Emerald Lake

August 8, 2017

Today we packed up and left Mosquito Creek Campground and headed into Yoho National Park. To our amazement we saw the mama bear and her cub yet again along Highway 93. The third time! Greg got a good shot of the mom with his zoom lens:

Black bear

We had wanted to do the famous Iceline Trail today, but it was just too smoky. We didn’t want a repeat of yesterday, wasting effort to get up high with views that we couldn’t see. So we drove up Yoho Valley Road to check out Takakkaw Falls. I saw this waterfall 12 years ago with my sister, and goodness knows we have plenty of our own waterfalls back home, but this one still impresses.

Takakkaw Falls

Takakkaw Falls

Takakkaw Falls

From the base of the falls we could see Wapta Mountain:

Downstream of Takakkaw

We drove over to Emerald Lake and when we arrived at 11:20 the place was already a zoo. There were over 100 cars there and we had to park pretty far down the road. Our plan was to hike the perimeter of the lake, but first we had lunch at Cilantro on the Lake, a cafe at Emerald Lake Lodge:

Emerald Lake

Lunch at the lake

Then we headed off to do our circuit, passing the main lodge building where we would check in later for our room:

Emerald Lake Lodge

It’s too bad it was so smoky, because the views from the lakeside trail are great all the way around:

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake

At the far end of the lake a lovely stream comes from the mountains and flows into the lake (Wapta Mountain at center):

Emerald Lake inlet

Emerald Lake inlet

Mt. Field and Mt. Burgess:

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake

Back at the lodge we walked down the road to our car, moved it into hotel guest parking, then caught the shuttle to the lodge where we checked into our room. Nice to have a hot shower, especially since today was pretty muggy. Our room was nice (as it should be for these prices!):

Our cabin

Our room

Our room

We had a little deck looking in the direction of the lake, which we couldn’t see very well through the trees, but that’s okay. It was still pleasant to sit out there and read.

Our deck

Greg had called the lodge before our trip to see if they had laundry facilities, and they said yes, but they must have misunderstood his question because they don’t have any. So we washed our hiking clothes in the tub as best we could so we had some semi-clean things to wear to Lake O’Hara. Then we ate a very expensive but very delicious meal in the lounge of the lodge.

After dinner we partook of the outdoor hot tub at the lodge, which felt GREAT. We met a lady from Kansas City, Missouri who was with a Backroads tour group. Every day the van drops them at their trailhead and in the afternoon picks them up to take them to their hotel. Nice setup!

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