A plan was forming in my head. We had a room booked in Canmore and I wanted to take the drive up the Icefields Parkway just past Lake Louise. But I couldn't drive past Moraine Lake with the sun in the most favourable spot I've ever witnessed. I lead a convoy of about 9 vehicles up the twisting narrow 11km. The rule is get to the lake before 9 or after 6. We arrived at 8:55 and the parking lot was already overflowing. We lucked out and nabbed one of the few spots left by the 3 cars we passed on the way in.
I'll never get over how the peaks that surround the lake come into view as you descend the last kilometre. It feels like you can reach out and touch them they are so close. The lake was still partially in shadow, the haze that normally flattens the detail of the peaks had yet to form. It was breath taking, and I've been here for the last 6 years. I raced up the rock pile to try and capture the moment.
Racing up the rock pile is difficult when no one is around, almost impossible when hundreds of selfie stick wielding folks are wandering all over the path. I made the lower level and there was only 1 couple in this small corner. I offered to take their picture as much to get the spot to myself as I was being helpful. I snapped a few shots then tried to go higher. The higher I went the more selfie sticks I found. I had left my tripod at the lower level so after a few more quick shots I went back down, found the tripod and took my own selfie. People kept pouring in by the bus load. I climbed to the higher level again but only snapped a few pictures before getting frustrated by the number of people with no regard for the signs asking them not to climb past the retaining wall. Every one that does this ends up in someone else's picture.
Next time I'd love to get here earlier or just come without a camera at all. I cannot capture how I feel here. With a camera I'm overwhelmed by the pressure to get 'that' picture. Without that pressure I might just enjoy it more.
I went back to the parking lot and found Sal sitting on a bench talking to a tour bus driver. Very nice guy with lots of stories.
We drove back to the village and had lunch. We decided not to try and go to Lake Louise, parking was full and they were bussing folks in from overflow 5km away. Traffic continued to pour in.
The Icefields Parkway travels about 250km to Jasper. We took in about one third, turning back at the Saskatchewan River Crossing.
Along the way we saw numerous hanging glaciers, turquoise lakes and endless jagged peaks. The highway is known as one of the most beautiful drives in the world and it definitely gets our vote. Highlights for us were Bow Lake, where we walked along the shore and looked out over the clear water to the slopes of the mountains that drop straight down to the far shore. The other we paid for with a steep 1km walk. Peyto Lake has the deepest colour of the lakes probably because you view it from a very high angle. We're already thinking we should book a room in Jasper and take in the rest of the view.
We ended our driving with a surprisingly quiet drive down the Bow Valley Parkway. We got up close and personal with 2 black bears. The lack of traffic was a definite surprise.
Our hotel room in Canmore was great and after a shower and a bit of the Jay's game we went for supper at Gaucho Brazilian Barbeque. It was an experience. You pick your sides from an extensive array and then the gauchos carve 11 different meats tableside. Several kinds of beef, lamb, roast pork tenderloin, chicken hearts, ribs... I can't remember them all. It was good but we both found that it was all too fast. We would have preferred they allowed more time between visits as we both ended up with side plates piled with 5 different slices and couldn't keep track of what was what. After a short walk we returned to our room and crashed.
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| Moraine Lake |
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| Bow Lake |
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