My husband and I woke up early in Kananaskis and took a walk after breakfast.  We were treated to beautiful views and saw a doe and her fawn on our walk.  And then we were off to Lake Louise, but with some incredible stops along the way.  One of those stops was Emerald Lake which is in Yoho National Park in British Columbia.  The lake was named by Tom Wilson, a Canadian guide, who found it by accident in 1882. Emerald Lake is blue in color because of glacier sediment sometimes called rock flour.  There are also beautiful wildflowers in the area.

We also stopped at the Kicking Horse River where we saw the “Natural Bridge.” Water rushes from flats down into a canyon.  There is softer rock below a layer of hard limestone which has resulted in fissures as the softer rock erodes more quickly.  The water rushes through these fissures creating the “Natural Bridge.”  While it is easy to see how the “Natural Bridge” was named, it would be a dangerous bridge to cross.

We arrived at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, located in Alberta.  It was one of the hotels built by the Canadian Pacific Railway. As we stepped inside and looked out windows from the lounge and restaurant, we saw what incredible views awaited us.   The hotel dates back to 1911 and was originally designed for the “outdoor adventurer and alpinist.”

After dinner, we walked along the Shoreline Lake Trail, which starts just outside the back of our hotel.  The trail is about a  1 1/2 mile hike and goes half way around Lake Louise – then you have to double back.  It was an easy walk and gave us great views of the hotel.  Tauck guests had rooms on this side of the hotel so we could see the lake from our room.  I also included a picture of a poppy – they were in great abundance in the area.

Tom Wilson, who named Emerald Lake, also named Lake Louise – but he named it Emerald Lake as well.  It was renamed Lake Louise a few years later in honor of Queen Victoria’s daughter.  Wilson had been employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway to take supplies to workers and was accompanied by Stoney Indians.  He thought he heard an avalanche one night, and was told the sound came from near what would be called Lake Louise. The next day, the Indians showed him the lake and he is reported to have said, “‘As God as my judge, I never in all my explorations saw such a matchless scene.”  Victoria Glacier sits behind Lake Louise.  Glacier sediment gives the lake its emerald color.

One of the hotel options was to request a wake-up call to see and/or photograph the lake at sunrise.  We asked for the wake-up call and I am so glad we did.  We understood immediately what Tom Wilson had said about Lake Louise.  While it wasn’t crowded, there were a lot of people photographing the lake.  In the early morning, when there is little activity on the lake, the reflection is beautiful.

These pictures were taken later in the day.  Outside the back door of the hotel, there is a terrace in front of the lake – it makes a beautiful picture and is a great place to pose for a picture as well!