We knew we only had one day to pull off a two family and one out of town aunt outing that would be fun and memorable. We love it when Sabynthe visits Calgary for a week and we wanted to get out to the mountains with her. Our destination was Johnston's Canyon: the most popular trail in Banff.
Allen, Laura and their kids as well as our family and Sabynthe left early Monday morning (9:30) for the hike. We arrived by 11am and all ten children were read to run up the trail. After a short 1/2 mile along a winding trail, with exposed tree roots and moss encrusted logs, we reached the lower waterfall.
A cascade of water falling 50ft or more can be viewed from a distance on a bridge or up close via a rock tunnel with water dripping from the ceiling. Ascending the stairs at the end of the tunnel leads to a rock shelf that is directly in front of the waterfall. The mist covered the children's hair.
After appreciating this water wonder we continued on the trail towards the upper falls. It was another mile but everyone was having fun and wanted to keep going. This portion of the trail was much steeper and tiring. Reina and I decided we would turn back early to eat our lunch (we were both fighting colds).
Normally the return trip goes faster because most of it is downhill. We were making pretty good time and feeling like we were almost to the trailhead when all of a sudden a lady in front of us said, "Stop! Don't go! There's a bear up ahead." Startled, we stopped in our tracks, not sure what to do or if we should turn back. As we waited with several other people we head the same woman yell back to us that is was safe to proceed now because the bear had gone.
Cautiously our group of 8-9 people started forward trying to make lots of noise and trying to stay close together. It didn't work. Up ahead someone yelled, "Bear!" We all stopped. I told Reina to hide behind a tree and just then a bear turned the corner on the path 20 feet ahead of us. It looked at us for a moment and then charged us.
We all started running and screaming and then I remembered that Reina was still standing by the tree and had not seen the bear. I yelled for her to start running! As we ran past the people coming up from the trail behind us they were yelling at us not to run away. We were just happy to put some other people between us and the bear.
Moments later someone yelled that it was safe and the bear had crossed the river next to the trail. Once again we huddled together and made lots of noise as we walked to the trail head. All the adults were holding hands with their kids; young and old. I was more than a bit relieved to make it back to our car and rest from the hike.
The next people to make it back to base camp were John Ross and Paul. When I asked them if they saw the bear they both looked at me and laughed. I had to spend 20 minutes trying to convince them we had really seen a bear on the trail.
Allen, Laura and their kids as well as our family and Sabynthe left early Monday morning (9:30) for the hike. We arrived by 11am and all ten children were read to run up the trail. After a short 1/2 mile along a winding trail, with exposed tree roots and moss encrusted logs, we reached the lower waterfall.
A cascade of water falling 50ft or more can be viewed from a distance on a bridge or up close via a rock tunnel with water dripping from the ceiling. Ascending the stairs at the end of the tunnel leads to a rock shelf that is directly in front of the waterfall. The mist covered the children's hair.
After appreciating this water wonder we continued on the trail towards the upper falls. It was another mile but everyone was having fun and wanted to keep going. This portion of the trail was much steeper and tiring. Reina and I decided we would turn back early to eat our lunch (we were both fighting colds).
Normally the return trip goes faster because most of it is downhill. We were making pretty good time and feeling like we were almost to the trailhead when all of a sudden a lady in front of us said, "Stop! Don't go! There's a bear up ahead." Startled, we stopped in our tracks, not sure what to do or if we should turn back. As we waited with several other people we head the same woman yell back to us that is was safe to proceed now because the bear had gone.
Cautiously our group of 8-9 people started forward trying to make lots of noise and trying to stay close together. It didn't work. Up ahead someone yelled, "Bear!" We all stopped. I told Reina to hide behind a tree and just then a bear turned the corner on the path 20 feet ahead of us. It looked at us for a moment and then charged us.
We all started running and screaming and then I remembered that Reina was still standing by the tree and had not seen the bear. I yelled for her to start running! As we ran past the people coming up from the trail behind us they were yelling at us not to run away. We were just happy to put some other people between us and the bear.
Moments later someone yelled that it was safe and the bear had crossed the river next to the trail. Once again we huddled together and made lots of noise as we walked to the trail head. All the adults were holding hands with their kids; young and old. I was more than a bit relieved to make it back to our car and rest from the hike.
The next people to make it back to base camp were John Ross and Paul. When I asked them if they saw the bear they both looked at me and laughed. I had to spend 20 minutes trying to convince them we had really seen a bear on the trail.
