Rockies Trip - Day 10 - July 24th, 2014

Rockies Trip - Day 10 - July 24th, 2014

Jasper to Lake Louise 

Our first really rainy day, we headed south back towards Lake Louise, with the hopes that it would 'let up' a little for our visit to the newest attraction on the Icefields - The Glacier Skywalk, which opened in May of this year. This was of especial interest to us as a friend of ours on our team was one of the engineers involved in its construction over a period of two years. 

The glass floor is 3.81 cm thick and Jordan assured us that it would hold two, fully-loaded 747's. It's an amazing feat which allows amazing views of the rugged valley some 300 metres below, as well as an uninterrupted vista of the canyon in both directions. The glass floor was a little wet and, although you could see through it fairly clearly, it didn't come out in the pics we took. 

We were very impressed - not only with the incredible feat of engineering, but with the interpretive story told through personal, hand-held audio tour, which explains the formation of the surrounding area, as well as the wildlife which populates the region. It was very well done, and we would certainly recommend it to anyone who is traveling through the area. We were impressed that we were not hurried through the experience, being absolutely free to stay for as long as we wanted. 

For those who are a little concerned for personal safety, you'll be pleased to know that there was an emergency exit - though I did wonder exactly what would be behind that door! 

After reuniting with our British friends at the Icefields Centre, we set off southwards, weaving in and out of the showers which seemed to persist for the rest of the day. 

The conversation was rudely interrupted by a gleeful shout of, 'BEAR'...... and we saw our first real Grizzly Bear on the side of the mountain, just above the junction between it and the roadside. 

Before reaching Lake Louise, we stopped by at Num-ti-Jah Lodge on  Bow Lake. What a delightful spot, with charming buildings and a view to die for. A few years back, Kelly Commission, a friend of ours in Barrie, Ontario, worked here as a chef. 

Once again, Mark spotted one of his friends and would not let us out of the building until he had his picture taken!! 

We remarked upon the artistry of the chalk drawing of the resort on the menu board of the cafeteria, where we partook of a little snack.

Upon arrival at Lake Louise, we settled in to our hotel room and then finished the day with a light meal. Mark and I were in our room by 6:30 p.m. so that we could prepare for our weekly training call with our team. In spite of a weak Internet connection, the call went well and it was good to hear the familiar voices of our team members from different parts of the country. 

The weather doesn't look too promising tomorrow, but I inherited from Jess & Dave (my sister and brother-in-law) the notion that our enjoyment is not to be interrupted by the mere inconvenience of rainfall!!