Spunkygirl Monologues

Fair rides at Whoop Up Days in Lethbridge, Alberta. Every August Lethbridge hosts Whoop Up Days. A four-day event featuring fair rides, yummy greasy snacks, live music, exhibits and rodeo events.

Banff National Park was the first National Park in Canada and the third National Park in the world. At a size of 6,641 sq. kilometers, Banff is one of 4 National Parks that encompass’ the Canadian Rockies (The others are Kootenay, Yoho & Jasper). Over the years I have made several day trips to Banff. I’ve gawked at the Rocky Mountains, snapped hunderds of photos, breathed the fresh air, listened to the birds, connected with amazing people, enjoyed yummy food and more. There is always something new to see and discover, and although Mother Nature doesn’t always co-operate, I’ve enjoyed every minute.

Writing a single post that encompasses all of my favourite things about Banff would be hard. In fact, it would probably turn into a novella. Instead, I’m sharing 5 of them with you.

Cascade River near Johnson Lake

The Cascade River is fed by Lake Minnewanka and flows south to Rundle Mountain where it meets with the Bow River. The colour of the river is due to rock flour. Rock flour is silt-sized rock- generally due to glacial erosion (Banff National Park has 250 Glaciers), that flows into lakes and rivers. When the sun shines on the water, it reflects off the rock flour, which gives the water a turquoise colour.

Big Horn Sheep

Big Horn Sheep are more use to humans than they should be. Like White tail and Mule Deer, Big Horn Sheep can be easily spotted within Banff National Park. If you have a vehicle, a drive to Lake Minnewanka will often prove rewarding, as there is a herd in the area who often graze near the roadside. Although you can get pretty close to them, remember they’re a wild animal. Big Horn Sheep are not the only animals in Banff National Park, the park is also home to Black Bears, Grizzly Bears, Mule Deer, White-tail Deer, Mountain Lions, Silver Foxes, Moose, Bald Eagles, Elk, Osprey and more!

Bow Lake

Bow Lake is one of my favourite spots in Banff. As a glacial lake, Bow is often blue-green in colour- similar to Lake Louise. However on stormy days, the water can often reflect the darkness that surrounds it. Bow Lake is also a great place to spot black bears. I’ve had a lot of luck here, spotting a mama bear and her 2 cubs almost every year. Early morning hours are the best. Bow Lake is located along HWY 93 towards Jasper.

Hoodoo Viewpoint

Hoodoos are not uncommon in Southern Alberta. What is a hoodoo? Hoodoos are spires of rock that consist of soft sedimentary rock top with harder stone. Unfortunately there is not a trail along the riverbed leading to the Hoodoos photographed above- just the viewpoint trail which gives an overhead view. If you’re thinking about doing some back-country hiking, speak with a warden first and make sure the area you’re going to is safe- ie no Bears (Black or Grizzly) hunting in the area or dead animals that would cause a bear to stop in for dinner.

Basin

If you drive along Banff Ave, over the bridge to the lights, turn right and the road will lead to the Cave & Basin. Although the cave area is under reconstruction, hiking along the basin is still open. The Basin is my go-to spot in Banff. It’s location- on the back of Sulfur Mtn- is supreme, and a little stinky! Sulfur Mtn is home to natural springs that flow in several areas of the Basin at the base of the mountain. As the mountain hosts a variety of delicate eco-systems, there are wooden walkways throughout the area for visitors to use.

For more information about Banff National Park visit the Parks Canada website. Entrance into Banff is $9.80 per adult per day.

Guest post by Leslie Koch: Leslie Koch is a freelance writer and independent traveler based in New York City. In June 2008 she left a corporate marketing career to backpack around the world, visiting 17 countries and five continents in one year. As the NY Destinations columnist for Examiner.com, Leslie reports on exciting destinations in New York and around the world. You can find Leslie on twitter @LeslieTravel

Growing up in the New York City suburbs, my knowledge of Yellowstone National Park was based exclusively on Yogi Bear cartoons.  None of my friends had seen Old Faithful, Yellowstone’s most famous geyser. I wasn’t even sure what state the park was in.

I never suspected that I would spend my honeymoon camping in Wyoming at the oldest national park in the United States.

As it turned out, Yellowstone is an ideal destination for an adventurous traveler, with its majestic views, abundant wildlife and hiking trails. But the best part of Yellowstone is the park’s thermal features.

Roughly 10,000 hot pools, mud pots and erupting geysers are located in the 2.2 million acre park. The following hot springs were among my favorites.

The Grand Prismatic Spring

As we circled the parking lot three times at Yellowstone’s Midway Geyser Basin, I started to have my doubts. Could the famed hot springs possibly live up to the hype and crowds? Nearly one million people visited Yellowstone in July alone, and the hot springs near Old Faithful were flanked by tour buses.

One look at the Grand Prismatic Spring and I knew we had made the right choice. Staring at the neon orange swirls, I felt like I had been transported to Mars. Bacterial mats give the hot spring an otherworldly feel.  The colors are created by ‘thermophiles’—heat loving microorganisms that live in the pool’s runoff channels.

In fact, a sign posted next to the hot spring claims that life on other planets—if it does exist—is probably comprised of these extreme organisms.

Excelsior Geyser

This massive hot spring could pass for an Olympic-size swimming pool, if not for the steam wafting off the water. The clear, still pool looks inviting- but don’t jump in.  The water temperature is 199’ F (93’ C)— at this elevation, that’s actually boiling!

Unlike Old Faithful, the Excelsior Geyser is unpredictable.  It was dormant for nearly a hundred years before it spontaneously erupted for 47 straight hours in 1985. Fortunately, it did not spew scalding water when we visited.

Fairy Falls Trail

Visitors can get close to hot springs of all shapes and sizes on the Fairy Falls hiking trail. We only walked about a mile into this 5 mile (8 km) hike, but came across cavernous hot springs with Caribbean blue water. Unlike the roadside hot springs, there are no wooden pathways here to keep visitors away from the thermal attractions.

Despite the warning signs, there are footprints at the rims of many springs.  That’s not the smartest move—according to Yellowstone historian Lee H. Whittlesey, the hot springs have caused nearly four times as many deaths as bear attacks.

Biscuit Basin

This area is home to the Sapphire pool, a beautiful hot spring named for the color of its crystal clear water. Bright green “thermophiles” live in the runoff and add to the stunning view.

Mineral formations shaped like biscuits once lined the Sapphire crater but disappeared after a 1959 earthquake.  Measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, the earthquake caused the Sapphire pool to erupt violently.  It still bubbles over on occasion.

For more information on Yellowstone and to download a trip planner, visit the National Park Service website.

Snail| One of many shots from my nights working at HI Niagara Falls

The day was perfect for photography. The sky was blue, with a few puffy white clouds scattered about, and the sun was bursting with heat. Although the lines can be a wee bit intense, the views from the Top of the Rock were breathtaking.

Red is one of my favourite colours, so when I saw these leaning barns I couldn’t resist!

One of my favourite views of Vancouver is from Jericho Beach in Kitslano. Although I love downtown Vancouver (there is SO much to see and do down there), sometimes I like to stay somewhere quiet. Kitslano is perfect for just that.