First, across the Prairies... where harvesting is in full swing:
into the Foothills and then mountains...
Castle Mountain had the most glorious light on it!
close up of Castle...
through Banff, down the highway, through the village of Lake Louise and finally into the parking lot of Chateau Lake Louise. Here is a sign of the possible trails - we selected Lake Agnes Tea House.
here is the typical tourist shot everyone takes when they first come to the lake
and a map of where we are headed
on the trail heading up up up
along the way we passed Mirror Lake and the Big Beehive
keep climbing...
We hiked up 1300 feet to Lake Agnes, which is at an elevation of 7005 ft (2135 m). The clear shallow lake had lovely reflections and that trademark blue colour.
and the Tea House, where we stopped for a pot of Chai tea and some homemade soup...
Clark's Nutcracker, member of the crow family. This guy was hanging around the tea house looking for crumbs - they are quite cheeky with people.
looking across the valley to Lake Louise Ski Hill
while we are up here, let's hike around Lake Agnes!
lichen #1
lichen #2
this plant was busy hosting a variety of insects
looking back at the tea house
heading back down the mountain and what do we find... WHAT??? You can ride up?
on the hike down, the first view of Lake Louise and it's gorgeous indescribable colour
how iconic - the canoe and the flag, on Lake Louise
back to the bottom - oh my...
good bye Lake Louise!
What a glorious day! The weather was perfect with not a cloud in the sky...
On the way home my husband told me we climbed vertically the equivalent of a 100 story building, then climbed down - I said it was a good thing he didn't tell me that beforehand because I would never have agreed to go. But it was a wonderful day!
