatiable urge to travel there, I looked elsewhere. In fact, I almost bailed on the idea altogether.
Watch for traffic. This sign is off a busy road, leaving Banff. Go early to avoid crowds. Throw your f-stop to f/18 to get that sweet starburst.
I looked at ticket prices for nearby Seattle and Portland, then to Salt Lake City, Texas, Wyoming, Maine — so many places with killer natural areas that rank highly on my bucket list. But, most of these, like Banff, are pretty expensive last minute. Naturally.
Ultimately, Ashley and I couldn’t compromise. I was really pushing Olympic National Park, while she thought Arches would be better. Banff was the only place both of us have been dying to go to.
We monitored flights over a few week’s time and carefully planned a campaign to splurge what remaining Delta Skymiles I had to lower the ticket price.
On some random weekday, prices dropped and the trigger was pulled! But, the flight was so-so. Not terrible, not great either.
We flew out Friday after work, departing MSP at about 7:30 p.m. and landing in Calgary around 9:30 p.m. Flying out, we left Calgary around 7 a.m., landing in MSP around noon. Again, not terrible. But, we only really had three days there.
So, was it worth it?
Without a doubt.
Would I do it again?
Yep. No brainer.
Would I do it again this weekend?
I’ll ask my boss for time off right now.
Banff is home to the grand Canadian Rockies, a region with seriously towering behemoths with snow-capped hats and evergreen trousers. These giants are dressed up in their finest every day. It’s a beautiful place, with stunning panoramic vistas at almost every turn — weather permitting.
Our first day out there, it rained and rained. But, that’s mountain weather for you. (Or better yet, that’s frickin’ traveling for you.)
Driving up to Banff from Calgary wasn’t long. It’s about an hour, give or take with traffic and weather. It was coming down when we drove up there. It didn’t really let up until we arrived in Banff, which even then, it still sprinkled some into the night.
That being the case, there was no chance at seeing a line of rocky ridges for miles and miles. While rain wasn’t going to get us down, we missed out on the panoramic views from Tunnel Mountain. But, the hiking didn’t disappoint. And, there was plenty to see at ground level.
Really, nothing could get us down. We were in Banff. We were on an adventure together. And that’s all that mattered.
Lake Minnewanka, Banff National Park (Alberta, Canada)
Banff, Day One
After checking into the Moose Lodge and Hotel off Banff Ave., we got a lay of the land by visiting the nearby visitor center, which is where you can pick up park passes, buy bear spray, get maps and merch, and talk to locals about great hiking trails, restaurants and bars, and more. This is the place to go to orient yourself.
What I learned at the visitor center:
The popular must-do hikes include:
Tunnel Mountain
Johnston Canyon
Lake Agnes Tea House
Castle Mountain Lookout
If you’re making the trek to Jasper National Park, buy bear spray.
Everybody’s tone changed once Jasper was mentioned. The likelihood of seeing a bear goes way up in that neck of the woods.
What to do if you see a Grizzly. (More on that in another post.)
The folks in there were super helpful, which I greatly appreciate because I understand how annoying I can get asking question after question about just… stuff. So, friendly rangers, thank you.
We supplemented their list of must-do hikes with a visit to Lake Minnewanka, a nearby spot with a name that reminded us of a place back home, Lake Minnetonka.
Drizzle coming down, humidity creeping it, still hungover from travel, we went after Tunnel Mountain first. Then, Lake Minnewanka. Then, the hot tub at the hotel.
That would be our daily routine over the next few days. Hike our faces off, eat a bunch of food, drink some good drinks, then a hot soak with a dreamy view of the surrounding mountains. Heavenly.
Rule No. 52: Don’t Skip Adventure
Throughout the trip, I couldn’t help but think I almost passed up this opportunity.
What the hell was I thinking? I had this jaded mindset going into the trip that it somehow wouldn’t be worth it if I couldn’t stay for longer or do more — not realizing that even a minute in this place would’ve struck me with that childlike awe that I feel almost every time I venture out into wild places. But, the feeling was intensified by Banff. Lit on fire.
It’s the feeling that burns incessantly in my core, urging me to constantly go, go, go. It’s what makes me want to return to Banff for more. It’s what drives to me to go find new places, push myself to do more of this type of stuff, adventuring and all that. And yet, I almost passed it up because of some stupid, jaded thinking.
I’m grateful Ash brushed aside that irrational mindset and ushered the plans along. If not for that extra push, I might’ve missed out on a bucket list opportunity, one that ingrained memories deeply. I’m unlikely to forget the sight of that landscape anytime soon, or forget the rush of cool air that came once we sat down at the teahouse, or the moment I saw the reflection in Lake Louise, or when I could finally bear witness to Moraine Lake — a famous place that’s left an impact on so many around the world. Myself included.
All I’m trying to say is that I’m glad I went.
The moral of the story is, don’t pass up an opportunity to venture out. Even if it means stretching those dollars, being uncomfortable, or the plans not fitting your preferences.
That’s kind of what makes the adventure, what makes it memorable.
This is the first post in a series that I’ll produce about our trip to Banff. There was just too much to cram it all into one post. Stay tuned and sign up for my newsletter for updates.
Have you ever been to Banff? What did you do there? Let me know in the comments below.