Lake Louise and Bow Lakes
The days we spent in Jasper were filled with awe and appreciation of the beauty of the area. Lake Louise was obviously high on the list of places to visit. So it was we set out to do just that, the famous Icefields parkway beckoned. The wild life something else, we even got to see a baby brown bear, there was no way we were getting out of the vehicle, baby bears are probably followed by mother bears!
The incredible scenery all along the Icefields parkway is mind bogglingly beautiful. The first stop was at the Num Ti Jah lodge where we wandered freely taking in the buildings and scenery. The lake at the time was still frozen solid, but what a picture, looking across it from the lodge. We spent some time admiring the lodge itself from the timbered walls to the intriguing chairs made from the antlers of some poor beast! Hearing the history of the property interesting, the bar even more interesting. The elk looking down over the bar was also decidedly looking a little under the weather!
Then it was time to move on and we made our slippery, frozen way back to the van to go on to Lake Louise. Already satiated with the views we were leaving it was time to see some more. Back on the Icefields Parkway and more wild sheep and goats to see, it was indeed strange to see them ambling on the roads without a care in the world and all the car drivers kowtowing to them.
Driving up to the Fairmont hotel at Lake Louise was like entering a picture postcard in a travel agents window. We have all seen the pictures of Lake Louise but it still does not prepare you for being there. Perception is reality they say, but this time reality took over perception. Simply stunning! The lake was still pristine even though most of it was still frozen so we did not get to see the lake as it is normally pictured, but nonetheless worth the time and money to see.
We wandered down to the shore of the still partly frozen lake to admire the crystal clear waters of the slowly thawing lake and regretted that we wouldn’t be there to see it in the weeks to come. It was amazing looking into the water and being able to see clearly everything under the surface.
The lovely gardens and surroundings magnificently cared for, but nothing was going to stop a small squirrel from doing what squirrels do! The picture of “”crasher squirrel”” became world famous when it tried photo crashing in the Banff district.
We left with the joy of having seen and experienced this wonderful place.