[Almost] a Week in Banff, Canada: Our Girls Hike-Camp Trip with Photos
TRAVEL DAY: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA TO CALGARY, CANADA (7/25/18)
Lodging: Hampton Inn by Hilton, Calgary Airport North
Walking: 3.5 miles / 2 floors*
Day Overview:
Fly to Calgary, Canada direct via WestJet. Arrive around 5:00PM. Drop off backpacking backpack at hotel and pick-up rental car. Head to downtown Calgary to explore while waiting for Natashya’s flight to get in.
See Bookers BBQ & Crab Shack from off the highway and decide to eat there. Perfect, relaxed BBQ joint in a former warehouse. Exactly the type of casual vibe I was seeking. Eat wings because it was wing day and a craft brew from Wild Rose. Chat with business traveler about travel experiences including Mexico which was unexpected.
Walk around downtown Calgary and enjoy the 9:30PM sunset which adds to my feeling of safety as a solo-female. Meet Natashya at hotel at 10PM after her flight got in. Shower and sleep.
DAY 1: CALGARY, CANADA TO BANFF, CANADA (7/26/18)
Lodging: Tunnel Mountain Campground I, Spot E21
Walking: 3.8 miles / 2 floors
Day Overview:
Wake-up, eat breakfast at Hampton Inn. Make the easy, traffic free 1.5 hour drive to Banff National Park. Very easy drive. Pay entrance fee at Banff National Park Entrance and head to campground. Reserve a 5th night at the same campground. Set-up Tent. Leisurely lunch at Banff Ave. Brewing Co. over a stein of beer because it was stein day. Review hike ideas for next few days and joke around with two other travelers.
Stroll Banff Avenue, look at kitchy souvenirs in shops, pop into Unlimited Skate and Snow and get hike ideas from a friend of a friend. Grab a drink and snack to wait out the light rain at Toque. Play What do you Meme to the best of our ability with two people.
Buy water and non-perishable groceries for campsite and hikes from the largest Banff Avenue grocery store, IGA. Buy two 6 packs of craft beer based on name, style, and alcohol content (aiming for lower) to enjoy over the next few days. Head back to the campsite where we snacked on some of our groceries and brews while making PB& J and trail mix lunch for the next day.
Wait in line for showers (but they were warm!) at campground. Get cuddled up in our respective sleeping bags and crash.
DAY 2: BANFF, CANADA (7/27/18)
Lodging: Tunnel Mountain Campground I, Spot E21
Walking: 13.7 miles / 178 floors
Hiking Route: Helen Lake & Katherine Lake Out-and-Back
Helen Lake Parking Lot –> Helen Lake –> Katherine Lake.
Overview:
Wake up at 5:50AM to Natashya cheerily telling me it was time to get up. Call her out on not letting me sleep the extra 10 minutes until 6AM as promised. (But she made up for it by preparing the coffee!) Drink coffee and eat oatmeal. Finish last minute day hike bag organization like filing CamelBaks with water and head out!
Enjoy the drive along the Trans-Canadian Highway and Icefields parkway including one of the most scenic road-side pee spots ever (pictured). Take off on our first hike. Within the first ¼ of a mile, I was overtaken by a panicky, slightly dizzy feeling likely brought on by a combination of the altitude, small sudden uphill, too much coffee, and processing the feeling of being two girls alone in the woods with no one else around. Once I stopped caught my breath and changed the internal dialogue, I was OK. The feeling did not return once during the trip.
Hike the Helen Lake route to Helen Lake crossing paths with only a few other hikers along the day. Enjoy lunch at Helen Lake with no one else there. Marmot sneaks up on us and starts to eat the rim hat (attracted to the sweat I suppose – gross!) as we are starting to get ready to leave. Fortunately, two other hikers with hiking poles arrived at around that time and kindly used a pole to pick up and scoot the Marmot off my hate. Head over the ridgeline and down to Katherine Lake. Retrace our steps back to the parking lot encountering quite a few more hikers but still long stretches alone.
Drive to Peyto Lake. Take the ten-minute walk to the main overlook. It’s pretty but so over-run by people that it is difficult to enjoy it. Begin drive back towards Banff Town and debate whether we should stop at Bow Lake which we had viewed on our morning drive and from outlooks on our hike. Decide to just stop and see how crowded it is. It’s not! Wade up to our knees and marvel at how quickly the icy-cold water seems to have cured our aching feet and ankles. Sit on the shore of the lake with feet in, enjoying a beer and the stunning view.
Shower at the campsite before dinner. Realize the early shower beats the rush and plan to repeat that on future days. Rooftop tacos, chips and guacamole, and margaritas at Magpie & Stump.
DAY 3: BANFF, CANADA (7/28/18)
Lodging: Tunnel Mountain Campground I, Spot E21
Walking: 12 miles / 114 floors
Hiking Route: Out-and-back to Larry’s Camp via Johnston Canyon Hike
Johnston Canyon Parking Lot –> Lower & Upper Falls –> Inkpots –> Larry’s Camp
Overview:
Follow same day 3 morning routine. Head to Johnston Canyon, a shorter drive than day 3. Park and walk the 1.5 mile paved portion of the Johnston Canyon hike and take in the flowing stream and two waterfalls. There were others present but it was not so crowded that we couldn’t enjoy it (it looked crazy packed on our return.)
Within 5 minutes of leaving the paved path and two minutes of Natashya remarking that she thought a bear encounter would have been more likely on yesterday’s hike, learn that a bear had crossed the path two groups of hikers ahead. We walked with bear spray out and the hiking groups in sight for the next stretch.
Talk to hikers that saw the bear, eventually calm down, and settle into a long uphill stretch. Arrive at the Inkpots, colorful, spring fed ponds in a meadow surrounded by picturesque mountains. Oh, and there’s also a beautiful flowing stream. Eat snacks and a brew on a log looking at the stream.
Walk a little further upstream and cross bridge. Debate whether to continue on after a man told Natashya that he had turned back because the brush was thick and he got spooked. As we are deciding, two backpackers walk-up. We strike up conversation and learn that they have hiked Banff previously and are currently heading to Larry’s Camp (Jo9), a Banff backcountry campsite, and then beyond. Join them for the hike to Larry’s and scope out a backpackers’ camp. Bid the guys goodbye and good-luck and head back. Talking loudly about Trader Joe’s favorites to keep the bears away.
Head back to the parking lot. Get caught in a light rain for about 20 minutes. Drive back to camp, shower, and put on our camping best (jumpsuit for Natashya, dress for me) to head to the castle-like Fairmont Banff Springs for a drink and a snack. After watching a quick downpour over excellent drinks and perfect pickle-fried chicken, decide to split a meal rather than go somewhere else for dinner. The prices in the Fairmont Banff Springs lounge area were surprisingly affordable.
Head back to camp. Wake-up at 1AM to a growling sound that seems feet away and tent moving. After a harrowing ten-minutes, realize that the “bear,” is just one of our campground neighbors snoring….loudly…and continuously.
DAY 4: BANFF, CANADA (7/29/18)
Lodging: Tunnel Mountain Campground I, Spot E21
Walking: 13 miles / 142 floors
Hiking Route: Lake Louise Loop
Lake Louise –> Mirror Lake –> Lake Agnes Teahouse –> Big Beehive –>Plain of Six Glaciers –> Lake Louise
Overview:
“Sleep-in” until 7-something-AM, down the usual campground breakfast, and drive to Lake Louise. Arrive before 9AM and in time to nab a parking spot in the lot rather than having to shuttle in. Head up and up and up hitting Mirror Lake, Lake Agnes, and the Big Beehive (exceptional overlook of Lake Louise). Walk down and over some rolling trails to the exposed trail up to Plain of Glaciers Teahouse in blazing 1PM heat with growling stomachs (mine at least!)
Order tea and lunch. Our first non-PB&J lunch on a hike. Enjoy the shade of the teahouse porch and the cold stone wall next to our table. Head back down to Lake Louise via a more direct route. Stop at the lake’s shore on the opposite end of the lake from the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise to relax for a few minutes and carefully walk into and across the glacier-cold (that’s colder than just ice-cold) waters.
Return to our car and once again remark at how happy we are that we got there early enough to beat the now Disney World like crowds. Head to the Banff Upper Hot Springs at Sulphur Mountain even though it was still quite warm weather. Realize why it is called Sulphur Mountain as we walk up to the springs. Wait in a short line for tickets then enjoy a muscle relaxing soak and some stretching in the hot spring fed pool which fortunately, does not smell of Sulphur
Impulsively purchase a hot dog from cheese from the food stand because I’m starving at it sounds fantastic (it was) and under $5. Head directly into Banff Town for dinner. Struggle to find anywhere we want to go that isn’t completely full with a long wait. Eventually settle on the chain Earl’s followed by an “adult” (i.e. alcoholic) hot chocolate and people watching at an outdoor table on the street at The Maple Leaf.
DAY 5: BANFF, CANADA (7/30/18)
Lodging: Tunnel Mountain Campground I, Spot B42
Walking: 14.5 miles / 164 floors
Hiking Route: Sunshine Meadows Long Route
Sunshine Village Base –> Healy Pass –>Simpson Pass –> Monarch Viewpoint –> Meadwpark Trail –> Trapper’s BBQ –> Rock Isle Road –> Rock Isle Viewpoint –> Gondola Trail –> Sunshine Village Base
Overview:
Pack-up our campsite because we’ll be moving campsites within the same campground for our final night. Pack what has become our usual day-hike lunch of PB&J, trail-mix of champions (gummy bears, pretzels, beef jerky, and anything else found in bags), and 30L of water.
Arrive at the base of Sunshine Meadows, a ski resort. Find the trailhead then start walking uphill. Decide that instead of following the 3-mile-ish route that parallels the Gondola and serves as a ski route in winter, we should take the more interesting longer route. After all, we are going to take the Gondola down.
Walk through quiet woodsy area and quickly realize that this may be or buggiest day yet and use Ben’s Tick & Insect Repellent Wipes. Pass back country camp and begin an uphill climb. Begrudgingly pop our long sleeve mid-layers back on despite the warm weather because of how buggy it is. We’re not getting bit but the bugs are not shy about touching our bodies and faces before venturing off.
Reach Simpson Pass where we notice small obelisks that upon examination reveal that we are on the Alberta / British Columbia border. Enjoy the novelty of crossing the border with one step. Walk a bit further then decide to eat a quick buggy lunch before heading onward. Quickly re-energize as the food sinks in and we see 360 views that seem like they change and improve with every step. Continue to hike up to Monarch Viewpoint then down Meadowpark Trail to upper Sunshine Meadows.
Pop-in the information center / store and learn that the Gondola is not only no longer free to take down if you hike up but it’s barely discounted from a round-trip. Also learn from the friendly associate, who aptly reads our vibe, that there’s a restaurant just feet away, Trapper’s, that has beer. Grab a beer and some fried pickles on a picnic table. Enjoy the luxury.
Head up to the Rock Isle Viewpoint. It’s only about a mile away but on tired legs in warm weather, it felt challenging. Enjoy the view for a few moments but avoid sitting down so that our legs wont cramp up or minds won’t give up. Head back down the mountain via the more direct trail that parallels the gondola because, we’re both a little stubborn and on principle are not paying $36 CAD to take the Gondola down when it only costs $40 CAD for a round-trip. Recognize the humor in the fact that this was going to be an “easy” day of hiking.
Head back to Tunnel Mountain Campground I, set-up tent quickly with rain flap because the skies look ominous. Head to town. Try Poutine (we were not fans) and split a Hawaiian Pizza at the casual Rose & Crown, Banff’s Oldest Pub (which only means it was started in 1985). Meet a group of motorcyclists in theirs 50s to 70s from Lake of the Ozarks who is buying drinks for half the restaurant as we are about to leave. Chat with them and a UK couple that joins the fun. Enjoy the live music.
Drive a UK couple back to their van at Tunnel Campground II because they missed the time cut-off for the buses. (Ah, the ease at which new friendships are formed during travel!) Get back to our campsite and enjoy the best sleep of the trip despite some light rain. Being at a site that was further from the lights and noise the campground bathrooms definitely helped.
DAY 6: BANFF, CANADA (7/31/18)
Lodging: Brewster’s Mountain Lodge, Banff Town
Walking: 8.9 miles / 45 floors
Hiking Route: Bow River Trail and Hoodoos Overlook
Overview:
Wake-up, pack-up, and head to Starbucks where we told one of the guys from the night before that we would meet him if he wanted to join our “three-mile” easy hike. Realize the hike is three miles one day. Woops. Our under-estimating seems to be a theme of the trip. Explain our mistake to the visibly hungover guy who decides to hike with two 30-something girls just a few years older than his kids anyway.
Enjoy a hike that is actually quite leisurely and beautiful minus the section that hits the road (but we’ve had plenty of scenery over the prior 5 days so no complaints.) Accidentally stumble on two of “Red Chair Project“ chairs and sit and snack in them for a few while our hiking buddy grabs water from a campsite across the street. Enjoy being able to share the beauty of the area with someone who might not otherwise have done a lot of hiking.
Part ways with our travel friend and decide to head back the place where it all began Banff Ave. Brewing Co. for a beer and lunch. I went with the beer sampler – love a flight of beer – and we both got the BLTs. Pro tip: add guacamole to the BLT. Walk around for a few. Natashya gets ice cream at Cow‘s Ice Cream, which is so popular it has its own souvenir shop.
Check-in to the hotel and unpack the car we’ve been living out of onto a luggage cart with zero organization. Laugh at what vagabonds we must look like. Shower, start packing, and head out determined to get into Park, a camp inspired distillery we’ve been hearing about all week, before there’s a two-hour wait. Get a seat on one of the street front park benches with no wait! Enjoy a good meal and even better drinks. The Sawback with their spicy vodka was the perfect mix of spicy, sweet, and citrus. So perfect that I had two.
Head back to hotel, finish packing. Enjoy WiFi and call some people back home. Set the alarm for “early as f%?$” (aka 5:12AM) and go to bed.
TRAVEL DAY: BANFF, CANADA TO CALGARY, CANADA TO VANCOUVER, CANADA TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (8/1/18)
Lodging: Home sweet home in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California
Walking: 8.8 miles / 8 floors
Overview:
1.5 hour drive to Calgary, a cancelled flight, a two hour delayed flight, three hours exploring Vancouver (including Storm Crow Tavern, a self-proclaimed “nerd bar”), one minor mental breakdown in Vancouver airport, and an Uber ride to arrive home to a stuffy and hot studio. After being awake 22 hours, I was somehow unable to sleep – the tired but wired phenomenon – so watched an episode of Succession which despite being an intense show lulled me to sleep.
*Walking counted via iPhone. Totals are for the day. Totals posted on Instagram were done at dinner. Some days we ended up getting quite a few steps in after dinner.
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