30th May 2025

It was a bad start to the day. We had planned a walk up to Lake Louise, but alas the path had just been closed for environmental reasons. The walk up the road was gross.  Back to the nearby visitor centre where we asked where the footpaths were. The lad showed us on the map. R was still unconvinced, so asked about buses. He could book us on one, but that was not until 4pm. We mentioned we were staying in the campsite, and he then produced a timetable of a local bus service for residents and those staying in the village. A bus was due to go shortly, so we rushed off to board it . It was $2 rideup on the bus. We could have driven up, but that would have been $47 for parking. I think that is more than Londonn parking.

We took the small bus up to the Lake, where it dropped us at a carpark within 100 meters of the Lake. The lake is Glacier fed, so it is a bright blue, R says turquoise, colour from the very fine rock particles the glacier ice grinds out. A lovely blue day, alas too early in the season. Despite it being early in the season, there were still hundreds of people taking selfies on the shoreline. The lake is also spoilt be a huge hotel built on the shore. It dominates the lake. It also is about the only place where you can buy refreshments. There were some cafes in the mountains surrounding the lake, but they were not open until the 6th June. Some of the walking trails were also closed because of snow cover. The walk up to Lake Agnes was open on the hotel side of Lake Loiuse, but the walk up from the far end of the lake was closed because of snow.

I left R on the shore, she was going to amble along the shoreline of the Lake. Meanwhile I was going to walk up from the hotel side of Lake Louise, passing Mirror Lake and then up to Lake Agnes, passing near the Lake Agnes Tea House. Lake Agnes was still frozen over. At the far end of Lake Agnes, I intended to climb up the Beehive Mountain. In this I failed this, because there was still deep snow to go through, before starting up the slopes. I was also wary about the time it would take. I did see someone start walking across the snowfields, only to turn back.

I then retraced my steps along the shore of Lake Agnes, the water to my right, and the steep hillside to my left. I and another group just in front of me were lucky not to be hit by some large ice boulders which broke away from a mountain stream. The largest boulder was a metre in width, and 15 metres in front of the other walking group. I had contemplated overtaking the other walkers, thankfully I had not, otherwise I may not have been here to write this.  Yes, those ice boulders were that close. That would have caused my IFA some work sorting out my affairs.

I continued the walk down hill, on occasion running, but in most cases moving fast. I met up with R, she was sitting on a bench looking at Lake Louise. She had walked to the far end of the lake and back.

We caught the bus back down, getting off at a stop near to the campsite. It was still hot and sunny and a few beers did not come amiss.

Asparagus and beer (separately) for supper.