Day 2: Lake Louise and Banff

Chances are pretty good you’re already seen Lake Louise as any simple internet search of Banff National Park will pull up pictures of the lake. Best known for its searingly turquoise/blue watercolor Lake Louise is 1.2 miles long and has a max depth of 230 feet. While you technically can swim in the water the temperature rarely breaks 39C …so it probably wouldn’t be for very long. Obviously, our trip caught the tail end of the winter freeze, and as such most of the lake was frozen, although there were some spots where water could be seen seeping through. The incredible color of the water comes from the fine rock dust (produced by glaciers rubbing against bedrock) suspended in the water that reflects the sunlight. A brief discussion about our trust issues with the ice, the numerous signs warning of thin ice, and our ability to manage hypothermia kept us off the lake although there were probably 50 people standing out on the ice when we arrived. The views from the lake are incredible and speak for themselves.

The lake serves as host to the incredible Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel. The hotel opened on June 1, 1888, and was designed by the owner, Canadian Pacific Railway, as a vacation getaway. Originally intended for summer use only the entire facility was winterized in 1982. The hotel boasts 539 rooms and 36000 square feet of meeting and event space.

The city of Banff sits at 4537’ and has a residential population of about 7800 people. We found the city to be clearly geared toward tourism, but clean, friendly, and with no end to the mountain views.

Location: 51°25'0.966" N 116°12'59.058" W , 51°10'40.854" N 115°34'14.988" W

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Camera Body: Canon EOS R3

Camera Lens: Canon RF 100-500 f7.1, Cannon RF 14-35mm f4

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