An 8.45 Mile Hike (Round Trip) for Tea?

Steve and I had read about the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House and knew we had to hike there, as our "event" at Lake Louise!

I would like to preface this post with the acknowledgement that I am including a whole heck of a lot of photos in my blog. I previously thought of myself as a writer, but now, with the beauty before us, I am calling myself a pho·to·jour·nal·ist (defined: a journalist who communicates news by photographs). The good thing is, it is easy to scroll if it gets a bit too much.

"You have seen photos of the lake but they haven’t prepared you for how it feels to experience it yourself. Rounding the corner, the sight of the emerald green water and rugged peaks and glaciers hits you viscerally. You’ve never seen anything so dramatically beautiful."

On this trail, we were actually walking towards glaciers! We even saw one calve. It really was extraordinary.

The ice path Steve is standing on was precarious and a tad bit frightening. It was not an easy hike to the tea house. We walked over 4 miles, uphill for an elevation gain of 1,215 ft. We realized on the way down, that the sign telling us to turn right was knocked over, so we went frustratingly farther than was necessary.

But oh my gosh, when we finally got to sit down, it was heavenly. The Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1924 and it boggles our minds that people back then would make this journey.

With great service, an excellent view and food worth hiking for, the arduous journey (my words, not Steve's) was well worth it.

And they had the most picturesque outhouses... ever!

I have only read of places like Lake Louise. It is surreal that I'm finally here. Our journey continues to surprise and delight! I look forward to what lies ahead...