Day Trips to Banff

One of the benefits of my temporary move to Calgary is that I now have the chance to explore what it's like on this side of the Rockies... Banff National Park, for example, is only a little over an hour drive away! In fact, due to its close proximity, I've already managed to make it up there a couple of times.

My first visit to Banff was when my boyfriend was in town and we decided to do some fun touristy things like exploring the town of Banff and taking the Banff Gondola.

Sweater: Wilfred (Aritzia) / Trench Coat: Talula Babaton (Aritzia)
Faux Fur Vest: H&M (similar) / Bag: Longchamp (here) / Sunglasses: Vogue (here)

The Banff Gondola takes you to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, a staggering elevation of 2,281 m. From the top, you get some really gorgeous views of the land below as well as six different mountain ranges. It's such a spectacular sight!

It was pretty windy up there, as evidenced by my dishevelled hair on the gondola ride back down.

My second visit to Banff was for a 4.5 hour hike from Lake Moraine through Larch Valley/Minnestimma Lakes and up Sentinal Pass. With a 725 m elevation gain, I was totally gasping for air as we scrambled up to the top (where it was both freezing and raining/hailing). 

The group I was with were pretty seasoned hikers, plus my hiking shoes are back in Vancouver so I wasn't even properly equipped. Needless to say, in spite of all my "suffering," I'm pretty proud to check this one off my list of outdoor accomplishments!