On our second day in Canmore, we boarded a tour bus and motored down the Trans-Canada Highway, Route 1, for a visit to Lake Louise and Banff. Once again, the weather was gray and showery, at least in the morning. It was raining steadily when we reached Lake Louise and the damp chill limited our time outside. Still, the lake was beautiful and we could imagine how spectacular it would be on a clear day. The lake is glacier-fed, deep, cold and normally a brilliant blue color. The Chateau (hotel) at lakeside is magnificent and very posh. Tour groups, especially from Asia, were loading onto their buses as we arrived. I walked about 20% of the lake shore, got thoroughly wet and enjoyed coming in to the inviting hotel lobby to warm up.
Our tour then took us to a high altitude lake, Moraine Lake, which formed several thousand years ago when a rock slide dammed a mountain stream. There is a charming rustic lodge on the lake shore – the complete antithesis to Chateau Lake Louise.
We then motored to the town of Banff. Again, there is a posh resort hotel but also many hostels, motels and bed and breakfast establishments. Our bus driver drove across the Bow River Bridge, with water just below the roadway and commented that the river was the highest in anyone’s memory and 60% of the snowpack had yet to melt! We visited Bow River Falls and noticed that the city officials had closed off the path along the river’s edge due to the high water. We then had several hours for lunch and a chance to explore the museums and/or shops of the town.
Leaving Banff, our bus traveled a secondary road along the Bow River with some spectacular scenery. Near a small lake, we passed a group of bighorn sheep grazing near a roadside rest area. They seemed remarkably unconcerned about the vehicle traffic. There were several lambs with their mothers, and several rams with a full curl of horn. They were shedding their winter coats so looked rather moth-eaten.
After returning to Canmore, I had a few hours to sneak in a trip to the local quilt shop and then the grocery store while Steve did a load of laundry. Everyday chores continue even when on vacation when you take your house with you.
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