The Story Behind This Photograph

Lake Louise, Alberta, CA

This photograph was taken at the end of May! Incredibly, the lake was still half covered with ice; the half that was thawed was clear to the bottom and the water was a beautiful blue-green color.

There is a path around the lake to the far end where you see the mountains coming together in a "V". At this point we began our hike that eventually brought us to a snow avalanche field which we had to climb across to continue. Though it was cold hiking over the snow, my Icebreaker shirt, which I had just purchased at a sports store earlier in the morning, was keeping me comfortably warm. (Amazingly, at the end of the day, it held NO ODOR whatsoever!)

Along the way, we had a chance to observe rock climbers as well as a moose munching away in the bushes, a rare treat. This was a beautiful hike which I would definitely do again. It is well marked and took no special equipment though some strap-on ice-cleats would have made our climb across the snow easier. Otherwise, our hiking sticks with their rock tips helped on icy stretches.

Don't forget your camera and tripod for some spectacular photos!

After finishing our 8 mile round-trip hike, we enjoyed a drink and snack in a very cozy bar in the The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise located on this most famous lake in Canada, just behind us in the photo. (So, in some ways, the story really was behind the photograph)

As you can imagine, the views from the hotel are incredible beside the fact that it is also located in the "heart of pristine Banff National Park and within a UNESCO World Heritage Site".(a quote from the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise web site)

To find out more about what a UNESCO World Heritage Site is, click HERE. (go to "World Heritage Sites" at bottom of the page)

Lake Louise is about 35 miles NW of Banff in the province of Alberta, Canada, and 113 miles (2 hours) from Calgary.  We stopped for a couple of days in Banff on our way from Calgary to Lake Louise.  Click HERE to see the spectacular hotel we stayed at in Banff.