July 30, 2013 Banff

On our second day in Banff, we did two of the major tourist attractions:  the Banff Gondola ride, and the Minnewanka Lake Cruise.  

The gondola ride was awesome!  First we drove halfway up Sulphur Mountain, then the gondola took us up to the Summit Upper Terminal at 7,486 ft.  After that, we climbed a long zig-zag stairway to the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station, which closed in 1978.  (measuring radioactive, solar, magnetic, etc)  At such an altitude, we stopped often to simple breathe... From up here (billed as being on Top of the Rockies) the views were amazing, and we were lucky enough to have a clear day.  Trying to take it all in, my brain went into "overload" mode!

The gondola, view from below. (plus a pale moon)

The gondola, view from the top.

Nannie standing in front of the Cosmic Ray Station.

We climbed a up and down LOT of stairs, all the way to the Cosmic Ray Station.

Mountain Man!

The Banff Springs Hotel, from 7000 ft.

Town of Banff.

Way up high, over 7000 ft.

This chippie hit the jackpot up at the top!

The Lake Cruise was beautiful.  Lots of views of the mountains from the lake, and of course the lake was the most lovely shade of aqua as are all the glacial lakes and waterways.  The Cruise-Guide lady was very informative and interacted very well with the many children on board.  A lovely ending to a full day!

Our Lake Cruise boat, the Alberta Explorer.

Classic example of a glacier-carved valley, shaped like a U.  River-carved valleys are more of a V shape.

Lake Cruise!  Is that the Cap'n?