Lake Louise Hike

The last time we were at Lake Louise, we didn't take the 1-1/4 mile hike (2-1/2 miles round trip) to the opposite end of the lake and therefore, I didn't get my version of the famous picture of the lake and chalet. So we went back this morning for the expressed purpose of doing that. It is another nice day today, so that helps a lot.

The first thing we see upon arrival is canoes and kayaks on a smooth turquoise lake.

There were already a lot of people there hiking the trail. So we walked past the hotel and started down the trail.

As we were walked the trail we could not keep our eyes off the beauty of the lake.

Then I saw even a chipmunk had stopped what he was doing and was enjoying the view.

The water was so calm today that the mountains and glacier at the other end of the lake were reflected in it.

We have been looking for wildlife on this trip, mostly bear and moose and to this point haven't seen any in any of the national parks. Then walking ahead of me on the trail, I spotted both a bear and moose.

This is Leah, a cute little 9-year old from Ontario. She had a bear (hat) on her head and a moose (backpack) on her back. How 'bout that! A two-fer even! I hope this isn't the only wildlife we see on this trip.

Towards the end of the lake, there is a big cliff. There were several rock climbers attempting a straight up assent. I have no clue why anyone thinks this consists of a good time! (Look for the guy in red on the left.)

Then finally I got the picture I came on this hike for, and I am OK with any sore muscles it may have cost me. It was worth it.

I talked about the turquoise water... At the end of the lake, I was able to get high enough to really show it to you. It looks like the water in the Caribbean Ocean...but a lot colder!

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We hiked back to the hotel and decided to have an overpriced lunch on the patio there. Yes, it was pricey, yes, it was pretty good, but the view was to die for, so we just sat and took it all in for a while.

There were all kinds of flowers around the hotel. This also gives you a good view of the glacier that feeds the lake

When we finally tore ourselves away from there, we had one more drive scheduled for the day. It was back near Banff, where we are still staying. It was the Lake Minnewanka Loop drive.

As we crossed the dam of the lake, we finally saw...honest to goodness...WILDLIFE...

...right in the middle of the dam there was a family of bighorn sheep. The male didn't have very big horns yet, but he was laying down, taking it easy while mom and baby hung around nearby. Traffic was coming so I didn't have time to get a picture of the third sheep alone. They seemed totally unconcerned by water on one side of them and cars on the other.

Next on the loop was Johnson Lake.

We may hike around it tomorrow, depending on weather.

Just before we called it a day, we decided to stop by Banff Springs Hotel.

Built by the same people who built the Chalet at Lake Louise, it's also very upscale. We decided to wander around and check it out. It is built in a castle style and is huge. It is also built high up into the side of a mountain overlooking a river canyon far down below.

I could not even begin to get a picture of all of it, or even enough to do it justice, just bits and pieces.

We decided we needed to stop and whet our whistles...once again on the patio. The flowers, the view...it was all spectacular...and of course, pricey. Oh, well. It's the experience, right?

We sat here on the patio, canyon and river down below and mountains in the background. Even the clouds formed a rainbow over the mountain tops. Sometimes 'pricey' is worth it.