Banff National Park in Blue

When most people think of Banff National Park, their immediate reaction is too many people.  While this is true if all you do is go to the town of Banff and visit Lake Louise, as soon as you head a little deeper into inside they all disappear.   Even in mid July, as soon as we were two miles down the trail, everyone was gone.  

Here are a few photos just beyond the crowds:

When we arrived in Banff, the snow was late in melting and you either had to risk hiking on loose snow or be very choosey about your trails.   So instead of backpacking toward death, we found ourselves camped next to the beautiful twin lakes.

In mid-summer, just next to Lake Minnewanka bloomed these three wildflowers. 

Five miles in, along the shores of Lake Minnewanka the trail to Aylmer Pass began.   There perched a sign saying, "Hike with caution, bears have seriously maimed people beyond this point."  After wiping the sweat from my brow, I ascended the final 4 miles to be rewarded with view of a lifetime.

Enjoy.

Nick Graham