We got an early start and ventured east into Alberta, over the continental divide, to enter Banff National Park and to visit Lake Louise and the town of Banff. We got to see the sun rise and the mountains were perfectly spotlighted as we stepped out to the shore of Lake Louise. The lake (elevation 5200’) was frozen over and people were walking on it. There was also an area cleared off for ice skiing and a track groomed on the lake for cross country skiing. There is also a fun ice castle in front of the stunning Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise which dominates the landscape. We walked one mile to the lakeshore trail to the far end of the lake to see the ice falls. There were several people ice climbing on it which was incredible. We were there early enough that we enjoyed solitude and seeing the sun rise in the sky. After our brisk walk (it was 15 degrees), we were happy to venture into the Fairmont which was absolutely beyond magnificent inside and felt very welcoming. We explored, got souvenirs and a coffee before heading back to the car and driving another 45 minutes east to Banff.Banff is a charming large village with a ton of restaurant options and shops of all kinds. It is ringed by spectacular mountain peaks on all sides. We had fun poking around and plotting our lunch options - we ended up having a delicious meal at Park Distillery in Banff which has incredible vintage decor and a stunning bar of house made liquors.
We went to see Bow Falls which can be seen flowing under in melted out pockets amidst the snow on top. The Fairmont Springs Banff hotel stands impressively on the hillside across the shore. We were planning to visit the Banff Upper Hot Springs, but it seemed a little crowded for our taste - having previously been spoiled at Lussier Hot Springs. We ventured over to the Fairmont - this one having a Scottish castle theme. It was pretty incredible, but felt a bit dark.
After that, it was time to head back to Golden.
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