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The indigenous people have occupied these lands

for over 10,000 years in all…

Their name for this beautiful place was Mini hrpa…

which means Mountain Where The Water Falls

So I imagine they were a little perplexed…

perhaps a little torn….

when George Stephens the president of the Canadian Pacific Railway

named it Banff in honor of the place where he was born. 

To honor Mini hrpa today we took a hike in Johnston Canyon.

Walking through a place like this always makes us feel so small

And mixed in with the beautiful trees and rocks and chipmunks

was the roaring sound of the Bow River…and of course her waterfall.

We keep thinking as we continue with this trip that we’ve seen everything

that nothing new can possibly come before our eyes

But as we turn the page each day…nature continues to surprise.

Walking in Johnston Canyon as we stopped to savor in her beauty

talk to the trees and inspect the diversity of her flowers

The canyon walls were echoing the roar of the Bow River

and we could actually feel her power.

We know the name of this beautiful land is Banff…

but after walking along the Johnston Canyon walls

In our hearts she will be forever known to us 

as…Mountain Where the Water Falls.