Day 2 – Lake Minnewanka and Johnston Canyon

Lake Minnewanka

Day two of the trip was quite simply fantastic. I had a welcomed break from protein bars courtesy of our hostel’s complimentary breakfast – copious amounts of orange slices, toast, oatmeal, pancakes and muffins! As if the breakfast wasn’t enough, we were fortunate to have met some really awesome people from all over the world. For most of that morning I was under the impression that Steph and I were the only Canadians staying at the hostel, as everyone seemed to be from either Germany or Australia. However, towards the end of the meal we had the great pleasure of meeting a fellow Canadian and new friend, Rory (you gotta check his stuff out @Rorycourt). We were all pleasantly surprised that there were other Canadians staying at the hostel and we soon hit it off.

It’s funny how things work out. On this particular day, we had planned to drive to Kananaskis to get some hiking in, but much to our dismay, the trails we had planned to trek were inaccessible (as was everything else with it being April).

As such, we basically just went with the flow. As the trip continued, we found ourselves largely ignoring our itinerary, and just going wherever life took us, which was actually a sweet feeling. All of this to say that we ended up exploring Lake Minnewanka and Johnston Canyon with Rory.

I can’t say enough good things about this day. Initially, Minnewanka wasn’t even on our radar, but we were lucky enough to have met someone who was familiar with the area who was also down to explore. So off we went and again, part of me felt like I was still in Ontario – that is until we reached Minnewanka’s shores. It was a cloudy morning, with the clouds perched very low, but within moments it revealed itself. Mount Inglismaldie, towering high above, opposite of us, was like an enigma, shrouded in the mist. I couldn’t believe the sheer size of it. If I needed a reminder that I was nowhere near Ontario, this was it. I remember tilting my head up high just to catch fleeting glimpses of Cascade’s and Inglismaldie’s peaks as the clouds hovered by them. It honestly felt otherworldly, the sort of sight that you would see in a Lord of the Rings or Stars Wars film. It was surreal.

At a certain point I made my way right to the water, curious as to how it felt. I dipped just my hand (and GoPro) into the water and within seconds the frigidity had made it feel like my hand was on fire. I kid you not. If I needed any dissuading from entirely submersing myself in the lake, it was that.

So off we went, passing by Parks Canada’s iconic red chairs, traversing the trails that hugged the shore, and taking in the beauty of it all. Eventually, a portion of the lake began to narrow, so we made our way down to the crystal clear waters, as per Rory’s suggestion. He had actually noted how the water was as potable as could be, and encouraged us to try some. It was without a doubt the best water I have ever tasted in my life. I immediately discarded the tap water I had brought, and filled it with this surreally pure stream water.

The rest of the morning progressed as we continued to follow the trail further into the woods towards Stewart Canyon. This place (as with everything in Banff) was beautiful and there was a certain quality to the air. It was spectacular.

The elevation was negligible and it was a nice and easy hike, which was much appreciated as we had found out from our ascent up Tunnel Mountain the night before. Far above the Cascade River below us, we were soon on a canyon top trail, which we followed until we reached a junction. To the right lay a serious climb, and a restricted area as it was bear season. The signs prohibited entrance unless hiking in a group of at least four people, equipped with bear spray of course. Signage like this was still completely new to me as the wildlife I was accustomed to back home largely comprised deer.

Heeding the sign’s warning, we hugged the canyon’s edge and carried on for a little while longer, during which we ran into two older hikers. More often than not, I’ve found that you meet the friendliest people outdoors. In my experience, people out in nature have a tendency to be much more welcoming and personable than the people you encounter on city streets. After a good, hearty chat and some time spent taking pictures we decided to head back to the parking lot.

The hike back basically consisted of awesome convos and stunning scenery as the day had cleared up and before we knew it we were back at the trailhead.

After a quick stop over at our hostel to refuel and change, we were on the road again, this time courtesy of Rory, and off to Johnston Canyon we went.

Johnston Canyon

…it was pure delight to be where the land lifted in peaks and plunged in canyons, and to sniff air thin, spray-cooled, full of pine and spruce smells…

– The sound of Mountain Water, Wallace Stegner

As is apt to happen in the Rockies, the day went from being somewhat warm and sunny, to being a dreary and cloudy downpour as we approached the Canyon. Despite the weather, the trail was still pretty busy, so I can’t even imagine how packed it would be on a warm and sunny day. That said, regardless of the crowds, Johnston Canyon is definitely one of the most beautiful places I’ve had the fortune of visiting. As its namesake suggests, it is a large canyon that has formed by erosion over thousands of years.

We followed the very linear and easy trail up towards the lower falls and the higher falls, with the option to hike to the ink pots, which we opted to forego.

While I do not doubt the beauty of this place on a sunny day, the rain and mist added a certain quality to this particular hike. I’ve not been to the Pacific Northwest region yet, but hiking through this area made me feel as if I was in such a setting. Tree filled slopes towered endlessly overhead, disappearing into the fog, as mountains occasionally peaked high above tree line, while mist from the falls sprayed onto me as I took this all in. I’ll never forget taking a few moments to lag behind the group so I could just stand and take a few moments to marvel at what I was so lucky to be seeing, craning my head upwards so as to attempt to capture it all. As with most sights out West, pictures could not do it justice.

We eventually reached the Upper Falls which were a fantastic sight. Standing on the viewing platform in front of the falls made me all the more grateful that I had purchased my new Patagonia rain jacket, which I was initially on the fence about. The hike through Johnston Canyon itself justified the purchase as I was completely dry, although my questionable choice in wearing shorts meant that my legs were quite wet.

So off we went, back the way we came, this time making quite the detour to explore one of the caves down by Johnston Creek. The way down from the main trail was a bit tricky as the footing comprised mud, dirt and a bit of ice in some parts. Much care had to be taken.

Once down there I was in awe. We spent a considerable amount of time here, and rightly so. I did not want to leave.

A portion of the creek was still quite frozen, which made this off trail venture even more fun. Feeling like a kid again (as I often do when I’m outside), I began to slide around the ice on my rear, which worked surprisingly well! I didn’t even care that it was cold, it was too much fun to be bothered by it.

Views like these are a big reason why I was reluctant to leave. Eventually, we made our way back, as the rain continued to fall and the air got chillier.

The rest of the day was spent doing groceries (which are ridiculously expensive out there), cooking and relaxing as we still had nearly a week of hiking and scrambling ahead of us.

As always, thanks for reading, I appreciate it more than you know!!

And special thanks to my friends Steph and Rory for allowing me to use their stunning shots!

Up next: Day 3 – Yoho National Park, British Columbia