Plain of Six Glaciers Wildflowers

Yesterday I blogged about the lower half of my Plain of Six Glaciers hike in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. It is amazing the variety of wildflowers that grow at such high elevations. Today I post photographs that I took of that vegetation.

Plain of Six Glaciers

My goal for the summer was to hike up to the Plain of Six Glaciers tea house in Lake Louise, Alberta. You gain 400 m in elevation as you hike up to the tea house but it was fairly easy. The tea house itself has no power so everything is made using propane stoves. Supplies are helicoptered in at the beginning of the tourist season and throughout the season a chain of horses are used to replenish supplies. From the tea house you can climb even further to the Abbot Pass Viewpoint which is spectacular. It rained for the most of this hike and there was a definite temperature change as I progressed upward but it was worth every step.

Chateau Lake Louise at the trail head

Lake Louise

Silt deposits just prior to the climb

View about half-way to the tea house

Horses to supply the tea house

Horses to supply the tea house

Moose Loop Trail

Moose Loop, part of the trail system of Wesr Bragg Creek is a great hike with great views. Passing through meadows and densely forested regions makes this trail feel like you are traveling a different trail every few kilometers. The loop itself is only about 6 km but add another 4 km at least to access it. I completed it in about 4 hours. The trail is easier to do counterclockwise. Note that someone has tampered with the signage near the end of the loop near the Tom Snow Trail. I travel about .5 km, taking my shoes off several times to cross creeks, before convincing myself that I was off the trail.