Winter Hikes in Banff National Park
Banff Tours Include Ice Canyon Hiking in Canadian Rockies
Mar 11, 2009
Johnston Canyon on the Bow Valley Parkway in Canada’s Banff National Park is one of the park’s most popular summer destinations for picnics, camping and a pleasant hike along the 1.4 mile (2.2 km) canyon trail.
Winter Adventure in the Canadian Rockies
But in the winter time, when ice formations drip from the suspended walkway a dozen yards or more above the ice covered creek, the silence is broken only by an occasional thump of snow falling from a spruce bow. A winter trip is the time to truly appreciate Johnston Canyon.
First time ice canyon hikers will be wise to rent crampons to make it through the icy canyons. Walking in crampons on ice or packed snow requires taking small, very short, very deliberate steps. Going down even the smallest incline is a little scary and going up hill is can be a challenge until you get the hang of it. The altitude is 5,600 feet, so take it slow and easy. Many trekkers feel more confident with hiking poles or cross country ski poles, available at the rental offices at Chateau Lake Louis and other area providers.
Winter Hiking in Banff
A paved surface and suspended walkway with sturdy guardrails create a gentle uphill climb for the first half-mile to the Lower Falls. The climb becomes a bit more intense the next 1.5 miles to the Upper Falls, but is worth the effort, no matter what the season, for a view of the canyon gorge.
Discover Banff Tours leads winter hikes through Johnson Canyon, Grotto Canyon and other destinations in the park. The company also offers snowshoe tours, dog sledding, heli-skiing, snowmobiling and wildlife expeditions. Call 877-565-9372.
Banff National Park is also popular as a winter ski destination, with three ski mountains to choose from.
Summer in Banff ResortsThousands of visitors from around the world move along at a glacier’s pace almost heel-to-toe with the person in front of them, yet fully enjoying tranquility of Johnston Creek as it trickles through the base of the canyon. The sheer number of visitors virtually eliminates all possibility of sighting any wildlife except for the hardiest of chipmunks and squirrels. But the freshness of the breeze, the whimsy of the waterfalls and the magnificence of the glacier-carved canyon are nonetheless worth the interaction with human beings.
Park historians tend to agree that Johnson was a prospector in these parts 100 years or more ago. Not a lot more is known about him, indicating he probably wasn’t very successful in his chosen field.
The canyon was first explored by tourists in the 1920s when Albert and Margaret Camp cut the first trail. Today’s visitors openly marvel at the courage and fortitude the Camps and their first customers had to traverse the trail without benefit of handrails or guardrails. At times, the drop to the boulder-filled canyon bottom is as much at 1000 feet.
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