(Feb19,2017) Hiking up Elbow Falls and Banff

Today was cold!!!! I only wore a sweatshirt since it wasn't supposed to be that cold but oh my gosh, it was. First, we walked the trail to Elbow falls. This first part wasn't too hard, except we all had the constant fear of slipping on the ice-the whole trail was ice. When we finally reached reached falls, for a little while we just stared in awe at the frozen masterpiece. It was beautiful. Then, I decided I was going to go to waterfall and touch it. Of course, me being me, I didn't take the easy route. No, I took the really slippery, really scary, and really hard route. So I climbed up the ice and reached waterfall. BUT! I was still a bit aways from the actual waterfall, but this part is where it got tricky. The ice was especially slippery right next to the waterfall, and if I made one wrong move I could slip and fall. Probably not die but something close to it. So I carefully walked/crawled up the slope to reach the inside of the waterfall. When I finally got there, I felt so achieved, I just stood/squated there. Then I realized, I actually had to go back down. Everyone always thinks the hardest part is going up, but for me going down is a lot scarier. Maybe it's because when you're going up, you can't see what's behind you if you make a mistake, and if you're going down it's right in front of you, waiting for you to slip. Whatever it was, made it wait there like an idiot for a full two minutes (which seemed like an hour in my head). Then I decided, what the heck, I'm just going to slide down on my bum. And I did. The whole while, I was praying to every possible god to not make me fall and look like a total idiot. Yes, that's what I was worried about. Not that I would get hurt, but how I would look. I realize that's irrational but our family friends were there too and if they were to witness my utter humiliation, it would not be good. It would be the joke brought up at every dinner party. Anyways, I get down without a scratch, only really wet leggings. After that, the hike back feels short and we reach Banff quickly. When we get to Banff, I decide I earned a Beavertail, and after eating a sandwich we head on to Beavertail's. i've never had a Beavertail before, and the first bite I eat is so good I quickly gobble the rest up, this time not caring how I look. The rest of this is boring so I will not write out all the minutia, but it was a good day. (except for the part where it was freezing the whole time and really icy)