Difficulty: gruelling switchbacks for the last half km but not nearly as daunting as it looks from its base
Distance: 10 km round-trip, 700 m elevation gain
Lake Louise is probably the most stunning and recognizable landscape in Canada, but I’ve never seen it in all its glory. A few years ago, I spent a long weekend in Banff and Lake Louise but the wildfire smoke had obscured the lake. This time, I wanted to properly explore the lake and its surrounding areas. So in the last week of my summer holiday, my cousin flew out from Toronto to join me.
It had been another blazing hot summer. I spent some time in the interior in July and baked in the 40° heat. But by the end of August, it was beginning to look like the end of summer. We spent a good twelve hours trying to outdrive the rain, and made it as far as Golden before I had to pull over, completely spent. The next morning, we headed into the Rockies where we were greeted by sunshine and a dramatic drop in temperature.
The Big Beehive
The first 3.5 km will take you from the lakeshore up to Lake Agnes, nestled in the hills at an elevation of roughly 500 m above Lake Louise. The waters of Lake Agnes aren’t that same stunning glacier blue, but the mountainous backdrop behind it makes for some spectacular photo opportunities. Expect a few switchbacks and some moderate incline as you weave through the trees. You’ll pass Mirror Lake, a small reflection pond with the Beehive towering over it. This landmark is about 15-20 minutes from Lake Agnes.
At Lake Agnes, there’s a rustic cabin where you can queue for tea and scones. At the lake itself, the trail splits off in different directions to the Beehives and to the Plain of Six Glaciers, which offers stunning vistas from Victoria Glacier situated behind Lake Louise. We took the Big Beehive, which follows the lakeshore around the back of Lake Agnes before beginning to climb. As I’ve already mentioned, I’m not a fan of scrambling. There’s just something about scaling on your hands and knees over rock that can slip out from under your feet at any time that churns my stomach, so the Beehive was great because it’s a challenge with a clear reward at the top, but the trail is not so exposed.
Up top, you’ll probably want to spend at least half an hour finding a good lookout. Through the trees, you may not have an entirely unobstructed view of Lake Louise. But if you climb down a little you may get a clear view and let me tell you, the water is gorgeous from this elevation. So, is it safe to say this is the best view of Lake Louise? I think so.
