Lake Louise is perhaps the most popular tourist visitation in Canada.  

And yes, we found that to be true as we boarded our shuttle bus for a 1pm departure for the Lake and the iconic Fairmont Hotel which we had already visited the Restaurant on our pass-through day to Two Jacks Lake.

This first Lake Louise exposure had been at around 6pm when much of the crowds had thinned, and there was no traffic control waving you away unless you were a hotel guest.  Parking is very limited and Parks Canada has a limited number of spots on shuttle buses that leave from the nearby ski resort if you are not a daybreak visitor. Luckily, I had gotten those reservations early on because there were only a few two-day prior ones that are released at 8am.  I guess a public bus with long lines can also get you there, but was glad to have reservations.  The rain was coming tomorrow so we wanted to take advantage of a gorgeous day!

There were mobs of tourists in the area as we disembarked for our hike, but the lake crowds thinned after about a mile and the lakeshore trail ended.

It is an extremely easy and hard packed few rocks trail.  The hike along the lake is a delight.  Our original plan had been to the Lake Agnes Tea House, but as the first two miles along Lake Louise were so easy, we decided to do the longer Plain of Six Glaciers Trail which too included a Tea House.  

This was over 2000 feet elevation gain, but it was over some 4 miles so not another Ha Ling experience with chains, ladders and foot holds and narrow views of forest.  There were beautiful and varied views along the way from the aqua Lake Louise, to the Glaciers that were making booming crashing sounds in the distance.  And there was a Tea House motivation. 

 Although we heard they were to close at 4pm, we got there 15 minutes earlier and only dessert and beverages were available. No iced tea as where would they have ice?  stupid question I had asked.  We got to eat our peanut butter sandwiches and delicious cake in the beautiful surroundings with a glacier view and were energized to make the additional 1.4-kilometer ascension to the top. 

 The crashing glaciers could sometimes be seen in the distance, but the sound occurred every 20 minutes or so at varying intensities, as we hiked upward.  The last part was on a relatively narrow pile of rocks path which led to the end of the trail.  

I really never counted the six total glaciers when we were at the trail end.  Also, it was getting smokier and that impeded our clarity and they were also becoming moraine (dirt and rock filled snow).  

The glaciers are best seen in the photo I took in the evening when we drove up to Lake Louise.  With all that crashing, it could be that they were all disappearing quickly, and maybe they need to rename the hike Plain of Four Glaciers. That is a google question.  The hike even included singing Fly Eagle Fly song with another Philly enthusiast as John had his Eagle Superbowl T shirt on.  

We actually met several different hikers where Eagle interactions ensued. 

We made it back 30 minutes early to the 7pm shuttle that left a bit late.  Lake Louise does not have much in the way of a town, just a Village shopping center that has a descent market, bakery, liquor store and ATM, so no brewery stop and back to find our campsite where I was too exhausted after the 11 miles we had clocked that day to have more than just baguette and cheese.  John made his own broth. 

The next day we had a shuttle too, and even though it had rained in the morning it stopped and we decided to head to Lake Morraine, supposedly the bluest of blue glacier lakes in Canada.

The bus went up about 10 miles from where Lake Louise and there were only a few hoity toity lodges along the way and of course the traffic guard who shall let no car pass without the proper credentials.  

The Lake Morraine Lakeshore Hike was beautiful and super easy, again about 1 mile long with lots of aqua color, but would not say that it is so good super blue compared to others

 although it was a combo of smoky and cloudy, so perhaps we just didn’t have the right light.

The canoe rental was closed for bad weather, but a few brave souls brought their inflatable SUP which you are totally allowed to bring on the bus.

Then it was up to the Rock Pile which is the result of thousands of years of glacier activity and made for an impressive contrast against the aqua Lake Morraine.  

As we descend the rock pile thunder was crashing in the back ground and we made it to the Lake Louise transfer bus without getting sopped.

It too was raining at Lake Louise when we arrived and we decided to duck into the Alpine Social in the basement floor of the Fairmont for some Good Morning Vietnam Stout and food like we had done our first evening visit to Lake Louise.

 FYI you go into the main entrance, actually there is one slightly closer, go to the main lobby and go left through the sign that says Hotel Guest Only, right past the grand piano, and left to the steps down to the restaurant.  There always seems to be seats at the bar even though all time the restaurant has been quite empty and a couple in front had a 30-minute wait for a table.  It was pouring outside and this was the perfect reprieve and we felt sorry for all the people who were obeying the signs and were outside with only a few bus shelters while we were drinking good beer. 

We sat there for about two hours and the rain stopped, as we contemplated our next move.  Lake Louise was totally placid unlike we had seen it during any other of our visits.  

We decided to walk off our libations and enjoy the serenity of Louise without so many people running around doing photo shoots.  The reflections of the mountains were so intense in the glasslike aqua surface and the I-Phone just doesn’t do them justice.  

We had the best of what was to be a rainy day, before heading for some groceries, cell connection, and dumping.

Agnes Lake and Tealess House

All the Lake Louise Tea Houses are against us! Remember Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House closed early and we only got dessert. Determined to have an authentic mountain tea house experience, we had gotten the 11:30 am bus and should have been up there by 2pm, but the little hand written sign on the beginning of the trail marker said “Agnes Tea House will be closing a 1pm, sorry”, foiled again.  Oh well not meant to be and who wants warm tea after an uphill hike, at least they let us know before we hiked up there! 

After the tea house disappointment, we decided to do the hike anyway, continuing on past Lake Agnes to Big Beehive making it a 2867 ft elevation gain, but over 3 ½ miles, not a Ha Ling (I think we will describe anything that is above our endurance level simply as a “Ha Ling” from now on.)  

The hike up to the Big Beehive which we had discovered at the first lake to Agnes provided incredible views of both Lake Agnes and her little Tea House as well as the entire valley 

The top of the hive had incredible views of the aqua Lake Louise as well as the tan glacier flour waters we had seen on the way up to the Plain of the Six Glaciers. 

We were now eye level with the towering Rockies from the Big Beehive. We didn’t hear the crashing of Glacier calving this time, maybe because after the thunderstorm the day before, there was a cold snap and we even got out the space heater that night, or maybe we weren’t close enough.  After a steep descent we walked to more meandering Highline Trail which led to the Lake Louise flat shoreline trail and the aqua green lake spotted with red canoes. 

Usually after about 7 miles of hiking I start the “Ma Waddle.” We name this tired walking style after Ma because when she would do her long daily walks, toward the end, you would notice a waddle to her gate.  I find I have that same waddle when I’ve walked a lot.  It started only in the last mile or so this time.  Ma had always told us to “Keep Moving” as you age and we are certainly pushing it here in the Canadian Rockies.  

The night before we had discovered Bill Peyto’s Grill in the town of Lake Louise.  Good beer on tap, excellent food, and great Wi-Fi to get all those updates.  We only occasionally get a text message through at the campsite, and I have a blog to maintain, and children getting ready to leave the continent.  Yup, we are not the campers who want to be off the grid, John enjoys wearing his Eagle T- Shirts and we get to chitchat with Bird Fans.  Last of which who were a couple from Valley Forge Are that started full-time RVing 6 years ago and finally gave up their storage unit this year as they make there way round and round North America, always going to Tuscan to winter.