Plain of the six glaciers trail

I had come near the end of the trial. After the tea house about one more mile and then time to turn around. This shot is on my way back, snow receding now and in the distance the famous Lake Louise. The 8.4 mile hike was rewarded with views that only can be described as breathtaking. Actually at some uphill, snow and ice filled trail areas I was breathless! What an extraordinary, visually sensational area this is. Banff National Park, just west of Calgary in Canada is a true wonder, I hope to go back.

Tea House on the "Plain of the six glaciers" trail

As I continued up the steep and sometimes snowy trail, the beauty all around me made the somewhat strenuous hike easy. Of course  a tea house built in 1927 that served tea and hot meals was also a factor in my decision to hike the Plain of the six glaciers trail.

The amazing Canadian Rockies

Standing still for a moment I realized the awesome beauty that was all around me. Sheer cliffs with ice and snow clinging to their sides and sparkling in the warm sunlight, I gazed in awe at the sight before me. How small I felt, insignificant in fact to the massive glaciers that perched upon their mighty mountain tops.

Surprise on the trail

As I worked my way up the trail, a surprise awaited me, lots of snow!  Treading carefully in my trail shoes, I made crunching sounds as my feet went deep into the white, powder. Luck would be on my side as other hikers had already created a footpath I could follow. Stepping into the tracks that determined my route, I suddenly broke through the icy, cold crust sending a large brick size piece of snow and ice cascading down into a fast moving stream. This was a reminder of the precarious path I was on.

The long hike

The hike started at lake Louise, it was a wonderful day starting out around 9am. As the sun slipped between clouds the water on the lake would be turquoise one moment with sparkles, and then go suddenly a darker shade. Quite an amazing site. 

Banff National Park

As I drove from Calgary, I fast approached a strange sight.  A small thin, jagged line of snow covered peaks started to appear on the horizon. The expanse that was once far in the distance was now looming ever larger, closing in with walls of rock and snow. It was beautiful.  I was now in Banff National Park, with the amazing, towering Canadian Rockies surrounding me. Standing here at Lake Louise the waters a pale, robin egg blue, with the glacier in the distance.

Welcome to Calgary

Here is the welcoming crew at Calgary Westways guesthouse. A wonderful bed and breakfast in a quiet, tree lined area. Jonathan, Miikka, BeBe just made the trip a wonderful experience.

Calgary Canada

Downtown Calgary is quite a beautiful site. The cool air was like nothing I have felt in months. Light drizzle of rain, splash of a car wheel next to me, tall sparkling glass buildings all around. The green parks  were covered with flowers and fountains with water shooting in the air.