Due to unseasonably bad weather (snow and rain) offering limited visibility, the group bonded slowly.  There were only brief glimpses of the mountains on day one and two; so instead of sharing the excitement of beauty and awe, we were trying to enjoy the mud, slush and the fact that we were hiking.

Thankfully on the third afternoon, the skies cleared and we celebrated with laughter, photography and silly antics.

This was my second Backroads trip and overall it was exceptional.  The guides were incredible, the guests were all interesting and the hotels, food and wine were divine. I would highly recommend it : Hiking in Banff, Kootenay & Yoho National Parks. My only disappointment was in not seeing any animals other than small rodents and a few birds.  The goal of the staff was that we not encounter any bears and they accomplished that…although they did have a guest speaker who was a Grizzley expert!

With my daughter, Molly on the shores of Lake Louise and up above Emerald Lake.