Rundle Mountain, Naomi Judd
In beautiful mountainous Banff, Canada, there is fine dining, extreme skiing, climbing and plenty of close hiking. What more could an outdoor traveler ask for? Perhaps a little après ski shopping. Banff has that too.
Location
Banff is located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. While walking the town of Banff, south of town you will see Rundle Mountain (2,949 m or 9,673 feet), just one of the many surrounding peaks.
Dining
You won't go hungry in Banff. There are more than 22 Canadian restaurants, more than seven cafes and many bakeries. There is also a wide range of Italian, Japanese, French, German, Chinese, Greek, Indian, Korean, Mediterranean and Southwestern eateries and many pubs.
Skiing
Banff's big three places to ski are: Lake Louise, 35 minutes west of Banff townsite; Sunshine Village, 5 miles west of Banff; and Norquay, the original ski area of Banff since 1926.
From Banff to Jasper
Banff is a short scenic drive from Jasper townsite in Jasper National Park. Take the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) and visit Lake Louise on the way. More than 100 glaciers border the western side of the Continental Divide along this drive.
Wildlife
In the area of Banff you may see wildlife such as black bear, grizzly bear, moose, elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep and mule deer, as well as hundreds of colorful flowers that bloom in the hills and alpine by June.
About The Author
Naomi Judd, CIG, has been a writer for six years and been published in Tidal Echoes, Centripetal, The Capital City Weekly and Northwest.com. She has a self-designed Bachelor of Arts degree in adventure writing from Plymouth State University and is currently earning an Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Eastern Washington University.
