Epic Glacier Hike
09-05-2016
Author: in Steps to Wander
Yesterday had been an easy but rewarding hike, but today Corbin and I had some epic plans. Our plan was to drive back to Lake Louise and hike the Plain of Six Glacier trail, about 9 miles roundtrip. We had been wanting to head out on some longer hikes, and Banff seemed to be the perfect place to start.
Arriving at Lake Louise, we were shocked by the amount of tourists flooding the area. Since, we had seen it first in the evening after the crowds had left, we just expected it to always be as peaceful and deserted. We felt grateful we had enjoyed that moment of almost solitude with the lake before, because it was really hard to appreciate its beauty with the hoards of people taking selfie after selfie.
We hadn’t been sure what to wear for this hike since it was a glacier hike and we expected it to be quite cold at the top. We completely overdressed wearing winter coats and hats, and I immediately regretted my decision even before we started the incline up. How could I have thought I needed a coat!? Oh, well, at least I wouldn’t be cold at the top.
Paris was a bit pooped from yesterday’s hike, and he’s an older dog, so we had brought along the dog carrier expecting him to ride in it for most of the way up at least. Sure enough, he started to lag behind only a few moments after we had started out. So, the lucky dog settled into his little bag and enjoyed the ride as we began our hike up.
And it went up! Up, and up, and up, it was one of the hardest hike we had been on this year. With the higher elevation, weight of the dog, and a ridiculous amount of clothing, I felt winded and out of shape in only a matter of moments. But, the views! They kept us going, and when we could look back we could see Lake Louise glimmering below and when we looked ahead the grand glaciers and snow capped mountains beckoned us to continue.
As our legs grew steadily more tired, we looked forward to the teahouse we knew was waiting ahead. The promise of a cup of hot tea and a place to relax for a moment sounded completely luxurious at this point. The switchbacks seemed to never end, but we finally came around a corner and knew we had made it. The little tea house sat idyllically on the mountainside, it’s colorful prayer flags flapping in the breeze. We couldn’t believe this place existed!
We found a table with an epic view of the glaciers ahead, and then went in to order. Corbin and I both ordered a cup of their Plain of Six Glaciers herbal tea, and we couldn’t resist the blueberry pound cake and scones with jam and butter. We sipped our tea and devoured our snack and regained some energy to finish our hike up the trail to the glaciers. As we sat there, we could see avalanches in the distances and the loud booming of their power echoed around the mountains. It was incredible, and I was finally happy that I had a coat to wear as the cold leached through our sweaty clothes.
The last part of the hike seemed to take the longest, but when we reached the end of the trail and looked up at the glacier towering above us, the entire experience almost felt spiritual. It was one of the most beautiful places we had ever been to and I had to sit down on a rock and revel in the moment. We had made it, and it felt like every step of our journey so far had built up to this moment, to this glorious view of nature that held so much power and peace.
We sat there for awhile, but the time eventually came for us to head back down. Though, the moment stayed with us the whole way down and for days after. It was one of those moments you know you will keep with you as a reminder of how beautiful life really is, and how lucky we are to live here on Earth.
Arriving at Lake Louise, we were shocked by the amount of tourists flooding the area. Since, we had seen it first in the evening after the crowds had left, we just expected it to always be as peaceful and deserted. We felt grateful we had enjoyed that moment of almost solitude with the lake before, because it was really hard to appreciate its beauty with the hoards of people taking selfie after selfie.
We hadn’t been sure what to wear for this hike since it was a glacier hike and we expected it to be quite cold at the top. We completely overdressed wearing winter coats and hats, and I immediately regretted my decision even before we started the incline up. How could I have thought I needed a coat!? Oh, well, at least I wouldn’t be cold at the top.
Paris was a bit pooped from yesterday’s hike, and he’s an older dog, so we had brought along the dog carrier expecting him to ride in it for most of the way up at least. Sure enough, he started to lag behind only a few moments after we had started out. So, the lucky dog settled into his little bag and enjoyed the ride as we began our hike up.
And it went up! Up, and up, and up, it was one of the hardest hike we had been on this year. With the higher elevation, weight of the dog, and a ridiculous amount of clothing, I felt winded and out of shape in only a matter of moments. But, the views! They kept us going, and when we could look back we could see Lake Louise glimmering below and when we looked ahead the grand glaciers and snow capped mountains beckoned us to continue.
As our legs grew steadily more tired, we looked forward to the teahouse we knew was waiting ahead. The promise of a cup of hot tea and a place to relax for a moment sounded completely luxurious at this point. The switchbacks seemed to never end, but we finally came around a corner and knew we had made it. The little tea house sat idyllically on the mountainside, it’s colorful prayer flags flapping in the breeze. We couldn’t believe this place existed!
We found a table with an epic view of the glaciers ahead, and then went in to order. Corbin and I both ordered a cup of their Plain of Six Glaciers herbal tea, and we couldn’t resist the blueberry pound cake and scones with jam and butter. We sipped our tea and devoured our snack and regained some energy to finish our hike up the trail to the glaciers. As we sat there, we could see avalanches in the distances and the loud booming of their power echoed around the mountains. It was incredible, and I was finally happy that I had a coat to wear as the cold leached through our sweaty clothes.
The last part of the hike seemed to take the longest, but when we reached the end of the trail and looked up at the glacier towering above us, the entire experience almost felt spiritual. It was one of the most beautiful places we had ever been to and I had to sit down on a rock and revel in the moment. We had made it, and it felt like every step of our journey so far had built up to this moment, to this glorious view of nature that held so much power and peace.
We sat there for awhile, but the time eventually came for us to head back down. Though, the moment stayed with us the whole way down and for days after. It was one of those moments you know you will keep with you as a reminder of how beautiful life really is, and how lucky we are to live here on Earth.
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Author: Steps to Wander
