newretiree

We were just at Lake Louise on 5/24, and it is still mostly frozen - not frozen enough to walk on, but still covered with ice and slush. I just wanted to pass this on for anyone planning to be in the area in the next few weeks. Don't get your expectations too high for a fabulous view - the mountains and glaciers are still beautiful, but the lake isn't really.

Moraine Lake road and the road to Takakkaw Falls are also still closed. We had our hopes up that we could get to Moraine Lake, but it wasn't to be. The views of the mountains, rivers, and areas around are still to die for!

bob_brown

As Ben Gadd wrote in his Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, which should be required reading for anyone visiting the Rockies, "If its springtime in the Rockies, stay away."

The main intent of this comment was aimed at avalanche danger. But snowslides, frozen lakes, blocked roads are the norm in the mid spring.

HIgh altitude lakes, such as those above 6,000 feet are often frozen until early July.

Lake Louise is at an altitude of 5675 appoximately. Temperatures below freezing are common even in early May.

Borealis

One week makes a real difference at this time of the year!!

We were at Lake Louise over the past two days (June 1 and 2), Lake Louise is completely thawed and as beautiful as ever. The only snow that we saw was in shady spots under trees where it had been piled up from clearing it off the pathways/parking lots, so it still hadn't completely melted, due to the shade no doubt, and the fact that it was packed into piles.

Weather was gorgeous, people were strolling dressed in shorts and tank tops (I'm not joking!!).

Plus - the road to Moraine Lake was open.

An additional treat - it was gloriously clear and sunny, the mountain peaks (very high elevations) still had some snow, wonderful for scenic photography.

jag2

Borealis, you just made my day. I'll be there mid June and was really hoping that it would be nice by then.

What did Moraine Lake look like when you were there?

Borealis

jag2 - we didn't drive to Moraine Lake, but noticed that the road was open, and there was traffic driving to and coming from that direction.

Hope the weather is warm and sunny when you come. It has turned cool and rainy over the past two days in this part of the country. This might be a good thing, because it never stays the same for too long, so by the time you are here it'll hopefully be nice again.

Happy travels!!

JackOneill

Okay,here's an odd question:

How are the mosquitoes now? I know they can get bad during the summer months. I have some friends heading to Banff on June 16, so I was curious.

I'm glad to hear that Lake Louise has thawed.

nmaria

We just came back from the rockies, TAKE MOSQUITO REPELLENT PLEASE, especially around Maligne lake. Even thought the weather was fairly cold, the mosquitos were very active.

Borealis

Maligne Lake is quite a distance (approx 250 km = 160 miles) from Lake Louise, and at a lower elevation. From our numerous travels to the Rockies, in rainy years the mosquitoes have always been worse in the Jasper area than around Lake Louise. I've always assumed that this is because of the elevation (and possibly due to warmer night time temperatures at lower elevations).

HappyTraveling

i second the advice to take your mosquito repellents. im here in lake louise now and am staying in the paradise lodge and bungalows and they werent kidding about the mosquitos.

we've become quite paranoid to leave the door to the cabin wide open. its get in quick and shut the door right behind you. and boy are these mosquitos huge! cant say ive seen such huge ones before.....! no kidding...

fortunately, we didnt find this to be a 'problem' while we were in jasper 3 days ago.

jag2

THAWED LAKES - We were at Lake Louise around June 17, and Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and even Peyto Lake were thawed (Peyto very recently thawed).

FROZEN LAKE - We hiked to Lake Agnes Tea House above Lake Louise and found that Lake Agnes was about half frozen, and lots of snow around at the top. It was really a worthwhile hike and the half frozen lake was gorgeous!

MOSQUITOS - The only mosquitos I encountered during the two weeks was in Montana. There were bugs that I thought were mosquitos and was told they were non-biting "midges" that looked like mosquitos. Sure enough, none of them bit me.

LindainOhio

We didn't have mosquitoes when we were in the area--we have lots of them here in Ohio. Right now, around Lake Erie, we have what we call Canadian soldiers--maybe they are really called midges--bothersome insects that look like mosquitoes, except they are huge and don't bite--they cling on everything by the lake. They are pretty much gone by the 4th of July