Tripping with MikenJudy 2012: Canadian Rockies – Yoho National Park & Lake Louise

Leaving the rig after breakfast and showers, with the temperature on the truck showing 35°, we headed to Moraine Lake in the rain. About halfway there we ran into snow flurries for a short time. All day it rained on and off. On the road to Moraine Lake you have to drive up a switch-back that is so tight, the buses have to go up backwards because there is no room for them to make the turn. We remembered this from our 2006 Calgary Stampede Trip, since we experienced this while on a bus. Most of the sights we saw today brought back memories from that trip.

At Moraine Lake there were many huge logs by the edge of the water and Mike decided to walk on them to take a picture. Well, he first got one shoe wet when he stepped between the logs, and then the other one followed. He went back to the truck to put on his dry hiking socks and boots. Luckily for him we keep them in the truck! Moraine Lake is nestled in the Valley of the Ten Peaks and is a glacial lake.

Next stop was Spiral Tunnels viewpoint. It was an engineering marvel constructed in 1909 for rail safety. It enabled the trains to climb Kicking Horse Pass. It is like our Tehachapi Loop, but with two spirals!

We then headed to Yoho National Park to see Takakkaw Falls, Canada’s second highest waterfall with a total drop of 1,250 feet. It was gorgeous and you could see it from many views from the road. It was even more beautiful from the hiking trail that went to the base of the falls, since you could see the entire length all at one time. It’s name comes from the Cree word meaning “magnificent’ which it certainly is.

Next on our agenda was Emerald Lake, the largest glacier-fed lake in the park, named for the color of the water. It, too, is gorgeous.

Our final stop was Lake Louise, a jade-green lake surrounded by towering, glacier-hung peaks, and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the legendary storybook castle that sits by its side. What a view. All this beauty in one day is pretty amazing and breath-taking! The lake sits at the base of Victoria Glacier, hanging just above the lake’s western shore. As we were there the clouds made the glacier disappear from our view. Glacial stream water tumbles into the lake, carrying finely ground minerals, which create the lake’s brilliant and almost eerie blue-green hue.

The hotel stands like a palace on the edge of the lake, its Edwardian profile punctuated by turrets rising into the crisp (40°) mountain air. We walked through the high-ceilinged lobby that was filled with tourists and carved chandeliers.