Banff Part 3

One of the tours we booked on our first day was to the Lake Louise Gondola. We set off early as we knew it would be very busy but we did have some good advice and that was to park at the gondola and take shuttle buses to the village and Lake Louise. This was the best advice we could have been given as there was plenty of parking and no hassle getting there. There is an overflow carpark off the highway with shuttle buses ferrying passengers to Lake Louise but the way we did it was much easier.

We bought our tickets and were advised that there had been a bear sighting around tower 12 so we headed out to the gondola station hoping to see if that sighting was going to be still there. The staff have all this down pat and we got a gondola quickly. I quite like this mode of transport it affords a great view over the whole area and you get to really enjoy it. As we went up we kept our eyes peeled for any sign of grizzly bears and sure enough near tower 12 there was a mumma bear and two cubs. We were all very excited but getting a photo wasn't easy at all but at least we could say that we had seen one. Very happy were we. There were lots of marmots running around on the lawn outside the chalet building not seeming to mind the humans at all.

Not the best photo but there they are.

We arrived at the top and had a chat to the guide at the top on the viewing platform, then walked down to the interpretive centre and and had a quick look around there. Again lots of mozzies and in the photo I have my big jacket on not because I was cold but to try and protect me from the mozzies.

Peter and John decided to go back down the mountain on the chairlift while Cheryl and I went back down the way we came in a gondola.

A coffee in the cafeteria and we were on our way again down to Lake Louise. At this time of year the Canadians use the school buses as transport for some of the tourist activities which is a good us of resources I think. The school bus wasn't the most comfortable but it did the job.

We got off and made our way to Lake Louise and wow what an amazing sight! Not the lake but the crush of humanity all trying to get the quintessential shot with the lake and mountains in the background. We did manage to get a couple of shots in the main area but within a couple of hundred metres around from this spot there weren't anywhere near as many people so this view was a much better option.

The lake is such a gorgeous colour and with the mountains in the background it is a very pretty site. We walked part way around the lake and took in the beautiful views. We saw people canoeing on the lake and you could also hear them laughing as the sound carried really well. We would have liked to have a look around the Fairmont but there were notices all around that only guests and people going to the restaurants could go in. It was a pity as it would have made a good photo from the balcony of the restaurant but never mind I am sure I could google one.

After spending a bit more time we caught the free shuttle back to the gondola and had some lunch at the cafeteria. While we were there one of the marmots from outside found his way into the cafeteria area and scooted around under the tables. Not sure if he got out.

Before we left we had a look at the weather for the day and saw that thunderstorms were forecast for the afternoon, so after lunch we made our way back to Banff and just as well as we got closer to home the heavens opened and it teamed down. Just before we got to the hotel it actually started to hail, only small but hail nonetheless. so it was a good decision to come home.

Due to the rain Cheryl and I decided to go and do the washing at the hotel next door as they have an affiliation with ours. We got there and spent 2 hours washing and drying the clothes but unlike our previous time there was nowhere to sit so we perched ourselves on a luggage trolley outside the laundry. Once we had finished we saw that the boys had been having a couple of beers while we were away as it was still raining, so we decided it was our turn and after a refresh we went down and had a couple of cocktails. As it was still raining dinner was at the hotel restaurant again which was very nice.