My readers know that the proximity of flowing water and views of wildlife create my bliss. Add the kicker of surrounding landscapes of stunning wilderness and it is close to nirvana. Banff National Park is a treasure trove of these wonders. Let me take through this day of eye candy galore,
Our travel to the launch site onto the Bow River was along the Icefield Parkway and we once again got great views of the many glaciers housed there, as well as the magnificent Rockies themselves.
This shows the scars from a landslide:
We were told to keep our eyes peeled for an impressive multi-tiered waterfall and despite being in a moving van we did manage these images (video courtesy of Lenore):
Our last stop before the Bow River was Bow Summit and Peyto Lake. A short and scenic hike along the Summit led us to a platform overlooking Peyto Lake and upon first view I knew this was going to be an extra special day:
The lookout, as a height of over 6500 feet is quite amazing. The fact that the end of Peyto Lake looks like the head of a fox was a great bonus.
Time to board our boats and meet our guide who will take us down the Bow River.
Though he looks ready and able to row a la River Wild, we didn’t hit any rapids – we did see the pretty block shaped Bow Falls:
As we made are way down the river, the skies, which as usual began the day hazed and cloudy, started to clear becoming an ideal day for boat tripping. Our hotel, the Banff Springs Hotel, which is also called the “Castle in the Rockies” makes a pretty backdrop:
Now on to the wildlife…in next week’s post, but here is a sneak peek:
#