Lake Louise

The first outing with the Randy's group. 

At the base of Hotel, this is a huge tourist destination. Parking lot full of tour busses. But once past all of the photo takers the number of people thin out and it becomes more day billers,  and people with kids. 

A staircase goes up to the  for a 3 mile hike,  with altitude. The maright n trail continues flat around the lake. This trail is wheelchair accessible quite away, then there are two small creeks that have to be stepped over. These could be handled with an assistant  if you have a few steps available.  After  that tree test of the trail is flat and smooth to the top of the lake.

At the top of the lake, where the stream flows in, the trail gets steep and rocky. I went a small way past that point around the curve to look up the stream. 

I really enjoyed this small walk. Once past the maddening hordes, I met some vertu nice people,  from all over the world. Two notable encounters.  

The first was the guy talking on his cell phone while bookings full speed.  That was annoying and tacky.  But then I realized that he was a telemarketer. I had a good laugh.  Gotta  give him credit for chutzpah. 

The other was far more endearing. A girl, about 7 and her younger brother ran past me speaking a language I could not identify.  People behind me were yelling,  and I finally understood, no grown ups. I sent the yell ahead,  and some people caught the kids.  Just as the father,  in a torso panic, came running up.  The took the boy in a firm grasp,  and tussle is all profusely. 

He was out of breath,  and more than a little frazzled,  so I talked with him for a few moments.  Told the boy to hold his daddy's hand.  And the girl peaked out from behind  her Baba (daddy.) They are from Egypt,  working in Toronto. And then the mama walked up.  They headed back,  and I continued on.

I got to the end of where I wanted to walk to,  and was sitting on a rock, soaking in the view, and who came astound the corner but the family from Egypt, the boy in a firm grasp. I told the kid he was doing a good job holding on to his Baba. We chatted a bit,  dad translating for the mom,  the kids having fun using what English they had learned.  I found a couple of small rocks and told them the story in the rocks,  the geology in them. As I was saying good bye to the dad,  the girl was looking around and found what she was looking for,  and sweetly handed me a rock for me.