Bench of the Week (35) - Lake Agnes in Spring

This bench is at Lake Agnes (Banff National Park near Lake Louise) in early spring. An earlier post on this bench and others at Lake Agnes taken in summer can be found here.


RuneE of Visual Norway has an informal meme of Bench of the Week. Please visit his blog for other participants.

Photo Credit: karenwithak CC=nc-nd-flickr. Click to enlarge.

Hiking Trails - Lake Agnes

[1 - Lake Louise and Mount Victoria - click to enlarge]

The hike to Lake Agnes starts on the lakeshore trail of Lake Louise in front of the Chateau Lake Louise. This hike is considered moderate which starts out with an elevation of 1735m (5691 ft) with a gain of 400m (1312ft). The distance one-way from the Chateau Lake Louise is 3.6km (2.2 miles).

[2 - From lakeshore trail looking NW to the Beehive - click to enlarge]







[3- Lake Louise from trail]







[4- Lake Louise trail - click to enlarge]



After leaving the lakeshore trail the hike takes a steep switchback climb to Mirror Lake. When I did this particular journey to Lake Agnes I had the luxury of going on horseback, something I would do again to spare the knees.




[5- Lake Agnes trail, view west to Mount Victoria - click to enlarge]




Here the hiker makes their way through Englemann spruce and subalpine fir.




[6 - Looking down to Lake Louise and the Chateau from the trail - click to enlarge]






[7 - Lake Agnes trail looking SW to Mt Victoria and glaciers - click to enlarge]

[8- Western Anemone]

[9- Beehive and Mirror Lake - click to enlarge]












[10 - From the Lake Agnes Trail - Big Beehive - click to enlarge]

[11 - Here the outflow from Lake Agnes can be seen - click to enlarge]

[12 - Lake Agnes outflow - a closer look]

[13 - East view to the Bow River Valley from Lake Agnes outflow - click to enlarge]






[14 -Benches at Lake Agnes Tea House - click to enlarge]

The tea house was first built in 1901 and later replaced in 1981 with this replica.





[15 - west view of Lake Agnes Tea House]

Lake Agnes is located in a hanging valley.

The tea house serves sandwiches, soup, hot meals, fresh scones, cake and excellent varieties of tea throughout the summer.

[16 - Lake Agnes - click to enlarge]

The lake is named after Lady Susan Agnes Macdonald (wife of the former prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald) who made the climb to the lake in 1890.


From the teahouse is a trail along the north shore of the lake that will take the hiker to the top of the Big Beehive where there are fabulous views for 1km (0.6 mile) with an elevation gain of 120m from the teahouse – steep switchbacks up a north-facing ridge.





[17- Typical greedy chipmunk - click to enlarge]

[18 - Big Beehive Trail next to Lake Agnes]

[19 - Lake Agnes from the Big Beehive Trail]

At the crest the trail forks, to the right it descends to the Plain of Six Glaciers and to the left it continues 300m to a gazebo lookout. This is a place for a person who has no fear of heights.

[22- Beehive lookout toward the ski runs to the east of Lake Louise town - click to enlarge]

[23 - Map of Lake Agnes hike is line to the right, and to the left to the Plain of Six Glaciers]


Photo Credits: [1] Alex Art CC=flickr, [2]-brilang CC=nc-sa-flickr, [3]-totten photos / photos by mark CC=nc-nd-flickr, [5][6][10]-Inspiration Point Studio CC=nc-nd-flickr, [7][15][17][18][22]-Maggie T CC=nc-flickr, [8][9][11][12][16]-retropc CC=nc-sa-flickr, [13][23]-subindle CC=nc-nd-flickr, [14]-dangingnomad CC=nd-flickr, [19]-12th CC=nc-nd-flickr,

Bench of the Week (27) - Lake Agnes

[1]

These benches are located on the south-east side of the Lake Agnes Tea House above Lake Louise, behind Beehive Mountain, in Banff National Park.


On the opposite side of the Tea House is Lake Agnes with another bench to sit and contemplate nature while watching the remaining ice melt.



[2]


Please visit RuneE of Visual Norway, who has begun an informal meme of Bench of the Week, for other participants.



Photo Credits: [1][2]-dangingnomad3 CC=nd-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE