加拿大洛基山脉9日游图记5-露易丝湖 第五日 露易丝湖 昨天赶了一天的路，大家都有些累，晚餐很想腐败一番。无奈露易丝湖地狭人稀，根本称不上是一个城镇，巴掌大块儿地方除了旅馆就是旅馆，连一条像样的街道都没有。所有的商业店铺都集中在一个小小的plaza里，计有餐馆2～3家，礼品店2～3家，另有不知名堂店铺若干。与饮食相关的餐馆，基本上就是三明治店和pizza店，后者因为时间太晚只能分片出售，一片3.75元。好在有一个小小的超市，里面售卖一些三明治以及面包水果泡面等等，三明治的价格是5～7元，于是各家分头购物各自消费不提。 清晨起床，犹豫再三，没有去惊动团友一同晨运，独自驾车奔了露易丝湖。昨天旁晚，湖畔匆匆一游，感觉非常失望，鼎鼎大名的露易丝湖居然景色一般般，而且游客众多，喧闹不堪。 心有不甘，特意起个大早，希望早上的晨光，能够展现露易丝湖的特有风采。 下图： 色彩马马虎虎，但是湖深处的雪山却曝光过度。这一刻，俺涌起了扔掉傻瓜升级单反的强烈冲动：） 
下图： 对于俺这样的懒人，大概再武装一个滤光镜什么的，会有助于拍摄这样的景致。
露易丝湖的周边有很多著名的步道，对于菜鸟而言，可以选择的有Lakeshore和Lake Agnes，前者沿着湖畔，直抵山脚下的冰川，全长7公里；后者折转上山，经过Tea House，抵达Little Beehive，全长4公里。俺犹豫了一下，选择了上山的路径。因为此前团友曾经计划在露易丝湖搞一个健行，俺想当然以为是沿湖的步道，因为平坦易行，适宜层次不同的团友共行。结果，俺犯了主观主义的错误，此是后话。
下图： 一路慢跑上山，半小时后抵达Mirror Lake--一根立柱般的石峰下面，一个圆圆的小湖。 
下图： 10分钟后，登临Lake Agnes。湖畔的出水口的旁边，一幢原木茶屋邻崖而立。据说这就是世界上海拔最高的茶屋，高程是2100米！
下图： 镜子般平静的Lake Agnes。
下图： 这条笔直的竖线，把山体切割成为两半。俺猜想，这一定是近期的地质活动造成的，因为山脚下分界线右侧的林木，尚未长齐。
下图： 告别Teahosue，继续上山。走出林带，眼前一亮，路易丝湖的美景，猛地震了俺一下。
下图： 远山近岭，俱有故事。远处的雪山，依次为Mt Aberdeen和Mt Lefroy，此处孕育着好几条大冰川；近处是Big Beehive，如果您好事，可以右击本图，view原图，放大之后，山顶上面居然修筑了一个观景亭！
下图： 路易丝湖及其邻近的谷地。湖口的建筑，是为The Fairmont Chateau酒店。这座商业建筑，是当年加拿大政府为振兴经济所为，是否对于环境造成了负面影响，一直争议不休。
下图： 经过一小时的攀爬，终于抵达2225米高的Little Beehive。路易丝湖谷地的美景，静悄悄地展现在面前，令人窒息。这张图是此次旅行中拍到的最满意的几张之一，俺只把上面天空部分裁掉了一部分，并未做任何其它的PS处理甚至没有压缩尺寸。因此，这应该就是洛矶山脉的原始之美。
在山顶盘桓片刻，飞步下山。奔跑在山野密林之间，美则美矣，就是有些瘆人，因为有关洛矶山脉野熊出没的传说听的实在有些多，生怕突然撞上一只：）
怕啥来啥，前方几十米远的步道上一个黑影一闪，黑熊！赶紧用相机的长焦一看，黑色不明动物，移动很慢，不是黑熊！移步向前，那黑物还是在路上磨磨蹭蹭，不肯离开小路，到底是个啥东西？ 下图： 一直逼近不到10米的距离，方才大致看清，是一个刺猬模样的圆滚滚的家伙！呵呵，冲上前去，给丫的拍了一张！ 
回到旅馆，因为俺独自脱队的行径，惨遭团友鄙视不提。早餐后，集体整队前往Moraine Lake。一路之上，前往该湖的车辆排成一串，赶集般地热闹。10点不到，湖畔的停车场几乎塞满。
下车一瞧，卖糕的，Moraine Lake实在太美了！湖水湛蓝，山峰壁立，郁郁葱葱的冷杉，星星点点的游艇，最绝的是，这些要素还有机地组合在一个不大的天地之间，随便拿一个什么相机上去拍上一张，都是一幅绝美的画卷。真是搞不懂为啥路易丝湖的名气反而是如此之大？！ 下图： Moraine Lake湖口。 
下图： 湖口的旁边是一座小山，俺们刚刚爬上去，就远远地望见停车场的游客纷纷往旁边的山坡上拥了过去，掏出望远镜一瞧，棕熊！一家4口，一妈三仔，悠哉游哉地在距离停车场不到50米的山坡上吃果子！ 
下图： 拍照的母女俩。 
下图： 湛蓝湛蓝的Moraine Lake湖水。多么蓝的湖啊，跳进去，就会融化在湖水里。。。
团友分成三组，有人划船，有人健行，有人打牌。打牌的是一伙儿男孩子，他们坐在湖畔小山的顶上，忍受着蚊虫的叮咬，围成一圈玩优优卡，完全漠视周遭的美丽景色，不是一般的淡定。
下图： 湖上泛舟的一家三口。 
下图： 金字塔形状的冰碛及其倒影，一叶小舟点缀其中。
下图： 宁静一刻的画面。
下图： 湖畔小憩的男女。
下图： 回到停车场，闻讯赶来的拯救老熊的组织正在这里做宣传。因为今早的棕熊现身，过于接近人类，为防止意外发生，他们驱车赶到此地，以防不测。这些制成标本的熊只，就是因为种种原因被这一组织击毙的。因此，为了防止熊类不至于过分接近人类以造成意外，首要的任务就是不要乱扔垃圾。
中午时分，队伍拉到了gondo缆车站。午餐就在这里解决。
下图：如果只是坐缆车，成人票价是26。75，如果加上自助午餐，票价是33.25。因此，当然是连吃带玩了。俺们又搞到了group票价，每人又便宜了好像是5块钱。 
下图：餐厅的就餐环境还是不错，饭菜的内容也能接受。大家伙甩开腮帮子抡开大槽牙，恨不能连晚餐也吃出来。这趟旅行，因为在吃的方面没有亏着，所以俺家那几位据说都增重了，只有俺减重2磅。命苦啊！ 
下图：这个就是gondola。有网友说，冬天的时候，这里是世界知名的高山滑雪场之一。 
下图：缆车站全部由原木搭建。 
下图：缆车上到半山腰，一大票人在观景台上瞧风景。感觉上老中和老韩要占到一半！ 
下图：隔着山谷，远眺对面的露易丝湖。 
下图：这伙人便是老韩。  下图：偷拍一个韩国美女。 
下图：半山的游览中心，一位文质彬彬的加拿大小伙儿给俺们做了20分钟的自然生态介绍。  下图：听完了讲座，又在外面的观景台上拍了几张雪山照。 
下图：还是雪山，不知道这些山峰是否有人爬上去过？。俺把相机放在栏杆上，用最大的放大倍数拍摄。 
下图：冰川的冰舌下面，已经出现了一个小湖。地球看来真的暖化了。 
下图：露易丝湖缆车站全貌。 
下山回到旅馆，有人提议去健行，路线偏偏就是今天早上俺去过的Teahouse！我靠，俺只好二进宫：（ 下图：半山步道上，俯瞰露易丝湖。 
下图：与今早相比，Lake Agnes的色彩明显黯淡。当时没敢和团友指出这一点，怕被人报复：） 
下图：茶屋的菜单。里面住着两男两女4个小年轻，一周一轮换。他们每次上下山，都要把食品背上来，垃圾背下去。蛮写意的生活调调。 
告别Teahouse，健行小组一分为二。女士们在一位男性团友的护送下，打道回府。俺们一行三人继续向Big Beehive挺进。呵呵，要是再爬上一次Little Beehive，俺就大概发疯的：） 下图：隔湖相望，茶屋犹如蓬莱仙境。 
下图：临近Big Beehive顶峰，对面的雪山似乎近到触手可及。 
路上为了打发时间，一位团友问了一个闲极无聊的问题：如何测量恒星到地球的距离？同样问题，丫的在爬惠特尼峰的时候问过俺一次，当时没答上来，现在再被问一遍，还是答不上来，答案早就忘记了：） 接着就是打赌，丫的坚决不信在Big Beehive上面修建了一个观景亭，因为一路之上，小路弯曲且险峻，很难想象建筑材料是如何运上去的。 最后是下山的路上，今早俺遭遇到的那个刺猬似的黑色动物，在同样地点再次出现！俺说是刺猬，丫的偏说是果子狸，还要再打一次赌！果子狸俺见过，几年前俺家后院的deck下面就住了一只，轰了很久才撵走。后来还是牌长一语中的：豪猪！ 下图：从山上下到湖畔，已经接近9点钟。暮色渐合，对面的游艇码头，也要打烊了。 
视频：露易丝湖畔遭遇豪猪及棕熊 团友longlyrunner的日记 8/1/2011
Today was our first "official" day for the Canadian Rocky Mountain trip.
Downtown Calgary was pretty cold in the early morning. Weird, even at the rush hour, I didn't see many people or any traffic there. Only later did we learn that today was a Canadian national holiday.
Even though we afforded one night at the grant Hyatt hotel in down town, the luxury breakfast there was way beyond us that we all decided to get a few bites at a downtown McDonalds'. It is always a hassle to collect a cohort of five families with so many kids but luckily, we were on Trans-Canada Highway-1 heading west in 1 hour after many stops, waits and endless coordination.
Weather couldn't be better, the sky was watery blue with a few big cotton like clouds hanging over. Both sides of the road were too scenic for our urbanized eyes. The land spread out up and down laden with ponds and small lakes, covered by grassland, with occasional small clusters of pine or aspen trees, leaves pitched gold by early morning sunshine. At least at one part, we saw this wide patch of bright yellow canola flowers stretching a mile long.
Still about 20km away, the blue-ish ridge of dagger like snow packed Rocky peaks were clearly visible. The shadow of clouds casted patches of lead colored darkness on them only making them more unreal.
Getting into Banff, we headed to the Banff Gondola first. The air on the top of the Sulphur Mountain was cold, crispy and clear, making the sunshine too bright to open the eyes. The freezing high wind however, was piercing like knife. I had to take out the thermal sheet from yesterday's SFM to help fence it off --- it proved to be quite helpful.
Nothing changed much at the site from our last visit 3 years ago. But I did have a new discovery this time. While it was a very spectacular panorama view from the top looking over Banff downtown, the remote Minnewanka Lake and all high risings around, the similarity of the colors --- the sky, mountain, forest, lake and even the Bow River flew below all are in some kinds of blue --- however made it less contrast to eyes and lens.
The Gondola trip itself was eventless. The only notable incident happened when we queued up for the ride downward. The Little Bear stumbled on uneven floor and had his full-size hot chocolate spilled. Pitying him the tears immediately pouring out and only the consoling from Kitten, with half of her cup calmed him down.
Down from the Gondola, we checked into the hotel with a nice pool and jacuzzi, a joyful surprise for the whole group.
Only evening saw us in some trouble when we mindlessly wander at Banff downtown, sAtangach growling, desperately looking for a restaurant that could accommodate such a big team with something decent for both kids and adults. We closely bet over another big group at Boston Pizza, but only after 30 minutes of fidgeting, saliva swallowing and curses did we see our delicious plates finally show up, at the size very much satisfied to our starvation at the time.
8/2/2011
6:00am, laying back in the arm chair next to the lobby window, I shuddered in the early morning cold waiting for Atang to run into Banff's early morning. But one book on the fireplace counter caught my eyes, "Roaring Thunder, a novel of the Jet Age". It was my favorite , and soon I couldn't take my eyes off the serendipity the last I would expect in this old hotel .
Atang and I sneaked into the at about 6:30am. Through quiet downtown, we crossed the bridge over Bow River and turned to left. Following a dirt trail, in a bout 4-5km, we ran into an intersection with an emerald pond to our left and mesh land at right stretched all the way to the side of the Bow River. Now the sky is getting brighter and the eastward tip of the nearby mountain peaks were in orange. Running back, we engaged a long ramp up over Bow Falls, a scenic site watching over the roaring water dashing through steep valley below. The grand Banff Hotel at mid of hill forest overlooked the foaming water. With 100 year history to its name, the hotel is one of the best known landmark in Banff.
Today the team visited Minnevanka Lake, the largest lake at Banff and the only one allow power boat in whole Banff National Park.
Day was sunny as yesterday but with lot less wind, a fine day for boating.
Our family was the first jumping into a motor boat. Seconds later, we scooted out on the big lake. Holding the control handle and watching the boat head slicing through the placid lake surface, I dreamingly saw all the reminisce of vivid memory of 3 years ago coming back in front my eyes. The only difference, there was a new girl C on our boat now, sitting side by side with T.
The center of the lake was windy and wavy, so I decided to drive alone the shore to the south side, under the shadow of high but barren uprisings in pottery brownness. Nothing much to be found there besides the pine forest at the shore and the high pile of boulders and gravels and huge crescent valley from massive glaciers. The view is quite conspicuous looking so close from below.
After many zigzag, fast and slow, and stop and go, we finally forced the boat to the furthest point the regulation permit before turning around. Soon I learned how challenge it was putting the boat back. The boat faced not only a strong head wind, but also rows after rows of strong waves. It was pushed up and down when cutting through white waves, splashing water everywhere. H and kids were all screaming and complaining.
At last, the odyssey was safely over, and the boat was perfectly docked in to the port under my experienced maneuver.
Lunch was resolved at Little Deli Store at side of the boat house over hotdog, burger and ice creams.
On our way to Two Jack Lake, we saw group of wild goats near the road. Even in mid summer, the water in the lake was icy cold, but it couldn't cool down the zest from B, Atang and I. We all jumped into the crystal blue and accomplished our feat of swimming in this wild beauty.
In evening, we pulled out to Silver Dragon at Banff downtown for dinner. Neither taste nor flavor was worth noting here.
In evening we were at Upper Hot Spring, one of the oldest and the most famous hot springs in Banff area. In a big pool , I've never expected to see so many people. To be honest, the hot spring itself was nothing spectacular, for both its view, service and experience.
8/3/2011 Wednesday Weather Varied
Plunging into the Emerald Lake, my whole body, from head to toe, was suddenly surrounded by this freezing coldness, so cold that my skin was in a pain of burning. My arms and legs stroke desperately in water, trying to dispel the phobia of being frozen alive.
It was strangely quiet in the water. I could only hear the bumping of my heart and ladies' talking from shore afar, fainted by clear, yet couldn't make a word. There was no water splashing, nor sounds from boat rowing nearby. My eyesight in the water was full of this bright opaque green, the same color one looking through a jade at the Sun. In the glimpse of changing breath, I stole peeks of this huge flat and placid surface of lake and a scintillate rainbow hanging over the heavy clouded sky.
The view was strange and totally different from what on land or even on boat. With my eyes lowed to the waterline I could feel the tranquility and wide open of this big greenness that I was part of now.
I knew the snow packed pyramid like mountain was there, with vernal forests extended all the way to its waist. But somehow my full consciousness was like a little guy hiding behind myself. It saw with my eyes but through a narrow tunnel . Nothing else but the water surface and the fainted rainbow in the sky was registered in my memory.
In a while, the burning pain turned into numbness, I stopped to check the direction, then continue for some distance before my leg gave up. Atong and B also got themselves into the water.
Today, we visited Emerald Lake, en route Natural Bridge and Spiral tunnel. We canoed and swam in the lake.
In the evening, we checked into Lake Louise Inn. Dinner was served at hotel restaurant but some of us sneaked out for something better with black beer. 8/4/2011 Thursday Clear
Looking down from top the rock hill, Atang and I knew something was wrong at the parking lot below.
Number of people were crowded at side of grassland next to the lot. Soon from the walkie talkie, we learned from the team member below that one mother grizzly led two cubs feeding at the grassland now. Through Atang's binocular, the brown faces and blacks noses were shining under the Sun. They didn't seem to be bothered by the big crowd nearby, still easily stepped around and happily enjoyed something tasty from the grass. But soon they were bored and retreated back into the dark forest.
10:00am, we were on the top of the small hill at end of Moraine lake. It is definitely one of the most impressive lake in the whole trip. Under the morning sun light, the lake was in such surreal blue so delicate and fragile. Number of noble peaks quietly sit at its back, with white snows and thick glaciers stretched on the back, which made the lake even more impressive.
While others still squeezed for photo spots on the till, Little Bear pulled us down to the lake and rent a canoe with Kitten and Claire.
Canoeing at different lakes the feeling was different. But what essentially the same was that the view was always better on the lake. It was more open and, with no trees or high risings close by, easier to find a good viewpoint.
Back from Moraine Lake, we went directly to Louise Gondola, which was known for its buffet and overview of Lake Louise and high risings around!
Nothing more needs noted there except tons of pictures were taken. And no bears were spotted at this "Easiest Place to Spot Bear in Whole Rocky" (as from commercial).
Getting back to Lake Louise, few of us (Atang, B, Q, Y, H and I) decided to take a hike to Agnes Teahouse up over the lake.
The trail wasn't hard but view was rewarding. Elevating for 400m in about 3.4km, we passed two beautiful lakes, a lower Mirror Lake is small, and a upper Agnes Lake is big. A meager string following steep fall links them together.
The teahouse was something "out of place" hiding between Agnes Lake and back forest. A log cabin built neatly, the teahouse got enough space for ~40 people inside and big open deck for tables and chairs outside. The store was closed when we were there, but through mesh window, we could see a few young women inside doing clean up.
Infested by ubiquitous mosquitoes, we only took a brief stop before move on. Q, Atang and I decided to continue for 1.6mk to the top of the Beehive, a huge protruding rock over looking Lake Louise. Others returned back home.
The last leg was actually the best part of the whole trip. When we hiked around the Agnes Lake, the Sun already set below the mountain back. But pink dusk still bright up the west side of the sky. The trail was pretty strenuous , with > 160m elevation in last 1km. But the view was worth all of it. And interestingly, at the top of the Beehive, in the middle of the scattered low pines and big boulders, there was an exquisite gazebo at the edge.
It was a square gazebo made of log a, with benches at each side and ground inside paved. This might be the most bizzard thing I 'd ever encounter in the wild. Another "out of place". I even lost $10 bet to Atang for it.
When getting down, the constellation of stars came up from the East and a corner of new moon showed up over the glacier. Under the mighty celestial light appeared upon purple sky, the topics accompanied us on the road were Light Year, Big Bang and Birth of the Universe.
（待续） | 
