Little Beehive

Fantastic tour! Lake Louise is very busy, but the higher you go, the better it gets. The lake has an incredible color. The two other lakes on this tour (Lake Agnes and Mirror Lake) are also worth a visit. At the end, you'll be rewarded with another magnificent view!

I actually wanted to climb The Big Beehive (2270 m), but there was still too much snow there. My feet kept sinking 1 m into the snow, the trail was unclear, and there are avalanche warning signs everywhere. On The Little Beehive and along the trail there are many lookout points with fantastic views of Lake Louise. I was at Lake Louise at the same time in May 2003. Back then, it was summer temperatures and the snow was completely gone. This time, there was still a lot of snow, and the lake was frozen over. That's just a matter of luck in the mountains.

Lake Louise, Mirror Lake and Lake Agnes together form an impressive lake landscape in the Canadian Rockies known as the "Lakes in the Clouds". Lake Louise is world famous for its turquoise waters, which get their unique colour from glacial sediments. The Victoria Glacier feeds the lake and creates a stunning backdrop. Mirror Lake is on the hiking trail between Lake Louise and Lake Agnes. It is known for its mirror-smooth surface, in which the Big Beehive rock is impressively reflected. Lake Agnes is located in a hanging valley at an altitude of 2,135 m. The historic Lake Agnes Tea House has stood here since 1905, offering hikers a break. The three lakes are connected by scenic hiking trails. The climb from Lake Louise via Mirror Lake to Lake Agnes is a popular hiking route with magnificent views. The combination of crystal-clear mountain lakes, majestic peaks and historical elements makes this lake landscape a unique natural experience in the Canadian Rockies.

This hike is highly popular, so it is advisable either to get up early in order to be able to park in the Lake Louise parking lot, or to book (long in advance) the shuttle that connects the village to the lake. Lake Louise (named Ho-run-num-nay (Lake of the Little Fishes) by the Stoney Nakota First Nations) is a glacial lake located in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Located 11 km (6.8 mi) east of the border with British Columbia, Lake Louise is located 5 km (3.1 mi) west of the Hamlet of Lake Louise and the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). Lake Louise is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848-1939), Queen Victoria's fourth daughter and wife of the Marquess of Lorne, who served as Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. The turquoise color of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by meltwater from the glaciers that overlook the lake. The lake has a surface area of 0.8 km 2 (0.31 sq mi) and is drained by the 3 km long Louise Creek into the Bow River. The Fairmont's Chateau Lake Louise, one of Canada's grand railway hotels, is located on the eastern shore of Lake Louise. It is a luxury resort hotel built in the early 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Lake Miror and Lake Agnès are also accessible from Lake Louise. A path runs along the Fairmont castle and rises briskly on a drop of almost 400 m towards the two lakes. Mirror Lake is a very small lake located near the Dudswell and Bishopton area. Lake Agnes has an area of 0.52 km2 and is located approximately 3.5 km from Lake Louise. A teahouse is on the eastern shore at an altitude of 2,134 m. A hiking trail continues down the north rim, turning 180° before beginning the ascent of the Big Beehive.

Starting at the quite spectacular main spot in Banff National Park, Lake Louise, we climbed a fairly steep and trail-heavy path up to Lake Mirror, and from there, we continued to Lake Agnes at an elevation of 2125m. A truly magnificent tour... Better and more than we expected, with consistently spectacular views of and within the Rocky Mountains.