One of the problems with a location that is as iconic as Lake Louise is that everyone wants to visit. This also means that the surrounding attractions have also become so popular that the local authorities have now had to regulate visitors. There is a well developed system of shuttle buses which are the best way of getting around, so we left the car in the car park today.
We started our day with a coffee shop breakfast of coffee and a bacon, egg and cheese muffin which tasted better than it looked. I find that coffee in Canada isn’t fantastic, so I usually order an extra shot. This usually meets with the response ‘but it already has two shots… do you want 3?’. The answer is ‘yes’. The busloads of people had already started to arrive, so the best option was to take it back to our room. We had about an hour to kill, so we joined the crowds taking more photos of the lake. There are lots of different angles to try. It is also pretty funny to watch the cheesy poses that people put on, ready to go straight to Tik Tok.
There is a free shuttle that runs to the Lake Louise Ski Lodge and through the summer months they run a Gondola up the mountain. There were no queues of note, so we were pretty much able to walk straight on. It takes 15 minutes to get to the top of the Whitehorn Range, which is by my estimate about 2,500 metres above sea level. The views across the valley back to Lake Louise are amazing. This gondola is also known for it’s animal sightings and in fact the whole ski area is protected by electric fences to keep the bears out.
Once we returned to the hotel there was time for a quick freshen up and then we were on the next shuttle, this time to Moraine Lake. The only way to get to Moraine lake is by shuttle because personal vehicles are no longer allowed access. This is because there a lot of people would camp overnight in the car park to get a good sunrise vantage point and hikers would leave their cars for days while hiking, therefore limiting the number of people that could actually see the lake. Set in a glacial valley, the lake is spectacular with steep sides and a moraine rock-pile at one end that provides the ideal photo spot. It was busy, but we have found people are generally polite at these crowded attractions.
There is also abundant wildlife, chipmunks, squirrels and birds that are all quite tame, presumably from being fed over the years.Current laws prescribe a $25,000 fine for feeding animals, so it’s best not to. I added a couple of birds I saw today as well.
Dinner was in the Lakeview Lounge and which has a pretty solid 3 course menu. We sat next to a window overlooking Lake Louise as the sun went down, which was a real treat. Once again the food was delicious. I had a french salad, chicken, beans and polenta and a dark chocolate cake for dessert, while Deb had gazpacho, a tenderloin steak with potato and the dark chocolate cake as well.
After dinner we walked up to the other end of the lake to take some last photos before leaving tomorrow. I have to say I had some misgivings when we booked this hotel during our planning stage. The trip advisor reviews weren’t great and I’d heard from friends that it had passed its best. What we saw was a hotel that really tried to look after the clientele. They are doing some redevelopment work so I suspect they’ve recognised a need to improve. For seeing this area, staying in the hotel was great because you could really experience Lake Louise with and without the day crowds.
That’s wrap on Lake Louise.
Until tomorrow!
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