Marlena777

Okay, so I am a Texan that doesn't know what to expect when she arrives in Calgary - less than two weeks from now. Will the Johnston Canyon be all icy like the picture in the link below or will it be thawed out? I am just curious to know what it will be like.

Thanks!
Marianne

http://www.whitemountainadventures.c...ges/winter.htm

Judy_in_Calgary

I have been in Johnston Canyon in the middle of May, and it did not look the way it does on the web site to which you provided a link. It was much more thawed out than that. There still was some ice on the walking trail, and we had to walk carefully and hold onto the handrails. However, we've had some quite mild spring weather in this region this year, so it's possible that the path will be clear or at least have less ice on it when you visit Johnston Canyon than it had during my mid-May visit, which was about four years ago.

Marlena777

Is it best to go with a tour group or is it pretty doable to go on our own? Any advice would be appreciated!

ltt

go on your own

Judy_in_Calgary

I agree with ltt. The visit that I described in my previous post was one that we did on our own. Although there were not nearly as many visitors as there are during the summer, there were some other people, and they too were doing it on their own.

sludick

Judy, by "mild weather," does that mean a bad wildfire season? Summer before last, we vacationed in Banff and visited Johnson Canyon. That was in the middle of the terrible wildfires..we're going back this September to try again. (Marlena777, I didn't mean to hijack your thread. But, Johnson Canyon is so worth visiting, I had to ask!)

Judy_in_Calgary

>>>Judy, by "mild weather," does that mean a bad wildfire season?<<<

I don't know, sludick. I've lived in Calgary since the latter part of the 1970s. There have been some other years that have had mild spring weather, and that mild spring weather was not followed by wild fires. On the other hand, some of those mild winters and springs were followed by fairly cool, drizzly summers. I guess it takes a sustained period of warm/hot temperatures and shortage of rain/snow to produce the conditions that are conducive to forest fires.

As I recall, the summer of 2003 had a lot of hot, dry weather. We were in Lake Louise in early September 2003, and it was uncharateristically warm for that time of year. While there weren't any forest fires right where we were, they were close enough that the sky was hazy and smelled of smoke. I felt sorry for the tourists who weren't getting the best possible view of the mountains, especially those who had come from very far away, e.g., Japan. I wondered if they would get a chance to re-visit the mountains one day.

It is said that the life cycle of an alpine forest actually depends on periodic fires. The seeds in the cones of confierous species require the heat from a fire to germinate, and stuff like that. However, I'm sure that's small consolation to visitors who need to make advanced reservations and are trying to predict the best time to travel to the area.

Apparently a previous policy of suppressing forest fires resulted in fiercer and more extensive infernos when uncontrollable fires started. Parks Canada says it will undertake some controlled burning and will allow some fires that are started by lightning to burn naturally. It is hoped that the new policy will help to prevent out of control fires in future.

Marlena777

No worries! I enjoy reading all this information. I am so excited about our trip that any info is a bonus for me!

sludick

Too true, Judy. I've been a bit concerned about the dryness in the Pacific Northwest this year, though it is such a relief to other areas like Lake Tahoe, Arizona, etc. We were some of those 2003 tourists. It was indeed too hazy at times to see the mountains, and once we had a fire escort due to a fierce fire that got out of control. But it is all part of the natural process. We're going later this time, to allow some rain and cooler weather to set in if it is a bad fire season. Marlena777, you are going pretty early, so all this won't be a concern for you. I imagine you will get to see some spectacular scenery, enjoy!

Grant1

I was just through Johnston Canyon Saturday 7th May and it was warm 15 C with mule deer eating beside the road. There is a little ice on the Bow River bank, but it should be gone by next week. Just to also let you know Calgary is considered to be a sister city to Dallas with the Oil industry and rodeo. Calgary being the biggest "outdoor" rodeo in the world. Enjoy you will

Marlena777

Thanks for the update Grant on conditions in Johnston Canyon. It will be interesting to see the differences between Canadian Cowboys and Texas ones!

Have a great day!