Day 24: To Lake Louise

July 23, 2007

Today I saw 10 touring cyclists, beating yesterday's 8. I also saw Backroads Bicycle Touring vans and their unloaded cyclists. I got up at 7:30, started a fire in the sauna, then made breakfast. I had a nice solitary sweat in the sauna afterwards. There was drizzle off and on. I got on the road at 9:45 and the rain stopped for several hours. It didn't take long to pedal to Saskatchewan Crossing. I ate an early lunch at the resort's breakfast buffet. It was early for lunch but it's the only restaurant I passed all day. Today is warmer than yesterday, but still overcast.

Snow Coach on display at Saskatchewan Crossing resort.

Cyclists and the North Saskatchewan river.

The Saskatchewan river flows to the Atlantic Ocean (Hudson Bay, actually).

After crossing the North Saskatchewan river I continued south, now going up the Mistaya river. The first stop was the Mistaya Canyon trailhead. I walked the trail 1 km to the "potholes" area. It was very scenic and somewhat crowded. The sun came out for a few minutes and it felt great, maybe 24C (75F). More sun please! I spent a long time hanging out and exploring the potholes area.

Back on the bike it was a long gradual climb along the Mistaya river.

This unicyclist appeared to be out for a long ride.

Waterfowl lake is right next to the highway with good views of the mountains behind the lake.

Waterfowl lake, Banff National Park.I'm not sure how the photographer managed to make it so blurry.

Eventually the road climbs in earnest towards Bow Summit, elevation 2069m (6788ft). It started raining lightly as I climbed.

At the summit I took the 2km spur road that climbs a bit higher to the Peyto Lake overlook. Fortunately the rain stopped for a few minutes for me to get some decent pictures of Peyto lake. It looks great even under overcast skies. No other lake was this color.

Peyto Lake. This overlook is the highest elevation of the trip at 2135m (7000ft)

Then back to the Icefields Parkway for the descent past Bow lake and along the Bow River with light rain.

I would have stayed at the Mosquito Creek hostel but it was closed. So I pressed on the the Lake Louise townsite. The riding was easy, downstream along the Bow river, and it quit raining before I got to the Trans Canada highway. Traffic increased dramatically when I merged with the Trans Canada highway. First time I've seen trucks in several days, but only for 3km to the Lake Louise exit. I pedaled into the Lake Louise townsite. First I stopped at the big hostel to ask if bunks were available. It looks like a luxury hotel and they were fully booked (probably a year in advance). I tried to find the national park campground and somehow missed the left turn in the townsite. So I continued straight, climbing steeply for 5 km to Lake Louise. It was getting very late but I decided to walk around for a few minutes as long as I was there.

Lake Louise, the most photographed place in Canada.

Chateau Lake Louise. If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it.

I left there and went back into town and found the campground, arriving at 10PM. It was nearly dark, raining heavily, and the campground was full. But the park wardens were quite helpful and they led me to a campsite and asked the occupants if I could share it. So I shared a campsite with two backpackers. It worked out pretty well since we split the $25 camping fee. I stayed two nights there. I had a shower, a very late dinner, and went to bed at 12:25, after midnight. A long day! Lesson learned: NEVER show up at Lake Louise late in the day without a reservation.

My cyclocomputer quit working in the rain, so I don't have average and maximum speeds. But I can still measure climbing when the speed sensor quits working.

Distance: 105 km / 65.6 mi

Climbing: 1231 m / 4062 ft

Today's ride: 105 km (65 miles)
Total: 1,974 km (1,226 miles)

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