Canmore - Chairlifts, Bears, Lakes, and Lattes!

Canmore - Chairlifts, Bears, Lakes, and Lattes!

September 12th, 2019

The '3 Sisters' in the morning sunshine

There's a saying that is common in so many different places: 'If you don't like the weather, wait for five minutes'. This is certainly true of the Rocky Mountains, where the weather is unpredictable and you have to be prepared for all eventualities. (There can often be snowfalls in the summer months - even in the lower-lying cities such as Calgary). 

We had chosen Canmore as a base for exploring the southern area of the Canadian Rockies, given its proximity to various places we had visited previously, and wanted to explore in more depth. 

Leaving a beautiful sunny morning, with the clearest blue skies we had seen for a while, we set off for our first venue - Lake Louise, a huge tourist attraction during the summer months. Just 55 minutes from the condo where we are staying, the weather forecast showed that today was going to be the best day of the next four. 

Our aim was to take a chairlift at the Ski Resort, walk the short hike to the Whitehorn Bistro for a latte at the top, then double back to the actual Lake and hike to one of the tea houses (something we have been promising to do for several years, but had not yet done so. Lake Louise is often a place we pass through, rather than stay). A brief trip to Moraine Lake was also on our day's itinerary. 

As we neared the Alberta border, we noticed that it was getting more and more cloudy, so we decided to get our rain jackets out ready for our trip up the mountain.

We are always appreciative of the tranquility we feel when riding on a chairlift. The slow, silent gliding over the forests and mountainsides are a tonic to the soul, and afford amazing panoramas of the surrounding peaks, ridges, and valleys. 

Onward and upward

Getting ready to alight the chairlift

We have done this ride twice before and, on both occasions, have seen a grizzly bear on the openings below us. This time, armed with our new telephoto lens camera, we were prepared; but the bears weren't having any of it! We found out that grizzly bears had not been seen for the last week or so, and that black bears had taken over. The black bears were also not having any of it, as they also failed to put in an appearance! 

Nevertheless, we enjoyed nice warm latte at the Whitehorn Bistro, while overlooking the splendour of the valley below. 

Mark on the trail to the Whitehorn Bistro

A welcome, and warming, latte

Although they were not serving to the outdoor patio, it was open for us to go out and take a few pics. 

A panoramic video of the view of the valley, including Lake Louise Village and Lake

On the way down, Mark was able to get some close-ups of Lake Louise. 

The Ski Lodge, at the base of the gondola, was closed for renovations

Next stop was to have been Lake Louise, itself. However, to our sheer astonishment, there were signs all around announcing that the all parking lots were full and there was no access except by a shuttle!  Never, in all our summer trips, have we ever seen this. We were gobsmacked that, in this second week in September, tourists were still thronging around! We also tried to get to Moraine Lake, but it was the same story. 

Not to be daunted, we decided to take the advice of the waitress at the Whitehorn Bistro, who had reminded us about the Grizzly Bear Refuge at the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in B.C., just across the border. It was only an hour and 15 minutes away, and is was accessed via one of our favourite road routes in Canada. 

Just outside the town of Golden, the Grizzly Bear Refuge lies at the top of a chairlift ride up the Kicking Horse mountainside. 

The Refuge was built specifically for two cubs, Cari and Boo (named after the Cariboo Mountains, where they were born). They were both born in the wild but, tragically, their mother was shot and killed by a poacher, in 2002. The cubs were orphaned and defenseless at just five months of age. They may have been euthanized but, instead, were given a second lease on life at the Refuge. Sadly, Cari died during his first hibernation, apparently from a spontaneous twist in his intestines. 

We joined a free tour, where the guide gave a non-stop commentary on the life, history, behaviour, and personality of Boo, the surviving bear. Not being that fond of wild animals being kept in captivity, we were pleased, however, to note that he had over 20 acres within his enclosure, and was able to be well-hidden from human eye at any time. While we were there, he roamed around the inner fence and often seemed to pose for us!  

Boo enjoys a good scratch

Just look at the sheer size of those claws!

We were also thrilled to get a close up of a Stellar Jay, the provincial bird of British Columbia. When in flight, the wings were also a brilliant blue. 

Mark can be a bit of a brat!  He was able to get some shots of Boo without the fence, and so he posted them on social media, deliberately withholding the fact that Boo was behind a fence! In his defense, he did refer people to this blog where all would be revealed, but he achieved his objective - the gasps and fears of some of our friends! 

Before crossing the border back into Alberta, we took a short detour to what has become one of our very favourite lakes in Canada - Emerald Lake. On the way is the phenomenal Natural Bridge, which is so picturesque as to warrant many photos - and we weren't the only ones who thought so, as it was also surprisingly busy for the time of year.

The river flows into the falls...

The water gushes out into a basin at the bottom

Emerald Lake certainly lives up to its name. We have often said that it is just as pretty as Lake Louise, without the commercialism. The last time we were here, we did the 5 km walk around the lake, but time would not allow us the privilege on this visit. 

Notice how Mark's shirt matches the colour of the water!  (Sheer coincidence!)

The Cilantro Cafe, at Emerald Lake

Leaving the area, we drove back towards Lake Louise, stopping at a beautiful place called, Field, where we noticed that the bright yellow of the autumn colours were reflected in a small pond, just by the roadside. 

While I was taking pics, this bird decided to visit the picnic table, right next to me - and it didn't seem in any hurry to leave. 

Lastly, we drove along another route which we had discovered, back in 2014. The Bow Lake Parkway provides an excellent alternative to the highway. It's lower speed limit and promise of wildlife is alluring to those who like to take the slower lane. 

The last time we were here, we saw a large grey wolf at the side of the road, on a bank. This time, however, we were not so lucky, but the scenery was well worth the detour. 

Castle Mountain - it looks like a fortress

Back on the highway, we still had so many breathtaking sights. 

One of the many bridges built for wild animals to cross safely - also providing more safety for vehicles

Amazing cut in the rocks

As we drew closer to Canmore, the skies lit up once more and we were treated to a nice entrance in the gloaming. 

All in all, it was an excellent day, even with the absence of wildlife - and... there's always tomorrow...!!