Cranbrook to Lake Louise Day 21

Canada Day

172 miles (Trip 4020mls)

We set off towards Lake Louise with the addition of two extra Canadian Morgans and a very pretty white MGB. The route took us north through Fort Steele, Skookumchuck, Lake Windermere and we entered the Kootenay National Park at Radium Hot Springs. Our first destination was Marble Canyon, which is a deep narrow gorge with a spectacular display of fast moving water provided by the Vermillion River. A few of us decided to have lunch in Banff and on arrival nearly gave up as the town was packed with holiday makers making the most the national holiday, however we did find places to park and enjoyed a very relaxed lunch.

The main road from Banff to Lake Louise was very congested so we took a longer, but more scenic and pleasant journey. There was a small herd of Long Horn Sheep at the side of the road, which was the only wildlife we caught sight of for the rest of the day. We found out later that a large bear had been seen on the road a few minutes after we had passed.

Our hotel was the Chateau Lake Louise, which has one of the most spectacular views in Canada. Lake Louise is surrounded by forests and above the trees snow capped mountains, which reflect with great beauty back from the surface of the lake.

The hotel itself was a disappointment; large, impersonal and for all the staff employed inefficient.