Days 24 - 30: Canmore

This entry covers the dates 26 - 30 June.

Monday 26 June

I haven't had such a deep and restful sleep in a long time. The room I was in was cool and dark and, most importantly, quiet.
A lot of the nights in the past 3 weeks have been quite noisy, so having no noise was a real treat.
I ate a quick breakfast, chucked a load of washing into the machine and then sat on the patio with Wilma, not thinking about much.
We went for a quick walk on the mountainside behind her house, taking the Montane Traverse path above the Silvertip golf course.
On the return we got caught in a bit of thunder and lightning, wind and rain. It is quite alarming how much the pine trees bend in the wind!

Tuesday 27th

Wilma proposed a hike along Tent Ridge so we set off quite early, in an attempt to beat the heat, and the crowds.
The hike takes the shape of a horse shoe, ascending the left and descending the right. There was still a bit of snow above the treeline, but apart from that it was a glorious day.
We hiked for about 6 hours and had great views and perfect weather. On the way home we popped into Quarry lake for a quick swim, the water felt amazing on my weary legs.

Wednesday 28th

Explored Canmore by bike and foot today. Legs feeling quite heavy after the walking yesterday. Popped into Graze, Good Earth and finally Grizzly Paw, for food and drinks. Body needs refuelling on a massive scale!

Had Bison burgers on the braai (BBQ) for dinner. They. Are. Tasty!

Thursday 29th

Today Wilma and I would be hiking up Cory Pass/Edith Pass above Banff. The weather was once again perfect. The walk went up from the start, and we were soon 1000m above where we started! My legs were struggling with the altitude, but my lungs were having a ball. 

Stopped in the Pass for lunch and admired the views.

The descent was amazing; scree slopes, streams, old forest, mozzies and sunshine. What a variety all in one hike.

Friday 30th

I met Jane's (from PEI, see previous posts) parents for a cup of tea and a chat today. They live in Canmore too. What a lovely couple. I then popped into the Canmore museum and hit the Grizzly Paw for a very tasty lunch!

Canada Day tomorrow...