Today the snow stopped, the clouds retreated, the sun came out, and the Rockies revealed themselves in all their grandeur. It was off to the icefields parkway to do some sightseeing. My only regret is that my pathetic photographs do no justice to the scenery.
We headed first for Lake Louise. As you approach Louise there's a good view of the majestic Mount Temple (3544m). This view shows the East Ridge; the glacier-clad North Face is behind it to the right.
Approaching Lake Louise the view is something to behold.
Lake Louise is truly beautiful. Unfortunately this is well-known and as a result the place is frequently overrun; this was especially true today. The lake itself is at an elevation of 1750m and was still completely frozen over. This allowed the crowd to spill out onto the icy surface. In this view the people look small compared to Fairview Mountain despite its relatively low height of 2744m.
There's a beautiful walk around the lake but today you could just walk (or ski) straight over it following a well-defined track.
With the right preparation you can keep going all the way to the Plain of the Six Glaciers. At this time of year that's a challenge: avalanches are a genuine hazard. We only got a fraction of the way but still the view was beyond words. Mount Victoria (3464m) spills her glaciers down and dwarfs everything below.
The aptly-named Louise Falls make a nice ice fall in the winter; still frozen solid halfway through "spring".
The sun was very warm though and some snow was starting to melt off the roof of the way-finding station.
Next, to escape the crowds, we headed up the Icefields Parkway to Bow Lake. We were surrounded by snow the whole time but the road itself was bare. Countless peaks loom overhead; I believe this is the western flank of Mount Andromarche (3033m).
Approaching Bow Lake Crowfoot Mountain (3055m) provides a dramatic backdrop.
Bow Lake is the headwaters for the Bow River. It's higher (1920m), larger, and just as beautiful as Lake Louise. Better still, it was far less crowded. Needless to say, in this land of snow and ice, spring is just an abstract concept.
Mount Thompson (3084m) flanks the shores of the lake.
Bow Lake is one of the trailheads for those setting off for the Wapta Icefield. The parking lot and facilities provide a good indication of snow depth.
The route to the icefield heads up past Bow Glacier; the main icefield is out of view beyond.
We were not equipped for such adventures. For us it was back to Canmore for the night. I'm afraid my photos don't really do it justice though. I do have some panoramas that help a little; I'll try to upload them forthwith.
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