BANFF NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 60

and abandoned its meanders for a more direct path. Across the parkway is a one-kilometer
(0.6-mile) trail that climbs to a viewpoint overlooking the valley. (The slope around this
trail is infested with wood ticks during late spring/early summer, so be sure to check your-
self carefully after hiking in this area.) To the east, Hole-in-the-Wall is visible. This large-
mouthed cave was created by the Bow Glacier, which once filled the valley. As the glacier
receded, its meltwater dissolved the soft limestone bedrock, creating what is known as a
solution cave.
Beyond Muleshoe the road inexplicably divides for a few car lengths. A large white
spruce stood on the island until it blew down in 1984. The story goes that while the road
was being constructed, a surly foreman was asleep in the shade of the tree, and not daring
to rouse him, workers cleared the roadway around him. The road then passes through par-
ticularly hilly terrain, part of a massive rock slide that occurred approximately 8,000 years
ago.
Continuing down the parkway, you'll pass the following sights.
JOHNSTON CANYON
Johnston Creek drops over a series of spectacular waterfalls here, deep within the chasm
it has carved into the limestone bedrock. The canyon is not nearly as deep as Maligne
Canyon in Jasper National Park—30 meters (100 feet) at its deepest, compared to 50
meters (165 feet) at Maligne—but the catwalk that leads to the lower falls has been built
through the depths of the canyon rather than along its lip, making it seem just as spectac-
ular. The lower falls are one kilometer (0.6 mile) from the Bow Valley Parkway, while the
equally spectacular upper falls are a further 1.6 kilometers (one mile) upstream. Beyond
this point are the Ink Pots, shallow pools of spring-fed water. While in the canyon, look
for fast-moving black swifts zipping through the air.
SILVER CITY
At the west end of Moose Meadows, a small plaque marks the site of Silver City. At its
peak, this boomtown had a population of 2,000, making it bigger than Calgary at the time.
The city was founded by John Healy, who also founded the notorious Fort Whoop-Up in
Lethbridge. During its heady days, five mines were operating, extracting not silver but ore
rich in copper and lead. The town had a half dozen hotels, four or five stores, two real-
estate offices, and a station on the transcontinental rail line when its demise began. Two
men, named Patton and Pettigrew, salted their mine with gold and silver ore to attract in-
vestors. After selling 2,000 shares at $5 each, they vanished, leaving investors with a use-
less mine. Investment in the town ceased, mines closed, and the people left. Only one man