Work finally slowed down enough this summer, was able to sneak out last weekend for some "glamping" with the family to Banff National Park. Did manage to drag them out to a hiking trail for some dirt time. Was a nice scenic drive from our campsite to the trailhead, where i discovered I forgot my camera 
. Oh well, had my half dead phone with me, so off we went:
Start of Trail:
Bow Lake:
Our destination, you can just make out the waterfall coming off the glacier that feeds the lake:
Trail along the lake:
Alpine Potentilla:
Dog enjoying the (cold!) water:
Start of the flats after the lake:
Aaaand this is where my phone died
Actually didn't get too much further - we followed the flats and up the canyon for a bit to where the trail branches off, across a "natural bridge" to go to the alpine hut above. Was actually just a huge a$$ed boulder wedged in the canyon. Not my pics, but it was cool to see:
We stopped for a rest and a lunch break. My 16 stayed in my pack, while my daughters 14 took KP duty batoning pepperoni and a cheese block into manageable pieces. That's when she noticed her stuffed animal had fallen out of her pack. Unable emotionally to continue on, we (she) decided to head back to the trailhead to see if it could be found. A long soak in the hot springs that night before bed, and we followed the RV caravans headed out the next day.
Did manage to put together a small PSK for her the night before as well, out of an old camera case that she could strap to her knife. Now she has one just like her dad's. Not much in it; whistle, flashlight, sparkie firestarter and tinder, multitool, emerg. blanket, and her boo boo kit. Told her the whistle would be her most important tool if she got lost; just sit under the biggest tree in the area and wail on it, and i'd find her. seemed to make her much more confident hiking in the woods.
Was nice to be out in nature, even if it was just a weekend. Apologize again for the crappy photos; they really don't do the area justice. Thanks for looking.
. Oh well, had my half dead phone with me, so off we went:Start of Trail:
Bow Lake:
Our destination, you can just make out the waterfall coming off the glacier that feeds the lake:
Trail along the lake:
Alpine Potentilla:
Dog enjoying the (cold!) water:
Start of the flats after the lake:
Aaaand this is where my phone died
Actually didn't get too much further - we followed the flats and up the canyon for a bit to where the trail branches off, across a "natural bridge" to go to the alpine hut above. Was actually just a huge a$$ed boulder wedged in the canyon. Not my pics, but it was cool to see:
We stopped for a rest and a lunch break. My 16 stayed in my pack, while my daughters 14 took KP duty batoning pepperoni and a cheese block into manageable pieces. That's when she noticed her stuffed animal had fallen out of her pack. Unable emotionally to continue on
, we (she) decided to head back to the trailhead to see if it could be found. A long soak in the hot springs that night before bed, and we followed the RV caravans headed out the next day.Did manage to put together a small PSK for her the night before as well, out of an old camera case that she could strap to her knife. Now she has one just like her dad's. Not much in it; whistle, flashlight, sparkie firestarter and tinder, multitool, emerg. blanket, and her boo boo kit. Told her the whistle would be her most important tool if she got lost; just sit under the biggest tree in the area and wail on it, and i'd find her. seemed to make her much more confident hiking in the woods.
Was nice to be out in nature, even if it was just a weekend. Apologize again for the crappy photos; they really don't do the area justice. Thanks for looking.
