Planning notes

These are habits, not a schedule. I do not sell tickets. I do not hold a cabin for you. If you came from an advertisement, you are still on a journal.

Time of day

Morning is kinder. The light, when it comes, comes early. By midday the path is a conversation you did not ask to join. Evening can be fine in summer if you leave enough time to come down in the light.

What to wear

Spring: layers and something for mud. Summer: a warm layer anyway — the top is not the town. Autumn: a real coat once the peaks hold snow. Winter: more than you think. I have watched people in shorts look personally offended by August wind. The mountain is not offended back. It just blows.

Weather at the top versus town

Town can be mild while the ridge is a different country. Cloud sits on the summit and leaves Banff in weak sun. If you cannot see the top from town, do not expect the top to show you town. I still walk the lower trail on those days. I skip the ride up.

Weekends and weekdays

Saturday is shared. Tuesday is quieter. If you only have the weekend, go early and keep your patience. I am retired, so I pick Tuesday and I am not sorry.

The ride up, or the trail

The gondola is a short commute. The trail is a longer conversation with your knees. I do both, in different seasons. Walking takes the morning. The ride up takes minutes and then you are in the wind. Neither is a test. Choose the one your body will still like at the end.