Get a bird’s eye view of Rockies on Canada’s highest gondola
by Shari Bishop Bowes
I knew I’d found a very, very special tourist attraction when I could see the tourists weren’t the only ones with their mouths hanging open, their eyes wide with awe.
I’m embarrassed to say it, but I’d lived in Canmore nearly nine years when I finally paid a visit to one of the top visitor sites in Banff National Park — the Banff Gondola excursion up Sulphur Mountain to a lofty day lodge perched at 2,281 metres (7,486 feet). And that’s not even the top — a short walk up a wooden boardwalk and series of stairs takes you to an old remote weather station built in 1900.
As with many blasè valley residents who are foolish enough to overlook some of our local treasures, it was visiting relatives that spawned our ascent during an afternoon of sightseeing in our neighbouring town. I’m even sadder to say that it was their idea.
Not only did I stand corrected in what really makes a visit to Banff spectacular — I stood in awe at the view laid out before me like the doorstep to some Nordic version of heaven.
Excellent interpretive signage, along with informative guides, make for an even more interesting visit to the top of Sulphur Mountain on Banff Gondola.
The town of Banff looked ant-size, seen as just one tiny consideration in the broad, mountainous landscape spread out before us. The Banff Springs Hotel, the aptly named “Castle in the Rockies” looked like a dollhouse for Thumbelina. The links on the Banff Springs Golf Course were postage stamp size, ranging as little green swatches alongside the Bow River that flows to the east and on to Canmore.
A wooden walking path and series of stairs take visitors to the very top of Sulphur Mountain, at 2,281 m (7,486 ft). Sanson’s Peak, shown here, features a high altitude weather station built in 1900.
And then there were the mountains. Many visitors believe that Banff and Canmore residents know the names of every peak in this gorgeous valley. That’s not always true, but a trip to the top of Sulphur Mountain can quickly remedy this. Excellent interpretive signage is everywhere, naming the mountain peaks, describing the natural and human history, and pointing out some very surprising facts about the top of the mountain you are standing on.
back to top
|
Take a thrilling ride with Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain, and drink in the views of the Rockies that go on forever.
Who would have known that a scenic trip up the Banff Gondola could also introduce the unsuspecting visitor to the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site?
Before you begin imagining some huge, ranging mountaintop building, get that image out of your head. Instead, you will find several relatively small observatory instruments sitting out on a viewing platform on the very top of Sanson’s Peak, accompanied by some signs that explain their scientific use. (You can reach this spot above the main day lodge along the aforementioned wooden pathway and stairs in about 10 minutes.)
My in-laws, hubby and I were fascinated with the information on cosmic rays, which the interpretive signs told us were passing through our bodies right now as we stood there.
If you’ve been reading the major media lately, you’ll have seen cosmic rays in the headlines.
In a nutshell, scientists have know about cosmic rays — invisible charged particles of energy that whiz around the galaxy at high speed bombarding everything in their path — for nearly 100 years. Just earlier this month, the journal Nature announced new evidence on the origin of cosmic rays. You might have seen the colourful photos showing that cosmic rays are the spawn of supernovae — the powerful explosions that signify stars have died.
While learning a bit about cosmic rays is a fascinating reason to visit Sulphur Mountain, it’s the eight-minute trip up the mountainside in the gondola that provides the biggest thrill. Skiers might think it’s like the lift to the top of a ski hill, but it’s not. The gondolas ascend at the steep angle that may be familiar to skiers, but it’s the greater distance between your gondola car and the mountain that differs. Needless to say, it’s perfectly safe and comfortable, but could be a bit unsettling if you’re at all afraid of heights. Just be assured that thousands make the trip every year, including many people in wheelchairs.
Before you know it — and just eight minutes after climbing into your gondola car at the base — you’re at the top of Sulphur Mountain. Enjoy the view, learn a bit about this amazingly scenic and historic place, and, above all, do not forget your camera!
Oh, and stop for just a moment to think about the cosmic rays passing through your body. Right now.
If You Go:
- The lower terminal for the Banff Gondola is a five-minute drive from downtown Banff
- This popular attraction is open year round.
- Check out www.banffgondola.com for lots of info on dining and shopping facilities, rates and visitor info, plus their live Webcam that shows up-to-the-minute views from the top of Sulphur Mountain.
- Enjoy the wildlife, from the occasional sighting of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, plus chipmunks, ground squirrels, Clark’s Nutcrackers, Canada Gray Jays and magpies, but please don’t feed them.
- Please stay on the designated pathways, to preserve the delicate alpine environment.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes. You won’t make it far on the hike up to Sanson’s Peak in heels. (Note: The walkway beyond the Upper Terminal is open only in the snow-free months of the year)
- And again, don’t forget your camera
|
)
)
)
