Banff Blew My Mind

Truly it did. I was on an absolute high every single moment I was there.

With the US in shutdown I revised my plans and decided to head across the border to Banff. I’d just finished the awesome scenic loop in Montana, I was all about getting out among the big wide world. The road to the border was stunning, those enticing mountains in the distance in the scenic loop grew closer as the roads grew windier. Eventually I arrived the sole traveller at the border crossing. The very charming Canadian immigration official asked me a few questions, mostly concerned about whether I had any alcohol on me (surprisingly for me I’ve hardly had any during my trip to North America).

The scenery after the border was disappointing. It was almost as if way back when they were deciding on boundaries someone said ‘Nope, too boring let someone else have it’. Golden plains seemed to go on forever, like the Bob Dylan numbers my iPod had thrown up on the stereo. either side of the perfectly straight road there were frequent signs warning of distracted driving ‘what on earth could you be distracted by?’ I thought to myself. But in the distance after a few hundred kilometres as I approached the Calgary city limits those enticing mountains would show themselves again chinks of bright white suggested snow and clear blue sky restored my spirit.

A night stop in Calgary, a brief trip to Walmart to stock up on gloves, a hat and more socks (curiously they still go missing on the road…) I was back on the road, the mountains still there, still beaming white streaks and the sky still blue, Banff was my calling.

And Oh. My. Buddha. It was just stunning. Driving through the Canadian Rockies you think wow this is awesome then you turn a corner and its better, then you take a side road signed for a lake and you are greeted with the bluest clearest lake. You step outside walk to a view point, the air feels like the cleanest crispest air you’ve ever breathed. It’s cold your body shivers underneath the multiple layers of clothing and you pull up your gloves and put in your hat and head up the trail. Your eyes are astounded by everything you see, you turn around to see a more stunning view behind you. Then you take out your camera and however good the pictures are they never quite capture how white the snow is, how blue the lake is, how grand the Rockies are standing tall and proud before you.

I’ve seen some amazing scenery on my travels but Banff lifted the bar way above anything I’ve seen before. I spent 3 wonderful days in the park, much like Montana a trip down a side road to a lesser known lake, creek or viewpoint left you totally alone among this awesome scenery. There are bears too, but I didn’t see any although several trails were closed to solo hikers (despite my adventurous spirit I didn’t want to take the risk!) I stayed at a wonderful hostel at Lake Louise in the middle of the Park and within an easy drive of the southern reaches of Jasper National Park (as equally enticing and stunning). As a geeky aside probably the Northern most point I’ll reach on my trip.

I had no expectations of Banff, I’d heard good things about it but no hype. It wasn’t on my ‘must see’ list for this leg of my travels. But it was the most stunning thing I’ve seen so far. Standing alone looking at the Rockies as they huddle the bluest lake you’ve ever seen. I’ve never felt so alive, so free and so much in awe of the world’s natural treasures.

Shutdown, Shut Out

I’d wanted to go to Yellowstone National Park ever since I was enticed by my first visit to Yosemite and picking up on murmurings that if I thought Yosemite was good I should really see Yellowstone because its quite something. So in my year or so seeing all the places I’d dreamed of from behind my grey desk, I tentatively added Yellowstone to the list. With ten days to kill between Vancouver and a play date in Chicago it was the perfect opportunity to get to this tantalising park.

My second trip to Yosemite in 2008

But it wasn’t to be. As I kept half an eye on the news as US threw around words unconstitutional and Obamacare in the same sentence it was clear, even for the sensationalist American news outfits that something was not quite well with the American political system.

1st October 2013 and the US government had been shut down because the congress had failed to pass a budget and therefore the government had no money. Bemused by news casts and a lack of understanding of a system which apparently means if a group of people don’t like a law passed years ago they can hold the country to ransom, in a story that unfolded more and more like a pantomime. I know virtually nothing about US politics but the behaviour of some of the politicians on display over national media was akin to toddlers having a tantrum because they couldn’t wear their favourite fancy dress outfit to a family wedding.

Toddler having a tantrum

Coming from a country where healthcare is FREE at the point of delivery it bewildered me that anyone would want to stop any kind of universal healthcare being implemented ANYWHERE and certainly seemed incomprehensible that they would go so far as to shutdown a government to stop this happening.

Over the first few days the news coverage got more and more bizarre s the media and public opinion turned on the republicans and their speaker, a congressman appealed to the media that the speakers feelings had been hurt and that it wasn’t helpful that people kept ‘calling him out’. While 1000s of Americans went on leave without pay, concerned less with name calling and more with paying mounting bills without an income.

Disneyland: Still Open

So because the government was shutdown so too were the national parks, that’s right iconic places such as The Grand Canyon, The Statue of Liberty and of course Yellowstone were now all closed until the situation was resolved. One of the most ludicrous situations I’d ever come across. Further bewilderment as I watched some spokesperson on the news say how it probably wouldn’t affect tourism much because there was still lots to see and do in America and of course Disneyland was still open (because that’s what everyone wants to see in the US right?)

With no resolution looking imminent I took my SUV and headed towards Canada, where National Parks would be open and the scenery just as breathtaking. (More on that soon).

Yellowstone (the first national park) has been described as America’s greatest idea, surely then logically the congress that managed to shut it down is probably Americas worst. <

Crater Lake

7,800 years ago a massive volcanic eruption at Mount Mazama in Southern Oregon set the scene for what is now the stunningly beautiful Crater Lake National Park. 750 years after the eruption and the collapse of Mount Mazamas peak, rainfall filled the lake leaving its characteristic bright blue hue. Reportedly the seventh deepest lake in the world, with depths of up to 1,943 feet less than five percent of its floor has been explored.

A reminder of the volcanic eruption is the curious cinder cone, named Wizard Island in the centre of the lake. You can explore it on a boat tour but instead we opted for a hike to get our blood pumping.

Surrounded by mountains and amazing vistas the highest point in the park is Mount Scott, with an elevation of 8,938 feet. A gentle, yet strenuous climb to the top which offers the most amazing views of the lake and surrounding areas. It’s hard not to feel top of the world when you can see for miles without a sign of human development, bar the odd road.

A lesser known National Park, Crater Lake offers remote stunning natural beauty and a curious reminder of the volcanic activity in the area less than 10,000 years ago.