Take a Gorgeous Alpine Hike at Lake Louise, Canada

While visiting the Canadian Rockies, my daughter and I booked a 10k Alpine Hike at Lake Louise with a guide. At first, I was nervous. Would I survive hiking with a millennial? Will I have a heart attack and die in paradise? Even though I go for long walks at home I was concerned. Hiking up a steep mountain is different than walking on the flats. 

Find a local guide near Banff, here.

Parking at Lake Louise is crazy

We were scheduled to meet our guide, Sam Campeau, with Canadian Rockies Alpine, at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise at 8 am.  The parking lot there fills up fast, so we decided to get up at the crack of dawn to secure a spot and then have breakfast at the Chateau.

Breakfast and a view

Most of the Chateau is cut off to tourists during the day because they don’t want the crowd to annoy the hotel guests. However, we arrived early and were able to eat in the main breakfast room and enjoy a phenomenal view of the lake.

Even more importantly, we were able to use their bathroom before our hike. The public washrooms outside the hotel are not nearly as nice. We split our breakfast because we didn’t want to overeat and because the Fairmont is on the pricey side.

If it is within your budget the Chateau is an amazing place to stay. My daughter and a friend booked a room there a couple of years later during the winter when the rates are cut in half. Even though it was cold. they had an outstanding time enjoying the scenery.

Why hiring a hiking guide when you are over 50 is a good idea

We met Sam, in the lobby of the Chateau. He’s a young French Canadian with a lovely attitude. I knew we’d be in good hands right away. We were the only two on the hike, which was fine with me because I was stressing that I’d hold everyone back.

Sam took us to the hiking trail and we started up the hill. After we walked about 30 feet I was already huffing and puffing and wasn’t sure I would make it. I’m sure it was the altitude, at least that was my excuse. I’m used to sea level in Los Angeles and Lake Louise is a little over 5,000 feet.

I was ready to turn around but Sam came to the rescue. He gave me a pair of Black Diamond trekking sticks and told me to take it slow and steady. If you walk and stop every 5 minutes you can burn out fast. Think about being “the turtle” and you’ll win the race.

My younger brother made fun of my sticks on Facebook calling them “just short of using a walker,” but serious hikers use them, and I can see why. They work your arms too, so you get an amazing workout.

Sam also carried a backpack with first aid and other supplies. If I passed out, he would have been able to deal with it, which was comforting.

In the end, after getting my bearings and using the sticks, I made it all the way (10.1 km – 6.2 miles) and lived to tell about it.

Mirror Lake and the Big Beehive

We passed by the Big Beehive, which is a huge mound of rock near Mirror Lake. Some hikers hike up to the top of it, but that was beyond my skill level.  Mirror Lake is a serene little pond that reflects the Big Beehive above it.

The Lake Agnes Tea House

We made a few stops for photo ops (and for me to catch my breath) and made it to the Lake Agnes Tea House. It’s been in operation since 1905 serving “fine loose-leaf teas” to brave hikers from all over the world. It was named after Lady Agnes MacDonald, the wife of Canada’s first Prime Minister. You have to climb up steep stairs to get up to it but then you can enjoy a steaming hot cup of tea overlooking the lake. 

Sam asked me if I wanted to climb down the rocks to sit next to the lake. I was hesitant because I didn’t want to fall and break my ankle or worse. He helped me down to a flat rock and gave me a foam pad to sit on. We drank some tea he had stashed in his backpack and it was wonderful to rest a bit.

The magnificence of Lake Louise from up above it

We could have gone back the same way we came but decided to hike a little farther to catch some amazing views of Lake Louise below. The view alone made the whole hike worth it and put me in a state of awe. We were lucky we didn’t have thunderstorms as we did at Emerald Lake. The weather that day was perfect.

Then, we headed down

I’m not sure what’s harder – hiking up or down. Down has its obstacles too and can be hard on your knees. That said I was even more grateful for my sticks. As we were descending, we saw a Chinese couple in their 80s climbing up the mountain using sticks. They weren’t huffing and puffing at all. I felt like a wimp.

Many thanks to Sam for his patience. He was a Rockstar. I highly recommend him. He also took great photos of my daughter along the way. In total, we clocked 24,256 steps that day.

Lunch and trains

By the time we returned to the Chateau, it was inundated with tourists and only accessible to guests. There was a deli that was open to grab a sandwich, but we decided to hit the road and look for another place to eat.

The traffic near the hotel was also crazy and neon orange-clad residents were directing it away from over-filled parking lots. Once we got through, we decided to check out the Lake Louise Train Station, which had been converted into a restaurant.

We were able to get right in and had a lovely and peaceful lunch. Every once in a while, a train would pass by the window adding to the ambiance. The station was celebrating 150 years in existence.

I had fish and chips and my daughter ordered a bison burger. They also have a nice bar area, but we had more driving to do so we quenched our thirst with iced tea. Did I mention that Canada has incredibly good-tasting water? I wish I could have bottled it and brought it home.

The day was absolutely glorious and I was proud of myself for making it all the way. It was so worth it.

Check out the top things to do near Banff here.

You may also enjoy my other posts about our visit to the Canadian Rockies:

• Yoho National Park
• Moraine Lake and Johnston Canyon
• Banff

What are your favorite destinations to hike? Please leave a comment below.