Summit Sights & Sapphire Lakes: Banff to Lake Louise
Dawn, altitude and gondolas
The morning air smelled crisp, full of pine and promise. We dragged ourselves out of bed earlier than usual so we could catch the 8:40 am bus for the gondola. Breakfast was a blur of pastries, coffee and eggs, because in Banff every minute counts.
We waited on the bus for a few stragglers to get onto the bus then we were on the way. We had a ‘flight time’ of just after 9am so things were running tight.
We arrived at the Gondola after a brief ride in the bus. It was at this stage that both Ros and Carol were getting a bit worried, expectation large gondola reality, the gondola cabin was just for four, two facing up and two facing down, and the ride would lift us to about 2,281 metres above sea level at the Sulphur Mountain summit.
As we rose, Carol and Mick stared out the upward view. Ros and I looked down. The forest dropped away, peaks sharpened in the distance. We couldn’t always see everything through the windows, but Carol’s ooohs and ahhhs told us what was coming.
After eight minutes or so, we arrived at the top. Ros’s hands were clammy, Carol’s face drawn with both awe and relief. Mick and I were trying not to fumble the GoPros. Mick got one laughing warning from Carol for making the gondola bounce.
At the top: vistas, boards and breath
We had about an hour to wander. There was a boardwalk stretching from the summit terminal toward Sanson Peak. We debated climbing higher via steps, but decided we’d soak in the view close to the building instead, letting the wind and sound fill us.
The vistas were a feast of jagged mountain ridges, forests draped across valleys, and the Bow Valley spread wide like a green ribbon beneath. The air was thin, cold, mixed with sun and shadow. We breathed it all in.
Sulphur Mountain itself takes its name from the hot springs found on its lower slopes. These springs, long used by Indigenous peoples, became the birthplace of Canada’s national park system when they were protected in the 1880s. The summit later became home to a cosmic ray station, operated from the 1950s to 1978, which studied radiation from outer space. Today, it’s the gondola and boardwalk views that make it unforgettable.
Going down, we switched seats so Ros and I could look up the mountain slope again. Carol and Mick got our former downward view. The descent felt easier somehow, gravity helping us back to base.
Waiting for the rest of the tour group at the bottom, our bus driver told us about hurtling down skeleton tracks in Whistler at 122 km/h. My face said yes, my stomach said thanks but no thanks. He also showed us a picture of him and Eddie the Eagle at the 1988 Olympics near Calgary. In addition he described meeting the Jamaican bobsled team and how the movie Cool Runnings was accurate. When they filmed the movie he also had the opportunity to meet John Candy and the rest of the crew. What an amazing experience that would have been.
Bow River Falls, Mountie tales and Moraine Lake blues
Back at the hotel, discharged of rooms and other people dragging suitcases to be put on the bus, we went into the theatre to meet a retired Mountie. There was time for photos and for him to share stories about his service and the history of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Just before going in, I had managed to butt dial Ros’s dad without realising, waking him up at 3 am Melbourne time. When he rang back, I assumed he was calling me for something until Ros worked it out. Lesson learned.
Our next stop was Bow River Falls. Just down the road, a short photo session, white water rushing, spray in the grey stone canyons, echoes in the air.
Lunch was casual. Subway in town. Simple, fresh, satisfying. We wandered the streets, then hit the road for Moraine Lake.
The drive was cinematic, with rivers to one side, trees turning gold and crimson, and mountain tops dusted white from last winter’s snows.
At Moraine Lake, I took the Rockpile Trail. It’s short, about 0.8 km return, maybe 24 to 30 metres of gentle climb, with stairs built into the rocks behind the lake. From the summit of those rock piles, the turquoise lake and the towering Ten Peaks stretched out in front of me. It’s one of those views where pictures don’t quite do it justice. Meanwhile, Ros, Carol and Mick wandered along the lakeshore instead, enjoying the stillness of the water up close. We had fun with a stuffed bear – poking the bear haha.
Dinner at Walliser Stube and thoughts before the road
We arrived at Lake Louise in daylight. Dinner was at Walliser Stube. We all chose the experience menu. Fondue to start, with bread, potato, radishes, cauliflower, broccoli and more. Then mains. I had the filet mignon, Ros the trout, and Carol and Mick each ordered the crumbed pork tomahawk. Massive meals. Dessert was overkill in the best possible way. Warm peach strudel for me, triple chocolate mousse for Ros, crème brûlée for Carol, and three different sorbets for Mick. Even thinking about it now, I’m still full.
Evening, reflections and what’s ahead
I bought a book from a bookstore in the hotel to read. I had bought a new (to me) John Grisham book that was published in 2023 (I had other things going on). I got about 50 pages in before I gave up on it (for now). The part I was reading was one of the main characters got cancer. “The bad one”. Pancreatic cancer. Think I’ll tackle that book after the trip lol
With bags packed and the bus scheduled for a 6:30 am departure, we forced ourselves into an early-ish night.
This day reminded me why travel is everything. The altitude, the food, the colours, the people, each moment felt better than the last. Lake Louise tomorrow promises glacier hikes and lakeshores.
