Day 6 & 7 Incredible Lakes ~ Emerald, Moraine and Louise

Day #6 & 7 ~ Emerald Lake, Lake Moraine and Lake Louise

June 6, 2017

John at end of lake being blessed

Burgess Trail around Emerald Lake

We start early to hike the Burgess Trail around Emerald Lake. The lake mirrors the mountains, has glaciers and is beyond spectacular. Perhaps I am in heaven.  I take too many pictures trying to capture the beauty of the wild flowers just beginning to bloom, the glacier hitting the lake edge, deep moss and snow-capped mountains.

Here I learn about Burgess Shale and how in 1909 Charles Walcott found unusual fossils in the rock debris along this trail. He collected over 65,000 species of Cambrian-aged fossils dating back 20,000 years that are believed to be related to modern animals. I am struck by the mystery of rocks. If only the rocks could tell us their stories of how they were buried and then rose again to great beauty.

Again I am struck by the insignificance of my life. Nonetheless I am proud as I  get in 10,000 steps on my fit bit before 10 am!

After brunch we head for Moraine Lake that we are told still has melting ice on it. Arriving there we are struck by the majesty of these high mountains covered in glaciers. We are much closer to the mountains here than at Emerald Lake creating an intimate or dare I say ‘hooga’ feeling. 

Moraine Lake

Rock avalanche shaved off slops of Mt Babel -- Moraine Lake

Moraine Lodge

Moraine Cabins

We decide that when we return this will be the place we will stay. Next we drive to Chateau Lake Louise which a much much larger lake with a mega- chateau. We have soup and a cappacino on the chateau balcony overlooking the lake. 

Lake Louise

Somehow the size of this place plus the huge numbers of tourists leaves us feeling more removed from the environmental experience that we felt in the Emerald and Moraine Lakes. Bigger does not mean better.

We spend our evening in Field again eating at the only restaurant called Truffles and Pigs that exists in this 140 person village. John yearning for salmon gives in and orders farmed salmon which they call “sustainable” salmon.  I am not sure what this means except that it is another way to market or disguise what is actually farmed fish??  

John is surprised when he discovers this salmon it is not nearly as good as ocean or wild salmon from Chinook Restaurant in Seattle.  

Otherwise, the food display is artistic and my duck dish inspires me by looking like a mountain while the mushroom-truffles soup and the chocolate carmel desert are to die for.  

Afterwards we find an internet connection at a patio across the street at a small store which while closed gives John what he wants… an update on the Comey situation. John prepares me that he will come here at 8 am the next morning to follow Comey’s “must see” testimony before the State Intelligence committee. Okay so he is not weaned off his politics addiction! He argues this is an historic Watergate moment. Okay I think,”so he is in the moment but a different moment than I am in”.

The day is relaxing as John goes to Field to the internet café and listens to the Comey testimony while I take off hiking and monitoring my fit bit steps. I guess we are both in our different “moments”.

  

In the afternoon it rains and we have a ‘hooga’ moment with our burning fire, naps and books.  

Dinner that night at the lodge is delicious and afterwards John continues to read about Comey and the early British election results which seem to indicate that Theresa May does not have a majority.  I ponder the idea of moving to Canada. As we leave Emerald Lake we pass a moose who nods at us confirming my thoughts.