Alberta Rocky Mountain Tour – Emerald Lake

2020 AUGUST 26 —

We carried on to Emerald Lake, in Yoho National Park, near Field, BC. Emerald Lake is one of those mountain lakes trapped inside a moraine. Suspended limestone rock flour made by glaciers grinding up rocks gives the lake its brilliant jade color and hence the name Emerald Lake. The water is ice-cold and given that the suspended particles reduce sunlight penetration into the water, plant and fish life are minimal. Plants grow on the shallow edges. Some freshwater shrimp and small fish called sculpins survive off one-celled plants and animals. Their population is enough to feed some brook and lake trout and char. The balance of life establishes its own natural level. Fishing is allowed, but with strict regulations.

We had to park our car about a kilometer away then ring for a shuttle to pick us up to take us to the Lodge. Built in 1902 by the Canadian Pacific Railway of hand-hewn timber and featuring massive stone fireplaces, it screamed of old-world elegance. There are 85 units situated in 24 chalet-style cabins. The cabin we stayed in was near the end of the trail furthest from the main lodge and had 4 separate suites, two on the top floor and two on the bottom. Our cabin and on the top floor.

We opened the door of our room and were gobsmacked! There was a huge wood-burning fireplace in the corner with two comfy armchairs just calling out to be sat in. A small balcony overlooked the glass-green lake with the mountains reflecting off the water. The bathroom had a heated tile floor. I am never impressed by fancy and expensive accommodations, but this place could definitely change my mind!

We dropped out bags and headed out for a walk along the 5 km perimeter of the lake. Since our cabin was near the farthest point from the main Lodge we took the counter clockwise route. It was flat but we had to maneuver over lots of exposed tree roots and around huge muddy puddles.

The path was narrow, and although we met dozens of people, we felt like we were all alone in the forest. We could never manage to walk more than a few metres when the view of the mountains reflecting off the glassy water drew us to the water’s edge. Brightly colored canoes and kayaks drifted silently along in the distance. It was so very quiet, almost like any human noise would desecrate the sanctuary. The beauty and tranquility were breathtaking. I felt like the a-ha video of Take On Me, and I got sucked into, not a black and white comic book, but a technicolor picture postcard.

As we got to to the furthest point of the lake, there was a small bridge that crossed a glacial stream. We went down to the water and dipped a hand in to feel the icy coldness. Past the bridge the path widened and smoothed out so much that wheelchairs would have been able to access it.

Unlike the heavily forested path we just left, this side of the lake had hardly any trees and had more of a marshy topography. The reason is that this side of the lake experiences yearly avalanches. The heavy snow inhibits the growth of the trees. There were signs warning of avalanches, with detailed pictures of the avalanche path with an X marking “You are here”.

We came across a baby chipmunk. It was so cute… and dumb. It ran right up to us, without any fear at all.

As we got closer to the main Lodge the sun was beginning to set and people were paddling up to the dock to return their rented boats. The sun was shining on the Lodge and the surrounding spruce trees. A huge mountain loomed in the background. A red canoe skimmed along, in perfect contrast to the green water. It was so incredibly beautiful. Fittingly, there was a plaque mounted on a stone that read “They will never know the beauty of this place, see the seasons change, enjoy nature’s chorus. All we enjoy we owe to them, men and women who lie buried in the earth of foreign lands and in the seven seas. Dedicated to the memory of Canadians who died overseas in the service of their country and so preserved our heritage.”

We had dinner on the patio of the Lodge. We didn’t know we had to reserve a spot indoors weeks in advance. However, the weather was still fairly warm and we enjoyed it. After dinner, we went back to our cabin, where Ed built a nice fire and we simply relaxed.

In the middle of the night the smoke alarms went off. Not from our now dead fire, but from the suite below us. It went off and on several times is quick succession. We began to think we needed to grab our things and leave. Suddenly the alarm made a dying sound, like someone had removed the battery. Since we could not smell smoke, we went back to bed. The next morning, at check out, I did complain about it and got a 15% discount on the $450 room. Greatly appreciated! Thank you.

We ate breakfast in the dining hall, then caught a shuttle back to our car. We were headed to Moraine Lake, near Lake Louise. This is a short story. They were allowing only a limited number of cars onto the road leading up to the lake. Since the road going up to Lake Louise is a narrow two-lane, we would have had to drive all the way back down the mountain, turn around and go back up repeatedly; hoping that we would catch a spot when they were allowing more cars. No thanks. We carried on to Banff.