Lake Louise and a big chill!

17 June 2010
Thursday

Lake Louise in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. We awoke to a very cold day: 37 degrees. After checking out of the campground we went into the village to find some Internet and get caught up with our online work: email, bills and blog. Then it was off to the Lake itself for a short hike around one incredibly turquoisely blue piece of water. The clouds were still low so the tops of the mountains are hidden. We couldn't believe the number of people from around the world. English was one of the least heard languages being spoken. We even met a couple from Bilbao, Spain.

From here we journey northward along the Icefield Parkway so named because of the numerous glaciers. Many times during the drive we stopped to take a better look, grab some pictures or even do a short hike. Probably the most beautiful and unique spot was Peyto Lake coming from the Peyto Glacier. It was so blue it looked fake.

At the Columbia Icefield Information Center we drove and then hiked to the toe [edge] of the Athabaskar Glacier. There were markers showing how the glacier has been receding since its discovery in the 1880s.

Getting short on time we boogied on to Jasper where we found ourselves in sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. Many of the campgrounds have not yet opened for the season so we found ourselves in a long line waiting to find a site for the night. We are located next to a babbling brook that should make sleeping a dream.

Today's animal sightings include black bears, big horn sheep, mountain goats, a marmot and ravens. Oh, and we did see a moose rack on the top of a car. This may be the only moose I will get to see until I go back to the MN zoo!





The John and Dana Lacey family in Whitefish, Montana