Getting Ever Colder - Banff to Mosquito Creek

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It was time to head off again into the unknown so today we started our leisurely journey northwards towards Jasper, taking the scenic Bow Valley Parkway. Not wanting to break with recent convention, we decided the opportunity called for another hike - this time, to the 'Inkpots' via Johnston Canyon. Johnston Canyon was impressive but somewhat overdeveloped, with paved paths and guiderails to 'stop you falling in' and suing someone - i.e. preventing natural selection. The Inkpots, further afield, turned out to be a series of surreal little pools, all slightly different colours, dotted prettily about a stunning mountain valley. As usual, we had the place completely to ourselves.

Next, we had the clever idea of stopping for the night at a little campground along the Icefields Parkway (take good note of the name - ice = cold, what were we thinking?!), called Mosquito Creek. No mosquito in its right mind would try to exist in conditions this extreme. As soon as we stepped out of the car, the freezing air hit us - it was much colder than anywhere else we'd been so far and there were tell-tale patches of snow all over the ground. Chickening out, we went to check out a nearby hostel but were once again put off by the steep price for a bunk and the fact they were going to make us buy 'membership' on top of this. Foolishly, we thought 'stuff it!' and went back to our tent. Never in my life have I been so cold.

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Photos

The Inkpots
Shimmering pools of water