Plain of the Six Glaciers (07/26)

What a glorious day, the sun is shinning and it is not to cold.  It will be a good day for hiking the Plain of the Six Glaciers trail at Lake Louise.  It is a long drive to Lake Louise but we are both excited to do this hike, it doesn't take us long to hit the trail.

Can you see the difference between
 today and yesterday?

As you can see I am not as bundled today as I was yesterday, neither is Joe.

The trail is pretty level around the lake then you start to climb a bit, but wait it gets steeper.  I am really breathing hard by the time we reach the Tea House at the Plain of the Six Glaciers.  Yes you hike to a real tea house.  They of course serve tea of many varieties, hot chocolate, sandwiches, soup and salads and desert. Joe had a cup of hot chocolate and I a cup of Earl Gray. It was a little cool here so the hot drinks were good and actually revitalizing.  Joe hiked the last mile out to the glaciers.  I stayed back and relaxed and really enjoyed the scenery.  Just before he got back I heard this really loud noise like a jet coming over very low.  It was a small avalanche. I couldn't believe how loud it was. In the middle picture right above the tree is where it happened.  This was taken before the avalanche.  On the way to Mirror Lake we heard another avalanche and another one on our way back to Lake Louise.  I am still in awe of how loud they are.

On our way again, we decide to make a loop out of the hike and took the trail to Lake Agnes, which also has a tea house.  You are way above the trail you hiked in on.

Lake Louise looks like milk from up here, it has something to do with the melted glacier.
Half way to Lake Agnes Joe took the longer steeper route up to the bee hive and down to Lake Agnes.  I took the less steep route to Mirror Lake then up to Lake Agnes.  Still a little bit of a climb.  I had to wait 15 or 20 minutes for Joe to get there.  I met a very nice Lady, Sharon, and we talked the whole time.  She had started on a bike tour with an adventure group, but the route they picked was horrible.  No one had done it before and they didn't realize how steep the passes were.  She said they were riding over 60 miles a day, from 8 am to 8 pm.  She decided this is no fun so left the group and is finishing the tour on her own.  What a brave women.  She had 3 bear sightings, up close and personal, the first morning.  I hope she is still doing OK.
Joe finally joined us with stories of the very steep trail he took, made me glad I decided not to go that way.  Of course Joe had to get a boot shot. He told me not to ask what he had to do to get where he sat for this picture.  I no better to ask questions, just glad he is back in one piece.

 Sharon hiked the rest of the way out with us.  We really had a perfect day.  I ended up doing 8-9 miles and Joe about 13.
Tomorrow we are going to on a Glacier Adventure at the Columbia ice fields.