022. Observations From Sulphur Mountain

Banff National Park

By Ryan Harrison

October 15^th, 2019

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 // 6:03P IN BANFF NATIONAL PARK

Sulphur Mountain is located just south of downtown Banff. In 1956 a cosmic ray station was installed at the summit as part of International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), and a neutron monitor was used to observe cosmic rays encountering Earth's atmosphere. At over 8000ft, the station's high elevation made it the most important in Canada. The station ended operations in 1978 and has since been dismantled. In its place is a boardwalk. We took the gondola to the top for dinner and a sunset.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 // 12:13P IN BANFF NATIONAL PARK

It was our last day in Banff and we returned to Sulphur Mountain. When we boarded the gondola the valley was basking in sunshine. As we reached the summit, we observed a snowstorm quickly approaching from the opposite (west) side of the mountain. It proceeded to blow over the top of Sulphur Mountain, across the valley below, and past Mount Rundle to the east, leaving the peaks in its wake dusted in powder and gleaming in sunlight.