Lake Louise, Alberta

My love affair with the Rocky Mountains continues. We rented a house in Canmore, Alberta and enjoyed three days of skiing in Lake Louise. It was a marvel to be at the top of a mountain, with peaks as far as the eye could see, then skiing down, sometimes without my toque, sometimes with my jacket open. Warm, sunny, clear skies, good snow, no wind, and no (serious) mishaps. What a great way to spend a spring break.

Canmore is a pretty nice and new looking place with condos everywhere, including the Safeway parking lot. But they do have a nice view of the mountains. Our large log house was on the west side of the town and we found it difficult to tear ourselves away from the view some mornings.

The hot tub in the back yard made it easy to come home to in the evenings. Some nights the moon was so bright it would keep us awake. Every morning I sat on the deck and waited for the sun to touch the peaks on the west side of Canmore.

Skiing at Lake Louise is kind of expensive (when you're used to Manitoba hills) but kind of exhilarating (especially when you're used to Manitoba hills). From the summit, it can take up to twenty minutes to ski down to the lodge, much longer if you pause to enjoy the view.

 The gondola and chair lifts are comfortable, quick, and rarely had lineups more than a dozen people long (and when the chair lift seats six, that's not a long wait).

The view from the lifts is nearly as remarkable as from the top of the hill.

I'll probably have more to say about this in the future, but if you're ever on the fence about Lake Louise, leap off with both feet and get up there.