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Banff National Park - Banff Region
Probably the most famous of the national parks of the Canadian Rockies, Banff National Park is a "must-see" for anyone who likes mountain scenery, although with a size of over 2,500 square miles, no casual visitor could possibly hope to actually see it all. This is the first of three scenesets covering Banff National Park, focusing on the attractions in and around the town of Banff, which is considered by many the "capital" of the Canadian Rockies. Highlights in this area include hot springs, the distinctive Mt. Rundle, the Vermillion Lakes and Johnston Canyon. More of Banff National Park can be seen in the Lake Louise and Icefields Parkway scenesets.

Angular We stopped by this lake on our way to Banff. I am not even sure what it is called. And in retrospect, it's probably far from the best picture I took on the trip... but I was so excited to see the mountains that I stopped and snapped a couple of images anyway. I do like being able to see the bands of rock in the outcropping. Angular
Sulphur Spring Banff is famous in part for its collection of natural mineral hot springs. Some have been developed into commercial bathing areas and even resorts, but some are still left in their natural state. The white color here is a result of mineral deposition and/or themophilic bacteria (visible on a much larger scale at larger geothermal areas such as Yellowstone National Park). Sulphur Spring
The Fen A view of one the natural fens (bog-like areas) near the Banff hot springs, taken on a less-than-stellar day for photography. :) The Fen
Intense Color I'm a sucker for a rainbow at any time, and when I run into one early in a trip I can't resist stopping for a shot, even if the background isn't the most impressive. I recall this one being particularly intense in color and brightness. (033364) Intense Color
Paintbrush Portrait Paintbrush Portrait
Clear Green This pretty green pool is formed by outflow from another of the natural springs in the Banff area. Below the surface you can see stalagmites (or is that stalactites?) formed from dripping of mineral-lading water, presumably when the water level was lower. Clear Green
Still Morning on Two Jack Lake Mount Rundle's less famous eastern slopes reflect in the crystal early morning waters of Two Jack Lake, just outside the town of Banff. This small lake abutts the much larger Lake Minnewanka. Still Morning on Two Jack Lake
Pine Lunch Fortunately, this squirrel was far too engrossed in dissecting this pine cone to be worried about a human photographer. :) Pine Lunch
Banff Valley Panorama A short drive up the road leading to the Mount Norquay ski area just northwest of Banff provides a spectular view of the town and the valley that surrounds it. A few highlights: Mount Rundle in the far left background; the town of Banff center-left, with Goatview Peak in the distance; Sulphur Mountain center to center-right; Sundance Peak background right; and the Bow River and Vermillion Lakes center right in front of the mountains. Banff Valley Panorama
Mountain View Some mountains whose names I don't know reflected in one of the Vermillion Lakes. Mountain View
Paddling the Vermillion Lakes One of my favorite images from this Rockies trip, taken in early evening at I believe the second of three Vermillion Lakes. I didn't see the canoe when I set up to take the shot so it was a pleasant surprise, and I had to act quick to capture it! The mountain in the center is of course Mount Rundle, arguably the most famous mountain in the Canadian Rockies, showing off its distinctive sharp peaks. Paddling the Vermillion Lakes
Driftlog This pine tree must have drifted around the Vermillion Lakes for years to end up looking like this. Driftlog
Knife Edge Rocks line the shore of third Vermillion Lake. From this angle, Mt. Rundle looks like the edge of a knife. Knife Edge
Vermillion Stumps I'm not sure what happened to these trees; they were clearly cut down (you can see the even tops of the stumps) but must have died after water inundated the area where they were growing. I liked the play of light and shade on them as I moved around the Vermillion Lakes. Vermillion Stumps
Copycat In the spring and summer, wild sheep and goats often come down to lick salt off roadways and even the exposed rocks on the sides of cliffs. I was trying to capture some of a herd that I encountered near Lake Minnewanka, when I encountered this mother-and-daughter (I think?) pair, who seemed to be perfectly synchronized! Copycat
Lake Minnewanka Eve Late evening light basks on boats near the western edge of Lake Minnewanka. The lake is much larger than I realized when I took this image, extending in a serpentine shape for several miles. Lake Minnewanka Eve
Moon Over Rundle This panorama was taken from Tunnel Mountain overlooking the Bow River Valley on a pleasant evening, with the massif of Mount Rundle looming behind, and the moon visible just above its peak. To the lower left you can see the Tunnel Mountain Hoodoos (visible in more detail in the following image), and there's also a red canoe in the river to the left as well. Moon Over Rundle
Tunnel Mountain Hoodoos Resident of the southwestern United States won't be impressed by these hoodoos, and in fact, there are nicer ones even in Alberta, but they are still pretty cool. This image was taken with a long lens from a considerable distance as we didn't really have time to hike down into the valley. Tunnel Mountain Hoodoos
Vermillion Symmetry Mount Rundle reflects in the early morning light on the Vermillion Lakes. Vermillion Symmetry
First Light on Mount Bourgeau Mount Borgeau catches the first light of day near the far fringe of the Vermillion Lakes. There must have been a fire in this area a couple of years before we visited, as there were a fair number of dead trees around. First Light on Mount Bourgeau
Early Morning Swim Pink clouds blow off the top of Mount Rundle as some families of Canada Geese take to the water for an early morning swim. Early Morning Swim
View from Mount Norquay Another panorama of the Bow Valley and the town of Banff from Mount Norquay. This time the image was taken in the early morning, lighting up the faces of Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain. View from Mount Norquay
Dwarfed The bulk of famous Mt. Rundle dwarfs this deer. He (or she) is looking in my direction, but probably didn't see me, given that this image was taken from probably a quarter-mile away. Then again, they may have better eyesight than I think! Dwarfed
Mountain Goats Two of the mountain goats I encountered near Lake Minnewanka seem almost stoic in appearance as they stood still (for once) so I could take this image. Mountain Goats
The Bow River A peaceful image of the Bow River taken outside Banff, with some pretty wildflowers for accompaniment. The Bow River
Johnston Canyon Flow Johnston Canyon is a famous Banff National Park attraction -- a long gorge you can traverse easily using metal catwalks. It's also notoriously difficult to photograph, because of the high contrast between sunlit areas and the ever-shaded water. My best images of the canyon were Johnston Canyon Flow
Upper Waterfall, Johnston Canyon At the very end of Johnston Canyon is a famous waterfall that apparently has only the rather mundane name of Upper Waterfall, Johnston Canyon
Say Cheese This relaxing wild sheep near Lake Minnewanka seemed to almost be posing for my camera. Say Cheese
Wide Angle A simple wide angle view of some mountains near the town of Banff. Wide Angle

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