For the regulars, you'll know that of all the sports and activities I do, rock climbing is a bit of a favorite. Naturally, when I left for the Rockies, I planned to do at least one day of rock climbing. Unfortunately, it was a bit complicated and the plan fell through. However, to make up for it, we decided to go for a half-day via ferrata (a more accessible version of rock climbing) at Norquay.
We meet Jérôme
I can't go any further without saying a big thank you to Jérôme, without whom this wouldn't have been possible, or else a much shorter version.
Jérome is a friend of Marie's, with whom she had already traveled to Peru, and who had been working in Western Canada for several years. During our stay, he was working in Norquay and helped us organize our via ferrata day, and even gave us a friend's price. Many thanks to him!
Via ferrata Norquay
So we arrived at the Norquay resort in the morning to prepare for our adventure and say hello to Jérôme. We were also accompanied by Lauriane and Rafaelle, 2 of Marie's friends who were also on holiday in the west of France.
There are several possible itineraries in Norquay, with different lengths and levels of difficulty, and we have chosen to do the following the skyline. An itinerary lasting around 4 hours 30 minutes, with a 2.5 km walk and a 310 m ascent.
After collecting our equipment and meeting our guide, Logan, we took the chairlift to the start of the via ferrata. Here, Logan explained how the via ferrata in Norquay worked, and confirmed that we had understood correctly by testing us out on a demonstration course.
Once that was done, we headed for the start of the real course.
We then went through a series of obstacles, including a ladder and a suspension bridge, all the while still attached to the steel cable that serves as our safety net. We were extremely lucky: the weather was on our side, with blue skies and, above all, NO SMOKING.
We were therefore able to take full advantage of the magnificent scenery offered by the route through the mountains. It was truly magnificent. Clearly the best via ferrata I've done to date.
Once we reached the summit, we enjoyed the view and took a well-deserved lunch break.
Then it was time to head back down.
I really enjoyed the activity and could not recommend it highly enough to anyone who enjoys this kind of experience. What's more, even if it's not necessarily what you like best, you'll be able to excel at it, like Raf who accompanied us and for whom it was a completely new experience.
So yes, the price is relatively high... But if you find yourself on a day with good weather, it's totally worth it.
Dining with Jérôme at Park Distillery
After all that excitement, we arranged to meet Jérôme in the evening at the Park Distillery resto-bar in Banff. This gave us time to stop off at the hotel to change before heading out.
Visit Park Distillery is, as its name suggests, a distillery, mainly for gin, in the middle of one of Banff's busiest streets. It's hard to miss.
The food is good, as are the drinks. Nothing to complain about, it's a good place to spend a good evening. It's certainly not the cheapest place though, but you pay a bit for the location.
Another busy day. Tomorrow, after a day in the mountains, we're off to the water for some rafting! (And we get Raf out of his comfort zone again).
To be continued
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