The Johnston Canyon trail is one easy trail in Banff – in the summer, but not on a day like today. As we started to walk this trail, it was obvious the paths are frozen & slippery. Although I only had my regular running shoes I was sure my walking sticks would help. The husband insisted on finishing the trail and so we inched our way while other hikers passed by us with cramp-ons (spikes) on their shoes. After minutes of half crawling, half slipping we finally made it to the last 30 meters downhill to the lower falls. Everyone coming up was saying we were about to take the most slippery part with almost 45 degrees incline.
The husband slowly slid his way but I refused. I told him, I would stay where I was standing and would wait for him. And so I stood…and stood and I was fine. Then a young lady came and asked “Do you want to go down, I can lend you my cramp-ons?”. I said, I was ok, I was just waiting for my husband. She said, (while taking off her cramp-ons) “No, let me put this on you, you go down, take photos and we will wait for you here”. And that was how I ended seeing the frozen lower falls of Johnston Canyon.
PS. I returned her items and she & her group started the walk back. After a minute or so, she came back to me and said, “You know it is getting more slippery we will each have a cramp-on”. Again, she just put it on my shoe. Just like that.
