Lake Louise Experience

I had the great fortune of visiting Lake Louise, a part of the Banff National Park within the Canadian Rockies, not just once but twice. The first time was way back in June-July 1980eons before the advent of DSLR cameras and the second time more recently in May 2009. With its sparkling emerald-blue waters surrounded by lofty peaks capped in snow, Lake Louise and its surrounds perhaps symbolize the best in Canadian mountain scenery in general and of the Canadian Rockies in particular.

In summer, when the Lake has fully  thawed , canoeing, paddle-boating and similar activities are dominant; in winter though with the Lake fully frozen with deep hard ice, skiing takes over. In either season the scenery all around is simply spectacular. 

Most visitors to Lake Louise usually spend some hours of the day at the Lake Louise area before moving on elsewhere in the Rockies, as we ourselves did in 1980.  But I had promised myself, given favourable circumstances, an overnight at the magnificent  Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise -  a dream that came true in 2009. What a fabulous hotel the Chateau Lake Louise turned out to be and even after staying at several good hotels across the world and in India, the night at the Chateau Lake Louise remains till date my most memorable. At our request, we were assigned a lovely, lovely room overlooking the Lake and the Victoria Glacier beyond, and frankly, we hardly slept, spending the greater part of the night gazing mesmerized at the splendid sights that lay before us.

I post below some photos from my two trips –  nearly 30 years apart. Unfortunately, most of the prints from 1980 are far too faded to be of any good use; fortunately, I had a few slides, too, and I could salvage a couple and got them digitized. 

2009, of course, was a photographic bonanza!

Shall greatly appreciate critical feedback from friends.