27th NATO/CCMS International Technical Meeting on Air Pollution Modelling and its Applications, October 2004, Banff, Canada

Memories of Canadian Rocky Mountains

Maria Zlata Boznar (AMES, Slovenia)

During the last week of October 2004 dr. Ann Lise Norman was hosting the 27th ITM in beautifull Canadian Rocky mountains. The conference was organized professionally and offered the researchers many opportunities to exchange information. For those who could not attend it, the power point presentations are available at the ITM web site. Therefore I will not write about scientific view of the conference.

One week in Canadian Rockies offered us also a very interesting overview of history and present, of different cultures and natural beauty of this region.

The town of Banff is the center of Canada’s first Banff National Park. One of the first monuments that we saw there was a big monument in the town’s park. It was donated by local Indian chief to welcome the white people in this region. It was softly covered with snow that welcome the air pollution research community. A local lady told us, that snow came one week quicker than usually. It was colder because of it, but it offered us spectacular views over the river and the mountains during the sunny days.

The town is built near the Bow river that approaches the town in a lazy wide shape and leaves it over wild waterfalls. The Bow valley is guarded with beautiful mountains – the Sulfur mountain being the most attractive one. There is a gondola to its top. Mountain top offers spectacular view of three valleys, neighbor mountains and the town of Banff.

The name of the mountain came from the two hot springs on its slope. This springs of hot water in cold Canadian mountains were the main reason for starting of tourism there at the end of 19th century. The railway company built a luxury Banff Springs Hotel on the foot of the mountain. To me it looks like a castle from a fairy tale. The upper spring offers swimming in the hot water open pool even during the chilliest winter! The lower spring is a source of hot water for a swamp. It offers a warm spot in the harsh Canadian winter. A very special and sensitive ecosystem developed there. Even one species of snake survives there, fortunately it is not poisoned. Otherwise there are no snakes in that region due to cold winters.

But there is a lot of other semi-wild animals. Why semi? One deer almost pose on official conference photo! And another one was frightening our colegues on their walk from the hotel to the town. At least the deer in Slovenia (if not in all Europe) are much more shy and do not have a lunch in an urban area! Banff birds and deer are not afraid of people, but I am sure people are afraid of bears that also live in the area.

The close encounter with Canadian Rockies culminated in one our drive to Lake Louise where official dinner was held in a Banff Springs Hotel’s twin. We came there in the evening of a very cold day. The lake was like a sleeping beauty. On the walk there on its bank I was shaking so much that even my photography was not focused (never blame the photographer…), but the warm welcome in the hotel solved all problems. And two days later, unfortunately, it was time for farewell.

Good bye Banff! It was nice to meet you!
BMZ