Day 10 - Epic Al-Can Odyssey

Day 10 – Hinton to Banff
252 miles

Our trip to our next destination, Banff, Alberta, wasn't very far miles-wise, but took the better part of the morning to get there.

The drive is straight down the Yellowhead Highway, through Jasper, to the IcefieldsParkway, a beautifully scenic ride that sees the mountain grow snow caps and the running water start to turn an incredible glacial blue.

It was a holiday weekend in Canada, so the roads were pretty crowded. We thought of taking the time to visit the glacier skywalk

 – a plexi-glass walk that jutted out over the valley and gave you an incredible view of the mountains and glaciers – but they didn’t allow parking at the site.

When we got to the visitor’s center to buy tickets and ride the bus BACK to the site, there were so many people there that we couldn't even get to the line for tickets. So we continued down the road.

Stopping amid the tourists to get a picture in front of the largest glacier.

The good thing about crowds is that usually you can get someone to take your picture for you!

We found storming waterfalls,

and roaring rivers

that cascaded glacial water down the mountains to the valley, feeding farms and villages along the way.

We were excited to stop and rest for a couple days and Banff could not have been a better place to relax.

I’d never been to Banff, a lovely village near Lake Louise. It is famous for skiing in the winter and just being beautiful in the summer. Sean was there 15 years ago skiing with his family. 

And as we walked around the town center he recognized various places where they had spent time, including the St. James Tavern.

A real English meal and a couple draughts were in order to celebrate the authenticity of the bar, which was shipped from England, piece by piece, years ago.

We knew the next day was full of activities and the pinnacle of our anniversary celebration, so after dinner we made our way back to the hotel and called it a night.