Exploring Banff

The day began with the Newlywed's Brunch which I've described before. Afterward, Jason, Melissa, Tommy and I trekked northward to Lake Louise for a hike to a tea house that came highly recommended from Darren and Kristen.

After a few stops for pictures and provisions, we began our hike to the tea house.

The drive up the 1A through a tunnel of towering trees.

At a scenic stop, I tried to run back and get another perfect train pic. This is the Rocky Mountaineer excursion train headed up the Bow River valley.

After parking at Chateau Lake Louise, we began our hike around the lake. This bird, perched on this tourist, drew a blizzard of cell phone and regular cameras.

I did not know that Lake Louise was such a climbing destination. In the center of the photo you can just make out the red shirted climber.

See, there she is.

This couple and their dog were watching their kids play in the creek's alluvial plain (hah, obscure word use, check!) across from the trail. What drew my attention was that I thought the dog was a person. I mean, I think all dogs are people, too, but this one looked like a big guy wearing a black jacket.

Jason doing his best to obey Canadian trail signs.

The first avalanche left overs crossing. The figure at the top was a tourist from some Scandinavian country we think. Not far from where she is standing, she fell through the ice. It wasn't bad, her one leg punched through the surface to the rocky bed four feet below. Her conversation afterwards though, needed no translation. It was pretty clear that she didn't think to much of her boyfriend/hiking companion and she was going back with or without them! 

Jason is a wee bit skeptical about this ice crossing stuff with his pregnant wife.

GeoEye Analytics, for all your mapping analysis needs. Now in Canada!

The benches in front of the Plain of Six Glaciers. The eponymous six glaciers are off to the left of this picture's viewpoint.

Okay plant people, what is this?

The Plains of Six Glaciers Tea House. We felt like we were in the Alps, which is probably due to the fact that this area was first explored by Swiss guides imported by the railroads.

Two story stone and wood house, really cool.

Our lunch was spicy vegetable soup, Jersey cheese on multigrain sandwich, tea of course and chocolate cake. It's a rough life.

That's a dumbwaiter in the corner they use to bring up the food from the kitchen downstairs.

All of the tea in the drawers.

Lemonade also.

This view out your "office" window would be terrible wouldn't it?

The staff live on site and hike back and forth from Lake Louise. The staples, flour and sugar, are helicoptered in once a season. The remainder of the supplies are brought up by the employees on foot or by horse pack train.

Highly recommend that you check this place out if you're up that way. It's worth the hike.

After our break at the tea house, we debated about going up to the lookout. One of the girls at the tea house recommend that we try it and we are all glad we did. But....I've got to get out the door here in Livingston, so you'll have to wait for the next installment. You'll be glad you did.