Aug 18th Golden BC, Lake Louise.

Golden made an appearance out of the smoke and the mist….!!!

Wednesday and an early morning start for Louise……all sources suggest the parking fills up fast…so we were aiming to get there for 8am…….even at 8.05 when we arrived….the parking lots were packed……but we did get a space.

And be prepared….there are A LOT of pictures in this post…!!!!

It was very ethereal on arrival…….morning mist just as thick or thicker than the smoke…but a strangely different more wispy consistency.

FYI for anyone doing this trip in the future….the park office was closed when we drove up…..but the smart parking meters also let you purchase your park pass….!!!

The plan was to do the Lake Louise to Lake Agnes trail route…and hope the visibility would improve through the morning…..

As we walked along the edge of Lake Louise…which was still eerily beautiful with that intense turquoise water shining through the mist ……the haze was gradually lifting……Louise did a leisurely, yet dramatic reveal………..

Its a well travelled very clear trail….but pretty seriously up…!!!!

Climbing higher the view became clearer as the sun warmed and dissipated the mist.

……..and then the reward………

Louise on one side and Agnes on the other…….It is a truly spectacular place to stand…well worth the torture of the unrelenting ascent……

As we embarked on the descent into the bowl that contains Agnes…the steep switchbacks made us very glad for the clockwise choice on the trail……there were lots of people (a lot of them looked much younger and fitter than me..!!!) struggling up the path as we hiked down.

There were some young ladies readying for a swim…..bear in mind this is glacial melt water and we are still quite high up….the sun may be warm…….but…….!!!!

…and then back down to level to a much clearer vista on Louise herself……and she is beautiful……

Fantastic walk, fantastic day…….

We decided ice cream was in order back in Golden……pretty sure we burned enough calories to deserve it…!!!

Last night in Golden….back to Cochrane tomorrow for some more shenanigans with the offspring on her next couple of days off…..

….and actually kind of looking forward to the drive back through the mountains with a clear view this time…….