Whoa, Canada!

Copyright 2006 Lydia Hinshaw

LAKE LOUISE, AB -- We spotted our first elk just a few miles after crossing the border this morning. They were not happy to see us. Elk are about as common in these parts as raccoons are in my Florida neighborhood, but the first time we see elk on each trip, we can't help but shoot more pictures to add to our collection of perhaps 6,000 elk shots already in the computer.
By the end of the day, we had seen perhaps a dozen elk, at least that many bighorn sheep and lots of deer, including a doe who walked out of the woods with two fawns in tow. I couldn't get Prince Charming to stop in time to get a shot of them. No matter, there will be plenty more where those came from.
If there's a prettier place on earth than Lake Louise, I haven't found it yet. I'm always delighted to find myself here. It's worth every minute of the eight days we spent on the road. Although I've visited many times, this is my first look at the lake frozen over and covered with snow. It's been skiied on all winter, but signs warn against walking on it now.
There isn't much we can do here because we don't ski, and the hiking trails we love are still buried in snow. But to stay entertained at Lake Louise, we only have to open our eyes and look around.