Banff

Banff, Alberta owes it origins to the Canadian Pacific Railroad that went through the Bow River Valley in the 1880s, and its name to the president of the railroad who said the valley reminded him of Banff Scotland. Designation of the area as a national park, the hot sulfur springs on the side of Sulfur Mountain, and the Banff Springs Hotel, one of a number of grand hotels built by the railroad among it transcontinental routes, stimulated development and the tourist industry that continues today. The grand scenery of Banff, and film and book festivals are today known worldwide.

The elevation of the Banff Valley floor is similar to that of Denver at 4,600 ft with surrounding mountains rising thousands of feet above that. These photos are scans of photos taken during a June 2001 visit with a Canon AE-1, so the quality is less than ideal. Still, those taken from the top of Sulfur Mountain (3,600 ft above the valley floor - accessed by tram) clearly show the broad vista, the valley wrapped around smaller Tunnel Mountain, which a 1,000 ft high backdrop as one looks down the main street, Banff Ave, and the Bow River running east and west.