Lake Louise and Lake Moraine

The previous post in this series is here..

Finally getting started on day 3 of our Banff trip posts. 

We had a rental car and this was our full day of planned activiteis where we were going to be on our own. The idea of having an entire days agenda under San's control, where I tag along without saying "No" to anything (part of the agreed terms of the trip) was scary. 

My idea of visiting a lot of places in one day, involves going to the Patel points, getting pictures and moving to next place. San has changed. She plans a 2 to 3 mile hike in every place from the parking lot to some place within the park at every one of these locations. Now that I got that out of my system, it is actually a good idea if I can keep up. The pictures are better, as is the experience (I am saying this on my own... she is not looking over my shoulder! really!)

We got up at 5 AM, drank some Wagh Bakri instant tea (we have started to like this tea on travels now) and started driving towards Lake Louise and Lake Moraine. Our plan was to go to the farthest point first which was Moraine. We drove all the way up to see a cop divert us. The parking was full apparently at 6:30 AM when we reached the place. "Lake Lousie still has some parking left.. if you go there you will make it".. is what he said and we zipped there.

We were in a long line at the vending machine. There were folks who were sending back people to go get the license plates of the rental cars as the machine asks you to enter it. I stopped a few of them and said "please look at your key from rental car.. usually the license number is written on it". This saved some time as the people were blocking the machine waiting for a person to come back with info!! American tourists understandably get a bad name in Banff.

We walked to the trailhead towards the lake and were just dazed by the view of the lake. It was just so serene and beautiful.

There were already groups of folks taking pictures at the lake front. We walked around the lake to a less crowded place and got some pictures.

After walking around the lake and looking at the giant hotel in front of the lake, we decided to head back towards Banff.

On the way back, surprisingly the cop said "we have two spots open. you can go to Lake Moraine!". It was our lucky day. So we drove from the main freeway to Lake Moraine parking which is a good 15-20 minute drive. Once there, the parking lot incharge says "we made a miscalculation. we let two extra folks in by mistake". We told him "we are here to go see the lake, take pictures and leave. Need 20 mins tops!". So he relented and let us park for 20 mins in the loading zone and said "I am going to stand here near your car. So please be back!". 

We ran in towards the lake, saw similar crowd, started walking around lake to the farthest point we could in 6 minutes and got some photos and ran back. While this lake is very similar to the Lake Louise in the way it looks, it has a more rocky feel to it. It is also a lot quieter. 

There are many trails that take you to the high points in the local mountains around.. so you get a birds eye view of the lake. We did not have time to do such a hike here. Going to Banff for just a weekend, limited us timewise. This was more of a sampler trip!

We kept our promise and started driving back.

Both these lakes are absolutely breathtaking. Plan to spend a few hours at each lake, go on a trail, do a little picnic around the place if possible!

Our next was supposed to be Johnston canyon and a long hike there.. but we were early. On the way out of Moraine lake, there is a hike in Paradise valley. We decided to hike this trail. 

will post that next..

Two lakes and a waterfall

The previous post on this series is here..

The bus stopped at a waterfall that flows into a river (where they Freeway goes between the two). This was followed by two more stops at Bow lake and Waterfowl lakes. 

Both these lakes looked similar except for the extent of the "lake beaches" and the picnicing crowds. The scenery was just amazing!

This photograph is thanks to the Belgian professor.. his daughter was telling to him take some vertical and horizontal.. he goes "will even take some diagonal.. how about that?". Turned out great!

We met a large punjabi family of 30+ people with picnic blankets and food spread out in one of the little coves around the lake. We were given half an hour at the stop and everyone in the bus interested in taking photos at the lake had to walk through one of many trails to get to the shore and take pictures. We thought we were going to a quiet spot.. turned out not to be. so we went back around to find a quiet spot to take photos. 

Both these lakes are beautiful. Turqoise waters, clear enough for you to see the bottom pebbles for quite a distance, snow and ice covered mountains in the background..

San's candid shot of me at Waterfowl lakes

Surprisingly, she took a lot of photos of me on this trip and they were all good! Not out of focus, not contrasty, over or under exposed.. just right! That was a big bonus for me on this trip!

if you are not going by the bus tour, stop by both these lakes! There is enough parking in the parking lot at bow lake. For Waterfowl lake, you just stop at the vista point and walk down. 

A video of the stops 

The day wasn't over. We still had lot to do after being dropped off..

The ice field Skywalk

The previous post in this series is here..

After the visit to the glacier and back, we were told that the ticket includes a ride to the skywalk and back. So we went in a larger bus to the skywalk bus stop. From this stop it is a half mile walk to the Skywalk.

San actually did a great job taking that picture given the crowd! I am a very proud photographer hubby..

This is an engineering marvel !! A U shaped piece of projecting steel and glass above the abyss. You are walking on glass and it is scary to walk on. The thing still shakes a bit in the heavy winds and that scared me a little more. 

We saw a family of mountain sheep under the bridge. These sheep were amazing movers on near vertical surfaces! The baby was extremely cute!!

We read through the engineering details of the bridge, quickly walked through it (it was way too crowded) and got back on the next bus. 

This is a must visit place. I think this will be even more beautiful when the mountains facing the skywalk have snow on them. Right now the river and the waterfalls are beautiful but not obviously visible.

A video of the Skywalk..

When you see a place like this.. you are proud to be an engineer. Heard a kid walk before me and say "this is just engineers showing off. They really didn't need to build something like this.. but they went and did it anyways!"  I walked behind laughing. 

What is more amazing is the engineering that is there in those sheeps soft padded feet that can grip any shape of rock as they go up on those vertical rock faces.. 

On the return to Banff, we stopped by a waterfall first and headed to stop by two lakes.

Will post that next..