2015 Canada West: Lake Louise and Columbia Icefield (6/22/2015)

Monday, June 22, 2015 (continued)
We left the Bow Valley Parkway/1A to head to Lake Louise. But first:

Supposedly the best view of Moraine Lake is from this rockpile

Tamiko maneuvers across the log jam to the rockpile (KSS)

Kent's view of Moraine Lake (KSS)

Tamiko's view of Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is in the Valley of Ten Peaks

Brynne at Lake Louise

Kent, Tamiko, Brynne at Lake Louise

Victoria Glacier behind Lake Louise

Victoria Glacier behind Lake Louise in 1982

Victoria Glacier behind Lake Louise in 1964 (KSS)

Hmm, a sunny day really makes a difference!

The Fairmont Château Lake Louise
(1911 in Edwardian Victorian style)

The Fairmont Château Lake Louise lobby

Log cottage (1920), home to the Swiss mountain guides

After a quick lunch from the Château Deli, we headed north on the Icefields Parkway. I made the tactical error of deciding we should drive to the Icefields Centre first, then make the other stops on the way back, before realizing we would lose the sun.

Peyto Glacier on the far left and Peyto Lake

Mount Saskatchewan, source of the Saskatchewan River (KSS)

Icefields Parkway: Sunwapta Pass (KSS)

Now we are in Jaspar National Park.

View from Icefields Centre:
Mount Athabasca, Athabasca Glacier, Dome Glacier

Athabasca Glacier

Athabasca Glacier in 1982

Athabasca Glacier in 1964 (KSS)

Heading back south on Icefields Parkway.

Bridal Veil Falls

This small sign is why we missed
the Bridal Veil Falls viewpoint on the way up

Another viewpoint shows more
of Bridal Veil Falls (KSS)

The Weeping Wall (KSS)

North Saskatchewan River

Blanket of snow

Bow Glacier and Bow Lake (KSS)

Crowfoot Glacier

Crowfoot Glacier in 1982

Crowfoot Glacier in 1964 (KSS)

From the Icefields Parkway we turned west through Yoho National Park.

Spiral Tunnels Viewpoint: Entrance and exit of a spiral tunnel
(CPR tracks first laid through Kicking Horse Pass in 1884)

Oreamnos americanus/Mountain Goats
in Glacier National Park (KSS)

In Glacier National Park we passed through eight snow sheds, which we weren't allowed to count as tunnels!

Snow shed

We stopped in Golden, British Columbia for dinner at Fire Pit BBQ.
After passing through our fifth national park (Mount Revelstoke National Park) of the day, we stopped at the Powder Springs Hotel in the city of Revelstoke, BC; our second Canadian province and second time zone for the trip.

Next: Kamloops and Fraser Canyon.