Glacier National Park and Banff: Glacier National Park (click once on any photo to display full image)
8/28/2012 thru 9/8/2012
Glacier National Park  Banff Iceline  Banff Moraine Lake  Banff Cirque Peak  Banff Lake Louise  Banff Short Walks

We're Back - A Decade Later!

When Li and I last visited Banff in 2002, we enjoyed it so much that we decided to go back again this year. It was great having my Dad with us on this trip, and the hikes and scenery were just as spectacular the second time around. In addition to seeing more of the Canadian Rockies, we also spent a few days exploring Glacier National Park.

Glacier National Park

Before tackling the longer and more strenuous hikes in Banff, we spent 3 days getting into gear at Glacier National Park.

Highline Trail to Grinnell Glacier Overlook

On our first day in the park, we took the Highline Trail to Grinnell Glacier Overlook. As on most days, the early morning start made for cold hiking conditions in the beginning, but that was nothing compared to the ferocious wind tunnel that we had to combat as we crawled across a rock outcropping just before reaching the overlook. If you were brave enough to get close to the edge, the overlook provided good views of Upper Grinnell Lake and Grinnell Glacier - the destination of our hike on the last day in the park.

                      

Grinnell Glacier Overlook

                                                                                     

Hidden Lake and Waterfalls

We did a couple of shorter hikes on our second day in the park. One of the hikes followed a boardwalk up to an overlook of Hidden Lake.

                        

Another hike led to a series of waterfalls. The first in the series was St. Mary Falls, followed by an unnamed one, before reaching Virginia Falls, the last and tallest in the series.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                  

                                                  

Afterwards we made a quick stop at Sunrift Gorge and took a short walk to see Baring Falls.

                                                                                             

Upper Grinnell Lake

On our last day in the park, we hiked to Upper Grinnell Lake and the rapidly disappearing Grinnell Glacier from which it is formed. Grinnell Glacier Overlook (where we were on the first day's hike) is in the notch at the top of the snowfield towards the upper right corner in the last photo.

                       

                                                                

That evening Maureen treated herself to a well earned dessert of apple pie and huckleberry ice cream at Many Glacier Hotel.