A Snowy and Cold June in Banff, Canada

Our travels have taken us through Calgary, Alberta on towards Banff National Park. The plan is to drive through Banff and Jasper National Parks up the Trans Canada Highway to the Icefields Parkway and on to Jasper, Alberta. We decided to spend two nights at the Bow Valley Provincial Park; Bow Valley Campground is about 30 km east of Canmore, just north of Hwy. 1 and off Hwy. 1X. We arrived on Sunday afternoon, June 16th and registered for a first come, first serve pull-thru site with 15 amp electric service. It is situated along the Bow River with spectacular views of the valley and surrounding Canadian Rockies. Interpretive programs, concession, a playground and showers were available for our use.

The local weather was very unusual for June. We weren't surprised by the rain but the temperatures got down to near freezing. Fortunately for us, the 15 amp service was enough to run our electric space heater in the bedroom at night. That, along with our propane furnace, provided all the heat we needed for the unseasonable chilly conditions.

Day two, Monday morning, we journeyed up to the tourist city of Banff to check out this world recognized sightseeing venue. As we exited the highway for Banff we were greeted by a herd of elk grazing the grass-covered landing strip of the Banff airport. We meandered through town ultimately stopping by Starbuck's for coffee and a snack, then on to the Visitor's Centre to get some information about the area. We decided to drive up to Lake Minnewanka after walking the main thoroughfare of Banff. The city is typically jammed with tourists during the summer, but we were visiting about a week before the end of the school year, so we missed the crowds and had almost empty streets.

Lake Minnewanka means "Water of the Spirits" in Nakoda and is a glacial lake in the eastern area of Banff National Park in Canada, about five kilometres (3.1 miles) northeast of the Banff townsite. The lake is 21 km (13 mi) long and 142 m (466 ft) deep, making it the 2nd longest lake in the mountain parks of the Canadian Rockies (the result of a power dam at the west end).

From Minnewanka we drove a short distance to hike around nearby smaller Johnson Lake. It was great to get out and continue our exercise and enjoy the stunning beauty of the Canadian Rockies. This is a 1.8-mile loop trail near Banff, Alberta. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 42 min to complete. We stopped periodically so it took us over an hour. It's advertised as a very popular area for hiking, snowshoeing, and running. We encountered a few other people while exploring but it was very quiet and serene.

We all worked up an appetite so we got back in the truck and journeyed east back towards Canmore for a late lunch/early dinner at a local brew pub. I liked Canmore better than Banff because it was located right up against and below the incredible mountains. We sat outside at the Grizzly Paw Brewing Company and enjoyed our meals before the rain ultimately arrived to shorten our day. I had the Beef Bulgogi Burger, made with shaved marinated beef, Kimchi aioli, mustard slaw, lettuce on a brioche bun. It was unique and tastier then a traditional burger and fries. Karen had the Roasted Broccoli Bowl; it was a very generous portion and I even had to try some. Once we finished our meal we got back to our campsite and hunkered down for the expected cold evening.

Little did we know we would get snow! Yes, snow and I mean huge wet snowflakes falling for hours! We couldn't believe our eyes as our surroundings were covered with white. On June 17th, just 3 days from the Summer Solstice event, we are snowed on.

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