Hiking in Western Canada
Laurie Engdahl, our program director, recently went on a summer adventure. Here’s how it went!
Welcome to Banff! This summer I got away from the heat and humidity and traveled with a group hiking in the Canadian Rockies. The Canadian Rockies are known for their limestone mountains and blue lakes; the glaciers and run-off pound the soft rock into powder that creates the turquoise waters of the lakes that are other-worldly.
Our first day we hiked to Stanley Glacier Trail just out of Banff and got our first views of the Canadian Rockies. The streams created from the melting snow were crystal clear.
Our second day was spectacular – a gondola ride and a long hike through alpine meadows. The views were beyond awe-inspiring. We sat for lunch by this small lake with an island of pines in the middle – I decided I might want to stay here.
No trip to Banff would be complete without a visit to Lake Louise. There are no words to describe the beauty of Lake Louise.
Lake Louise is only one of many crystalline-blue lakes that dot the Rockies in Canada. On Day 4, we hiked over 1,200 feet and descended more than that into our next destination, Emerald Lake Lodge. The views as the lake and the lodge emerged reminded me of walking into the Emerald City – it was so blue it just didn’t look real!
Our last day we hiked over 1,700 feet to an old fire look out with sweeping views. The Canadian Rockies go on forever!
