Plain of Six Glaciers and Lake Louise Tea House Hike, Banff National Park.

Plain of Six Glaciers and the Lake Louise Tea House are located 4.5Km west of Lake Louise. Total elevation gain is approximately 365m, allow 3-6 hours round trip for this hike. The trail is nicely groomed and starts in front of the Canadian Pacific Hotel Chateau Lake Louise. It winds it's way along the north west shore of the lake then enters into a narrow valley towards Mount Lefroy and Mount Victoria. Views of Lake Louise, Mount Lefroy, Mount Victoria and the Victoria Glacier are unforgettable. As you hike up above the tree line you will see the terminal, ground and lateral moraines left by the Lefroy and Victoria glaciers a few 100 years ago. Today (2010) the Lefroy Glacier is almost gone, there is one small piece of ice near the base of the mountain. The Victoria Glacier still flows down Abbot Pass but has receded a short distance from the base of Mount Victoria. As the trail ascends you'll come to a low cliff ledge with a steel cable attached. This cables can be held onto when traversing the ledge. If you're afraid of heights you can take another trail that is located at the bottom of the cliff. Once you pass the cabled ledge you start hiking up a switch back towards the Tea House. The Tea House was built by Swiss guides in 1924. The name "Plain of Six Glaciers" was from the views that can be seen from the Tea House meadow. I can no longer see six glaciers but I can imagine what it was like back in the day. Once you arrive at the Tea House the trail continues on for another 1.3Km towards a lookout on top of a lateral moraine. There are a few Hoary Marmots that can't be missed as they whistle at your presence. Once you reach the lookout you'll see outstanding views back towards Lake Louise and of the hanging glaciers on top of Mount Victoria. These are what you see from the very start at Lake Louise. You can also see right up Abbot Pass towards Abbot Hut which is used by climbers. The Lake Louise route up to Abbot Pass is nicknamed the Deathtrap due to avalanche, falling rock, falling ice and hidden crevasses near the top of the pass. While looking across Abbot Pass at the summit of Mount Lefroy it is interesting to think that Philip Stanley Abbot was killed trying to summit Mount Lefroy in 1896. Abbot's death was recorded as the first mountaineering fatality in north America. trailheads to Moraine Lake, Consolation Lakes, Valley of the 10 Peaks, Larch Valley, Sentinel Pass, Eiffel Lake, Wenkchemma Pass, Mount Hector Alpine Climb and Paradise Valley are all located in this area. Expect very large crowds of people here during the summer months. The nearest campground is the Lake Louise Campground. Photos below were taken in late June 2010.  You are in bear country.