We got up early and piled in the car to head over to the Lake Louise gondola. We got coffee, then took the ski lift up to the top of the mountain. Between sips of coffee, we saw a bunch of critters including a mama grizzly and her two cubs! From the top of the lift, we hiked to the summit, got some great pics, then had lunch at the Whitebark Tavern, where the food was surprisingly good.
After lunch, we headed back to the car and drove over to Lake Louise on the opposite side of the valley. We looked around a bit, then headed over to Lake Moraine. More gorgeousness.
From there, we headed home, stopping by the grocery store, and made a dinner of chicken pot pie and bacon wrapped dates. Poor Sophie took a shower and fell asleep before even eating.
We slept in, woke up, made some lemon ricotta pancakes and scrambled eggs, then drove around. Drove up to the Norquay overlook, then checked out the lakes. It was pretty gloomy and chilly, so we headed home a bit early.
After dinner, we drove over to the Vermilion Lakes to photograph the sunset. There were more mosquitos there than I have encountered in my entire life, combined. Luckily, they only itch for a few minutes. Saw a couple beavers swimming.
Woke up not quite early enough with the aim of heading to Lake Morain, but were turned away (one car out, one car in). So instead we continued on out to Lake Louise where, predictably, the sights were incredible.
Also, it turns out there is some incredible climbing at the back of the lake.
We however, hiked out to a tea house that can only be hiked (or helicoptered to), with no electricity. The staff hikes in, works for five days, bunking down in cabins near the tea house, and then hikes out. Not a bad life.
The hike beyond the tea house was a huge slog, the last kilometer or so along a super steap spine with a huge drop. Slipping would be bad news bears.
Hiking back, it rained a bit, but just enough to make things look ominous and encourage us to not lolygag.
Driving back, we detoured out to Lake Morain, where there were more beautiful views.
Wade, again, woke me up with a cup of coffee and a lunch spread ready. After sandwiches, we sat around for a bit enjoying coffee and waking up. Once we worked up the nerve to head out, we stopped at the fabled Tim Hortons. while not mind blowing, it’s definitely better than any chain has the right to be.
Coffee, egg mcmuffin, and doughnut in hand we headed towards Lake Louise. We were several hours later than we had planned, so upon arrival we changed plans and hiked out the 5.5km to a tea house over avalanche torn land. It was fun!
Along the way, we saw that not only is the hiking amazing, there’s also some incredible sport routes at the back of the lake.
Once at the tea house, we chatted a bit with the staff over our cups of earl grey and maple. The staff hikes in, works for five days, bunking down in cabins near the tea house, and then hikes out. Not a bad life.
The hike beyond the tea house was a huge slog, the last kilometer or so along a super steep spine with a huge drop. Slipping would be bad news bears.
Hiking back, it rained a bit, but just enough to make things look ominous and encourage us to not lollygag.
The land here is awe inspiring
After we got back, we hopped in the car, drove over to Lake Morian. we ran into that same couple we kept leapfrogging with on the trail, then called it for the day.
I had been dreaming about a graduation ceremony overseen by the queen. A docile boar was ceremonially sacrificed. The blood from the boar’s slit throat should have run down the face of the valedictorian, but whatever passed for blood running down the boar’s unslit throat was instead caught in a cup, later to be dabbled on the valedictorian’s face.
Then Wade woke me up with a cup of coffee saying breakfast was ready. I threw on pants and slashed some water on my face and headed down. Bacon and eggs were served up, then we scrambled to get out of the house.
We drove into Banff, hit up the visitor center for info (and despite my misgivings, pick up bear spray), then headed out to Fireside to hike up Mt. Edith to Corey Pass. The nearly 1,000m gain over 4km was tough, though the Hungarian dead lifts Elysia has had us doing helped. At the pass’s saddle, we chatted for a while with a couple who had driven up from Seattle who were really cool.
After the hike, we drove around a bit, stopped to get groceries. After getting home, we cooked up dinner, taking turns taking showers, scarfed down some amazing yellow curry, and laid low for the night.
After packing haphazardly the previous night, I got up and got out around 8 to meet up at Wade and Tiff’s where I ended my nearly week long abstention of caffeine). Our flight ended up being delayed over two hours, but was was otherwise uneventful. I spent most of the flight chatting with the person next to me, a (from what I could tell, liberal) vicar from Winnipeg. After that, we got our car and hit the road. Banff is gorgeous.
We got dinner at Park Distillery, planned for the hike the next day, and called it a night. I stayed up till about 1:30 re-reading The Name of the Wind.
Woke up, finished packing and cleaning up, grabbed breakfast at La Spezia (more because they had normal brunch food than because their food is that good, but it is good), but I still had sausage, eggs, and rice. From there, we gassed up, drove to the airport, and took off.
The flight to Honolulu wasn’t bad, but the flight from Honolulu to OAK was rough. Crying kids on a flight isn’t bad. If anything, the kids are just expressing how we all feel, so in a way it’s a release. Parents being shitty to their crying kids though, that’s awful.
Woke up early to get down to Port Allen by 7:30. Sophie may have, once or twice, questioned why we didn’t do the dinner cruise instead, but to me it actually felt great being up before 10. When we arrived, they had a pot of coffee on and some poppyseed muffins, so I was happy.
Walking down to the boat, the captain pointed at me and said, “You look like a local boy”. I told him I was from the mainland and he shrugged. We stripped off our slippers, got on a beautiful 65’ cat, and then got underway. It was AMAZING being on the water. Felt so good. The cat had twin 400HP Cummings in them, but once we made it up to Ke’e beach and turned around, the wind was at our backs, so they went wing on wing for as long as the wind held.
Once we got to the snorkel spot, Bobby, one of the crew and a total character, dove in and tied off to their fixed anchor. Having that is way better for the bottom, so they don’t have to drop anchor and bust stuff up every day.
In the water, we saw a bunch of trigger and parot fish, as well as a turtle, a couple puffer fish, and an octopus. So that was cool.
To get everyone out of the water, they announced it was lunch time. Burgers, but they were using local, grass fed beef that was really well seasoned; they were fantastic. During lunch, the captain came around to check off names, and when he saw mine, he looked at me funny and said, “you sure you don’t got family here?” I confess, and he asked about a buddy of his. I checked with the family later, but we’re not really sure.
After getting back, we were pretty tired (and sadly I finally got my sunburn), but we washed up and hit the beach for golden hour.
After, we grabbed a really good dinner at La Spezia, then packed up a bit and passed out.
We woke up, had a bite or two of little baby chiffon, then, per Dina’s suggestion grabbed coffee at Cortado. While we were at it, we picked up snorkel gear next door, and checked out the grocery store / sushi bar / crossfit gym / juice bar. Quite a trip, but they had sushi grade ahi in the case, so cool by me.
After coffee, we drove back up to Koloa town for breakfast (just a window in the side of the grocery store there, bacon, eggs, and rice) then hit up the beach! Spent the afternoon just bumming around, then went back up to Kapa’a for shave ice from Tege Tege and a small snack.
For dinner, we went to the Beach House, got drinks while watching the sunset, and then had a nice long meal. Sophie had a bite of my Ono (a first for her), and she got a fillet, which was super tasty.
We got to talking with our waiter, Josh, and he started talking about how he was outfitting a Tacoma for luxury/adventure rentals. Seemed pretty cool, and he was totally proud of it. Got his number, and will have to hit him up next time we’re out there. After dinner, we walked along the break for a minute, then headed home. Had to be up early for the catamaran the next morning, so didn’t want to be out too late.
We set the alarm for 5:30, got up around 6, made breakfast, and were on the trail by 6:45. The therapists were gone by the time we woke up, so they must have been up and out before dawn. Sophie said she heard them packing up, so that must have been sometime before 5. Hats off to them. After getting water, we started the hike back in earnest.
Again, all smiles to startSee, smiling!Bye, Kalalau
Those smiles faded pretty quick. The first mile is a total asskicker, totally exposed red dirt with several thousand feet of gain and some tears.
Red dirt. Da' real one!
The way out was significantly easier than the hike in, and we made good time, finishing around 3.
Along the way, we kept leapfrogging two guys on a school funded trip (how awesome is that!). We checked in with everyone, picked up our bags from our airbnb, and got Mexican from that place across from Java Kai. We made a quick stop in Lihue to pick up a full lilikoi pie (judge away), then bee lined it to Poipu and bed.
