Lake Louise, Life Decisions, and Letting Go of Alaska (For Now)

Fernweh Chronicles

10 Oct 2025 — 4 min read

We loved Lake Louise so much we stayed a couple of extra days, soaking in every possible moment of hiking and scenery. Our big adventure was the trek up to Lake Agnes and its famous tea house—a stunning 10-mile journey that included some icy patches from the previous night's snow. It was a bit treacherous in spots, but we made it without injury. Lieba, naturally, managed the entire trip without breaking a sweat, putting every other hiker on the trail to shame with her effortless little trot. That dog is either part mountain goat or just here to humble us.

Lake Agnes Tea House...well worth the serious hike to get here!

The scenery? I can't overstate this: Canada is gorgeous, the Canadian Rockies are absolutely stunning, and for anyone interested in seeing some of the most beautiful places on Earth, it's literally right next door. We're so overjoyed we took this trip.

Lake Louise - There's that blue blue water from glacial melt. It almost doesn't look real.

The Alaska Decision

And with that joy came an important realization and decision. Our original destination was Alaska—it's been our dream, and it still is. But we left home later than planned, waiting for twin grand babies to arrive (zero regrets there!). The timing means that now, when we'd normally head north to Alaska, the weather window has closed too tight. It's already getting very cold, snow is starting at higher elevations, and we and our rig simply aren't equipped for true winter camping that far north.

So we've made peace with it: Alaska will be a separate trip. We'll either leave much earlier next time or fly there and rent an RV (because let's be honest, it's an incredibly LONG drive). We'll absolutely do it, just not right now. Instead, we're going to continue enjoying Canada and then head back to the U.S. for some well-deserved family time.

Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, and the Art of Slowing Down

After Lake Louise, we had a wonderful time in Revelstoke, BC, staying in another one of Canada's impeccably maintained national parks. We had to rough it a bit the first night with the only site available being no hookups, meaning I ran my online class that night from the shelter where I could plug in and have light. We're becoming very resourceful! More hiking, more scenery, and a charming small town to explore—we're starting to think every Canadian town comes with a "cute" requirement written into its founding charter.

The Full Moon through the Clouds and Trees

Next was Salmon Arm, where we stayed at a lovely winery and had the entire place to ourselves for the evening. We sipped wine, nibbled on local cheeses, dips, and veggies we'd scored from an incredible farm stand. I was absolutely delighted to find bean and alfalfa sprouts (can't get these at my home stores!), halva, "Holy Crap" granola (yes, that's really the name), and countless products from local farmers, cheesemakers, and artisans. It was a feast for both the taste buds and the soul.

Relaxing before a Long Drive (4 hours is now long for us) to Vancouver

Vancouver: Trading Mountains for Metropolis

Now we're off to spend three nights in Vancouver. City life will be an interesting change after six weeks surrounded by wilderness, mountains, and small-town charm. But we're ready for the shift—good restaurants, urban energy, and maybe a break from constantly scanning the tree line for bears.