Lake Louise

Thursday 24 May

By the way, I got it wrong; we are not 12 hours difference from Australia. We are 16 hours - so, 9.30 a.m. Thursday here = 1.30 a.m. Friday there. My Friend therefore informs me it is my birthday TODAY even though it is only the 24th May here. Hmm - 2 birthdays coming up then???

Very wet overnight. We were lucky with the breaks in the weather we had yesterday!

We got up early & walked the Johnson Lake Trail. As we drove to the start of the trail, I read out what to do if you meet a bear; My Friend was not amused, so I found him a big stick to walk with. Although it was misty & sleeting snow, it was a lovely walk around the lake. And we didn't meet any bears...

There was a mummy grizzly here yesterday with 3 cubs in the town but we didn't see them. Hope to see a bear some time (but from a safe vantage point).

So - lots of pines, snow, waterfalls, pines, views of the Bow River, birds, pines, squirrels; I think I even saw a marmot (which Wiki tells me is a large ground squirrel. Heck of a lot of squirrels here then).

We drove the Bow Valley Parkway from Banff to Lake Louise which is the quiet, slow alternative to Highway 1. Along the way we stopped at the Johnston Canyon Falls - firstly walking to the Lower Falls out of deference to My Friend's level of enthusiasm, but it wasn't difficult to encourage him to go to the Upper Falls as it was a fantastic walk: so pretty; & despite a forecast of rain & snow, we only got a few passing snow showers - & even some sun!

We passed Castle Camp which was an internment camp established in 1915 to hold immigrant prisoners of Ukrainian, Austrian, Hungarian & German descent; My Friend tells me these were Canadian residents who, because of their origins, were deemed to be "enemy aliens".

At Lake Louise we checked out the ski field which is closed for the season now & then drove onto the lake itself which was covered in ice & snow & only partly thawed - this was a complete surprise to me. It is clear a number of walks I had planned won't be possible. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the 4 km Lakeshore Walk.

About 12 kms walking in all today.

We are staying at Deer Lodge, an old 1920s hunting lodge - we are here for 2 nights. Very rustic & only 5 minutes walk from Lake Louise (much cheaper too than the Fairmont up the road @ $CAD399 starting price!).

Friday 25 May

Day began cold at 1 deg C max but in the afternoon the sun came out & it was glorious.

Had a great day. Walked the Bow River Loop Trail after snapping some shots of Lake Louise in the early morning light. The birdlife was great - especially the very elegant Black-billed Magpie. My Friend was joyous over a large Snowshoe Hare he spotted grazing outside Deer Lodge.

We got advice from the Visitors Centre to go to Yoho NP due to being so snowbound here at Lake Louise. Was a great move as Emerald Lake & Wapta Falls were FANTASTIC. In fact, Yoho is breathtakingly beautiful. Huge snow-capped peaks wherever you look.

Walked 16 kms today. No bears. Nice drink at the Fairmont (they 'shouted' me mine as it is my Birthday). Lovely views over Lake Louise in the late afternoon light.

Saw a pine marten run past our window while we had dinner (very cute). Still light here at 10 p.m.