Page 31 - Army Mountaineer Winter 2022

CANADIAN OPPORTUNITIES
Lee Wyatt
Lee Wyatt’s venture to Canada in 2017 sparked a love for Banff and the Canadian Rockies. In the
first of this two-part series, through the lens of a Samsung Galaxy Note 20, Lee reflects on a subsequent visit to Banff National Park and the sheer magnitude of opportunities available in the Canadian outdoors.
I previously visited Banff in 2017 for a few days having just completed a 30-day exercise in Suffield base where I was offered the time off to take the trip. This is where my love for the mountains grew and the main reason why I took a subsequent, once in a lifetime trip. Banff is a mountain town in the province of Alberta, almost a mile above sea level, sitting at a prestigious 1383m. Its skies are dominated by many mountain peaks including Mt. Rundle, and Cascade, Sulphur and Tunnel Mountains, the latter also known as the Sleeping Buffalo due to its appearance from certain angles.
Banff town resides inside Banff National Park which spans 6500 km2 and is home to extensive wildlife as well as extensive scenery. Elks, grizzly bears and deer are but some of the wildlife known to have entered the town on occasion. On the main road through the town, you will find many shops and restaurants with an array of different tastes to suit everyone from around the world, including local favourites Melissa’s Steakhouse, Edo Japan and Beavers’ Desserts.
SULPHUR MOUNTAIN
Standing at 2451m, Sulphur Mountain is located in Banff National Park overlooking the town of Banff itself and was previously referred to as Terrace Mountain; however, was renamed in 1916 in recognition of the hot springs on its lower slopes. The mountain top is accessible via cable car, at a cost of around CA$70 (Canadian Dollars), or by the 3.3km mountain trail with all its switch backs. The start can be found next to the hot springs entrance.
At the top of the mountain, you will find three restaurants, a gift shop and multiple observation decks.
Hiking up this mountain, with its many switch backs, proved very repetitive and required a decent level of fitness, which is why I assume a cable car is available for the less energetic visitor. However, the sense of achievement once you reach the top on foot simply can’t be matched in any other way. From the summit, you can treat yourself to panoramic views of the Bow River, Banff, Lake Minnewanka and various other mountain peaks whilst enjoying a nice cup of fresh coffee from the café.
LAKE LOUISE
This would have been my second visit to Lake Louise but the first trip was underwhelming due to bad weather in 2017. Lake Louise is a hamlet in Banff National Park, home to one of Alberta’s most popular and beautiful lakes, and its
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