Columbia Icefield Parkway - Glacier Adventure

Up early and COLD -1C.  Burr…chilly fingers!  Got dressed, took down the tents and headed for town.  At the end of the campground road is this sign....

We're in a fenced in enclosure for this campground because of the bears.  A little weird having to go to a special area to get out.   In town we stopped for gas and at Laggans for a breakfast to go—ham and cheese on a bun and a jalapeno cheese bundle which turned out to be more like a pizza on a cheese flaky crust.  The onward to the Icefields Parkway!  It’s a crystal clear day today so great for all the mountains and glaciers ahead!  

Frosty up here on the Parkway!

The Columbia Icefield is a sheet of glacial ice trapped by higher surrounding land and feeds more than one glacier.  It covers approximately 200 km2 and feeds six large glaciers:  Saskatchewan, Castleguard, Dome, Stutfield, Columbia and Athabasca.  There's a lot of snow and ice behind those mountains!  Every turn of the road has another incredible site so come along with us on this amazing ride...

Bow Lake—beautiful with the Crowfoot Glacier hanging above it and the Bow river (more a stream here) running into it. 

On to the Num-ti-jah Lodge where the views in front were stunning.  You could see parts of the Bow River Falls where the Bow River is born from the meltwater tumbling down from the Wapta Icefield.  The Bow River terminates at Hudson Bay, over 2500 km downstream from Lake Louise.  

Peyto Lake (Bow Summit)  

Moraine Lake – Consolation Lake – Moraine Lake Walk - Shopping

We got up to fog, clouds and cold this morning!  John had promised us breakfast at the Laggen so we headed into town and got something warm to eat.  Then did a little shopping as Gretchen had seen somthing she wanted to look at again.  Waited for that fog to lift and decided to head up the mountain hoping it would clear before we got to Moraine Lake!  And, I'll be darned if it didn't turn into gorgeous clear blue sky about 2/3 of the way up to the Lake.  Good decision John!!!  And even better, there was hardly anyone there!

Got a great reflection picture of some of those 10 Peaks!

Those clouds were still hanging in the valley!

Beautiful every direction!
Sunshine picking up the blue color this morning.

We ran into some folks(Australian) we had met at the shelter on the Big Beehive the day before.  They were looking for two more people to do the Consolation Lake Hike (the Park had certain trails where there had been grisly bear activity on a list for 4 or more hikers).  John and Gretchen said they'd love to go (that was one of Gretchen's top hikes from the book!) but Jean declined as her hip was telling her it was time to settle down a little:-).  So, we have two stories to tell about today.

John and Gretchen's hike to Lower Consolation Lake

Rock Field at beginning of Consolation Lake Trail

We had to cross a big rock field first but then the trail went into the forest and was wide and not very steep.  As we approached the lake it became very rocky and we had to rock hop for quite a way to get up close to the lake. 

Lower end of Consolation Lake

Consolation Lake with Bident and Quadra Mountains

Consolation Lake with Bident and Quadra Mountians

Mount Bident and Quadra
At the upper end of the lake there was a sleeping hut with Bident and Quadra Mountains behind.  On the way back to Moraine Lake we hiked with the Australian's, a German group and some Brits.  It is great having the opportunity to talk with people from around the world that also love to hike and photograph the great outdoors. 


Jean's solitary wander along Moraine Lake

My adventure began before I had even gotten down the steps by the Rock Slide.  This cute little chippy entertained me for a good number of minutes...they are my favorite as my family will tell you!

 

As I finally moved along I ran into this Pika

 gathering grasses...for a nest?  

More time, but no one pushing me onward :-).  Understand I love my family dearly, but don't get much "me" time.  I decided I was going to "stroll" (not a word in my vocabulary!) along the walkway by Moraine Lake. 

One of the first things I saw was this creative inukshuk!

The reflections this morning were great!

  Marvelous peaks around this lake!

 Faye Glacier in the distance

 

From the end of the lake- it's been a stunning walk!

 

I decided on the way back to concentrate on the woods beside the lake.

Wonderful mushrooms.

  

Remember those bubbles from yesterday...more here...fascinating!

  

Couldn't help but look to the right..too beautiful!

  

and a look down the lake with canoers and snow covered peaks...love it!

 

and the peaks above the parking lot... God really outdid himself here!  

It was a wonderful quiet, contemplative morning...delightful!

 

But the Raven he could have left out!!  He joined us for lunch...or tried.  Not welcome!

 

And where do we find John...climbing down the giant boulders!  He'll never grow up!
 

He did get some good pictures though!

We did take a short hike along the Lake when Gretchen and John returned...

they had weary feet though so it was short.

We headed back to the campground for a little quiet time, showers and dinner.

 

Gretchen caught up on her journal.  Turned out to be a wonderful day for all!

Lake Agnes Tea House – Little Beehive – Big Beehive Loop Hike

Up and out to do the Lake Agnes Tea House hike.  Cloudy and chilly weather.  The trail begins about 2/3 of the way down the Lake Louise trail and heads uphill.

At 2.7 km we came to Mirror Lake 

Nice trail though even though there was 1205’ rise.  We ran into Mark and Lisa from Connecticut and walked with them for quite awhile.  

  Lake Agnes is a deep emerald color-but without the sun it's hard to tell.

 We ran into this dipper (bird on the rock) as we were heading to the teahouse.

We stopped at the teahouse and had hot chocolate and strawberry-kiwi 

tea with biscuits and apple-peach crumble. 

The walk to the Bathroom was almost as steep as the trail!  But, fortunately, it was on the way for Little Beehive.  It climbs through alpine fir and larch forest and across avalanche slopes.  The larches were just beginning to get a yellow tinge to them. 
The 2225m summit Little Beehive has great views of Lake Louise (swimming pool blue) and Mirror Lake (deep emerald)

as well as surrounding peaks and the Bow River Valley.  

Enjoyed those and then headed back down the trail to the teahouse and then around the lake and up (and I do mean up) to the Big Beehive – 2255m.   

Saw a cute dark brown weasel on the rocks as well as a pika, a 

chippy and a Clark’s Nutcracker as we crossed over the rock slide.  

The first of many switchbacks up the mountain!

See all those switchbacks behind us :-)

Getting closer

Lake Agnes from the trail

Again..Agnes...smaller this time...we're there!

Nice views, but not as nice as Little Beehive and the clouds had moved down over the mountain tops.  It started to rain as we started down and continued to lightly rain all the way down—glad we were in the forest.  Got down and were cold so stopped to the Saloon at the Chateau and had hot cider, hot chocolate and a beer.  Decided we were hungry so ordered the Nachos and it came in a 10” skillet full so that ended up being dinner!  Came home and there was a guy from Quebec next door and Dad offered him some fire starters since the wood was all wet, and he invited us to share his fire later so we took him up on it and introduced him to somores—he’d never had one.  He owns his own small helicopter repair company and was heading to Vancouver for an extended contract with a company there.  Very nice guy and a very warm fire on a chilly night!  Off to bed—Gretchen tried the emergency blanket to see if that would keep her warmer.  Good day despite the chill!