Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park: The return

What's up fellow travelers, hikers and mountain lovers!

A few of you already found me out and I know you have been waiting for one of these yet I keep posting that other crap!! What gives? I'm finally giving in, time to give the people what they want and been waiting for. Lets see how many more will discover my little secret. A few years back, I had gone on a quick day trip to Emerald Lake and took a hike around the most beautiful vivid emerald color lake we are familiar with all over the Canadian Rockies.

I quickly realized one day spent at this gem just wasn't enough to fully take it in and I wanted more...so much more! A return was in order. With so many other wonderful places, it quickly took a backseat and made it's way to the long bucket list to visit that keeps getting longer with every trip. The Rockies is my favorite playground, all of it and trust me when I say there is a lot of land to cover especially on foot.

This precious gem is located in Yoho National Park in British-Columbia near Fields, a small town with not to many places to stay but at the resort. It's pretty close to Banff NP, just on the other side of Lake Louise, another world renowned tourist destination, staying in Banff or Canmore is probably the most affordable way to go and just drive to the lake for the day.

As I mentioned, there is a resort to stay at the lake but it's actually very expensive to stay even for a night that can cost up around $700 or more for one night in a cabin near the historic lodge that was first established in 1902 by Canadian pacific railway after the lake's discovery by Tom Wilson in 1882. In 1979, the lodge was bought for the purpose of turning it into a lovely resort getaway experience in the Canadian wilderness further expanding the property to 24 cabins to accommodate guests that re-opened in 1986 upon completion of the project.

I always thought this was a little outside my price range and could only dream of winning the lottery to be able to afford a small stay. Living just a few hours from my beloved mountains, we keep an eye for last minute discounted accommodations when they go unfilled and they just want to fill the cabins at whatever cost. somehow with a lucky strike, like discovering that big gold nugget in disguise, Emerald Lake Lodge had a super deal of $200 CAD per night pretty much during my partner and I's 12 year anniversary! Thank you universe! It almost sounded too good to be true, my friends it was real!

Still rather expensive but compared to the normal pricing, we took our stroke of luck and indulged ourselves in the luxurious wilderness cabin escape for 4 days, what if that was our only chance? we book our accommodations and a few days later, we were all packed up and on the road to this exciting journey. Of course, it's like 6 hours drive away from our home and the days are short here in the fall season, it was already dark when we got there and couldn't take in the full view right away. We would have to wait until the next day to see our dream as a reality.

Shameless in my PJ's in a highscale resort haha, unapologetically me! In my defence, it was like 8pm but I was in my pj's the whole drive for comfort. On the menu, Bison burger

The bar and kitchen was still open, why not indulge in a drink and a meal, after all, we had been on the road for quite some time and during check-in at the main lodge, our breath was taken away by the large historic stone fireplace that filled many of the walls of the lodge, in the lobby, near couches, on the second floor, the hard wood finish you would expect from such a place just completed the luxurious look. Since it is located in bear country, keeping the grizzly population at bay isn't easy in such a remote location and food is an attractant. In order to keep guests safe, no food is allowed on the resort or personal cabins beside what the lodge offers. Sounds like a gimmick but trust me, the risk is real and we were pleased to see how seriously they take guest safety.

All night, I could hardly sleep in anticipation of the precious view that was imprinted in my mind from the last visit, it was impossible to forget. Many favor Lake Louise, but this is quite the sight and I prefer it over it's near-by more popular counterpart. As anxious as I was to experience it's glory, in the morning the fog over the lake is pretty thick and it's hard to see anything until noon. A proper day starts with a proper breakfast and a few cups of coffee. We headed back to the main lodge to explore the menu further. Everything looked so delicious, I was anticipating trying EVERY SINGLE THING ON IT during our stay, this was a good place to start.

We had to change cabins late at night after the pipes froze and suddenly found ourselves with no water so the resort gifted us with 2 free breakfast for our troubles, now it was time to indulge and take the most expensive thing on the menu. A plate filled with delicious Bison sausage, their home smoked bacon, eggs pan potatoes, fruits, homemade saskatoon berry jam, it even came in it's own individual portion country jar. The plates were so full, we could hardly finish it but we did our best and the bread ended up as the sacrifice but finished everything else of a more gourmet value.

Now here came the first dilemma of the day, we were so full we could hardly move and we had a day of hiking and exploring planned, perhaps we could just push each other down the hill and roll away like a ball rather than hike, it was a mountain after all, in theory, it works 🤣. Good thing the view was too magnificent to rush anything so we slowly made our way around catching every angle as the fog was beginning to lift from the lake revealing the mountain and it's reflection.

Most lakes, the stillness required for a perfect reflection that may happen either early in the morning or closer to golden hour before sundown. Not here, as long as it's not windy, the crisp reflection greets every one of it's visitors all day with an impressive double landscape. What a dream, I had to pinch myself to make sure this was real! Being in the colder months, the lake isn't the deep emerald green it is in the summer but quite a worthy view and picture perfect nonetheless.

It is possible for non guest of the resort to visit at anytime since it's in a National Park and open to anyone with the proper park pass required, only the kitchen, shuttle and other services are reserved for guests only. A pass will cost about $20 CAD a day or a year round pass for any of the Canadian national parks for just under $150 CAD. The pass offers certain perks like free entry to certain exhibits across the Rockies along with discounts and the privilege of avoiding line-ups over those with a day pass. In other words, there are enough perks to make the yearly pass well worth it.

The money generated gets divided and supports various conservation programs along with establishing easier access and building parking lots to accommodate visitors in some of the most remote hard to access locations for ease of enjoyment to a greater number of people. Due to their dangerous nature, many need handrails, bridges and platforms to access and this type of funding is crucial for the park's survival dependent on tourism revenue.

In the summer months, there is canoe rentals available but obviously not in November as the lake is beginning to freeze and perhaps a little to cold to be in the lake. The trail to go around the lake isn't that long and mostly flat, can easily be done at any time of year and very popular. The longer connecting trails are rarely visited in the winter and due to the avalanche risk, are better to be avoided in the snowy months. It was on the agenda for the day but we were still so full that we decided to scrap it altogether since we were going to be there for a few days. This view kept us busy all day anyway and it was the coldest day of the trip, staying near the resort gave us the chance to go warm up every once in a while in the main lodge's many fireplaces.

After a full day of doing next to nothing in the most beautiful place in the world, night was setting in and it was only 5 pm! On the property, another historical building used as a venue for weddings and all kinds of other celebrations that turns into a café in the summer months is coveted by many photographers as the darkness rolls in, the cabin begins to glow with a crisp reflection of the cabin, bridge and the gorgeous mountains in it's stillness. As we were waiting, we met 2 gentlemen waiting for the exact same thing. I can't say I was shocked.

We were all shivering and trying to maintain a conversation without freezing to death but we were sitting ducks and it was cold, just waiting, waiting and waiting. Well after an hour we all got the hint that, it probably wasn't going to happen and we all went our separate ways to our other anticipated plans. We headed back to our cabin to warm up under a good shower and get cleaned up and proper for dinner. with the fine dining experience, we wanted to look our best rather than my usual homeless look I generally sport for the trail 😅. Of course food and drinks around the fireplace was the perfect way to end the night before retiring to our cabin with another fire in our personal fireplace.

Luckily, the next day, they were preparing for a wedding planned for the next day and guess what!! THE LIGHTS CAME ON omg 😍🤑 this was my money shot, it was finally mine, no more drooling and being jealous of other photographer's prized photo as they circulate online, it was finally MINE ALL MINE I was overjoyed and still am. If that wasn't enough, it was lit up again for the wedding so I actually got 2 shots! We met the wedding party as they were visiting the lake area the next day and their eyes sparkled when they realized that their special moment created a different special moment for someone else on their anniversary, like a good omen of sorts for longevity of their own moment. Love was in the air all around...Must be the lake spirits 😘😇

We did end up meeting the same two fellows a few days later in a different near-by National Park, what a small world haha, this happens more often than most would expect and it's great every time. It's a short lived friendship but these little moments with all smiles as we recognized each other like long lost friends become a precious memory forever imprinted in our brains. Naturally the first question they asked, did you get it? and I knew exactly what he was talking about. YESSS SIR I DID. They were relieved to know it didn't happen just after they left and they just didn't stand a chance! Just not meant to be.

We may have been rebels and brought some afterhours contraband, we know bear safety and how to keep things secure. OOPSY, my bad😁😆😁

We did end up doing the hike but that might have to be on another post, this one is pretty long as it is. Haha, looks like I get to be the first pin on the map for this location, continuing my legacy. Figure out who I might be yet? I'm back! 🙃

Cheers my friends! xox