The Falls of no Return

Several classic Hollywood films of the 1950s depicted famous movie stars being swept over Bow Falls, including Marilyn Monroe, Robert Mitchum… even the son of Lassie. While at Banff in 1953 Mitchum did his share of fly fishing below the falls while filming “The River of no Return” as Marilyn Monroe nursed an injury and relaxed at the Banff Springs Hotel.
Check out the Banff photos of her in the book “The lost LOOK Photos”

Bow Falls – 1887 – by William F. Notman – Courtesy of McCord Museum

Bow Falls is a major waterfall, on the Bow River, Alberta just before the junction of it and the Spray River. The Bow River flows some 623 kilometre’s from the the ice cold Bow Glacier to the Hudson Bay. Although the falls are small in size and only drops a few metres, they attract millions of tourists with some days near 50 bus loads of people stopping by. To me, a favourite place that is full of history and love the changes to the falls with the seasons.

Photo by J.Borno – The Picture Window

The Bow River tumbles over a cliff-like rise formed from sloping layers of limestone and one of the most interesting geological notes is, the falls and river are bisecting two very different rock formations, one of which is 70 million years older than the other.

Photo by J.Borno – The Picture Window

In pre-glacial times Bow River initially flowed north of Tunnel Mountain through Cascade Valley and Lake Minnewanka; later the valley became cut off by retrograde erosion, causing the river to flow between Fairholme Range and Tunnel Mountain.

Photo by J.Borno – The Picture Window

The GOOGLE location of the Bow Falls

Winter scene of Bow Falls
Photo by J.Borno – The Picture Window

Visit The Picture Window for larger and more photos of the Bow Falls and Bow River