It’s always good to end on a high note, and apart from a final wind-down in Vancouver, our leg in the Canadian Rockies was always going to be the psychological end of our trip.   And what a fitting end!

After leaving Glacier National Park, we travelled for hundreds of kilometres up a single enormous glacial valley with mountain ranges on either side (see the satellite pic below).  Neither of us had seen such features of the Earth’s continental activity before on such as massive scale.  Two plates crashing together have pushed the Rockies to their current (and increasing heights), whilst vast glaciers carved the U-shaped valleys and sharp peaks that are a feature of this end of the range.

We have seen many beautiful parts of Northern America on this trip, but the Canadian Rockies have taken our prize for the most spectacular.

Beautiful Lake Moraine

Lake Louise

Girls ride the Gondola

Bow River Parkway

Banff Springs Hotel

We stayed in an intimate lodge in the Kicking Horse valley, under the shadows of Cathedral Mountain – a pass famous for being the most difficult piece of railway track on the Canadian Pacific Railway’s route.  Just above us were two spiral rail tunnels, built to allow a train to climb or descend the steep grade (the infamous ‘Big Hill’) by circling around and over themselves in a figure eight structure under the mountains.

Train loops over above itself on the lower spiral

The tunnel system

Banff was beautiful, but our favorite was the brilliant blue waters of Lake Moraine, and the busier but grand Lake Louise.  We rode the chairlifts and tried to spot grizzly, and although no bears the view of the mountains from the top was absolutely worth it!  We spent some time warming our bones in Banff Hot Springs, and generally just relaxed, savouring some really good food.

Canada has been a great transition for us – there’s a lot of similarities to Australia (I guess it’s the Commonwealth thing, not just the fact that everyone in the  service  industry has been Aussie!).  One big surprise for us has been Canadian wine!  Who knew?  But it is great, they should export it!

Rowing on Lake Moraine

Lake Louise in bloom

At the falls

This is a magical part of the world and fantastic that it is largely protected for the future.  All Canadian Rockies photos here: next and final stop, Vancouver!