A Lifetime in the Mountains
A Lifetime in the Mountains
©Bert Gildart: It’s a long arduous climb from Chateau Lake Louise to the overlook provided at the Little Beehive Mountain, particularly if you are a couple in your 80s.
I met Bill and Vera Myers by chance after they had hiked the three-mile-long trail. Others a third their age had turned around long ago–had not even made it to the Lake Agnes Teahouse located at two miles along the precipitous trail.
I met the couple above the fabled teahouse, and our chance meeting occurred as I sat on a bench that looked down over the Plain of Seven Glaciers. They came over and sat down beside me and pointed to a rock structure. “That used to be an old fire lookout,” said Mrs. Myers.
“Have you hiked this country much?” I asked in response.
INTERNATIONAL CLIMBERS
They said they had and from there it was only natural for me to ask where they were from–and for them to ask me the same. As it turned out, they were both college math professors from the University of Montana, who had hiked virtually all the major trails in Glacier National Park about the time I worked there as a ranger. But they’d done much more; they’d climbed many peaks in Canada and in Europe as well, including the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. They said that for many years they’d ship their Volkswagen Camper to Europe and that they spent summers hiking and camping with their children in the Swiss Alps. Now, they were here to renew acquaintance with Banff.
Lake Agnes Teahouse
Banff National Park and the area we now hiked and climbed was originally set up to be a mountain climber’s paradise. In fact, the chateau, now a massive hotel, had originally been erected to provide a base for early climbers. So, too, the teahouse, and though these structures have now become Meccas for tourists, they still attract those interested in exploring the mountains.
HISTORY OF CLIMBING
The history of mountain climbing in the area is rich and the Myers knew much of it. Climbers first arrived in Banff in the late 1890s on the wheels of the newly completed transcontinental railroad. The company built the chalet and in so doing imparted a distinct Swiss ambiance to the area. They furthered the image by hiring Swiss climbing guides and then added several backcountry buildings, such as the teahouse at Lake Agnes.
View from Little Beehive
To maintain a natural look, Parks Canada insisted the buildings be constructed of locally quarried materials, stones that blended with the surroundings. Supporting materials were then rafted across Lake Louise and finally transported to the actual building site by pack horse (a far cry from the intrusive helicopter I’ve complained about the two posts prior to the one on photography!)
The Canadian Pacific also built hiking and horseback riding trails to the two tea houses and to the various overlooks, such as Beehive. Today, visitors such as the Myers can follow these same routes established by these early and very intrepid mountaineers.
WHISSSS-KEY JACKS
Whiskey Jack or Grey jay
As the Myers and I sat overlooking this immense setting we discussed the many wonderful things Canadians have done for hikers and climbers. The day was beautiful and as we visited “Whiskey Jacks” (named for their call that sounds like they’re saying Whisss-key; whissss-key) joined the tiny chipmunks in keeping us company. We shared with one another the hikes and climbs we’d all made and agreed that for us the hut-to-hut ski system was one of this park’s best creations.
I told them about the time David Bristol (*see Mount Rainier), a good friend, and I once backcountry skied for over a week through some of the park’s most extreme wilderness area. One night an avalanche caught us just above Bow Lake (we were lucky!), which is located along the Ice Field Highway mentioned in my last post. Digging a snow platform, we erected the emergency tent we’d included in our packs.
LIFETIME IN THE MOUNTAINS
Mr. Myers had also climbed Rainier, in fact, he had done so twice. As well, he, too, had enjoyed the Canadian backcountry hut system-and he lamented the fact that he might not ever be able to enjoy such extreme pursuits again.
“After all,” he said as I rose to begin the three mile hike back down, “I am 83.”
“Tell your wife,” said Mrs. Myers, “that we’re sorry we kept you.”
Looking at my watch, I saw that we’d visited for well over an hour. “She’ll understand,” I said. “I’ll simply tell her I met one of the most inspirational couples I’ve met in years.”
Standing, they retrieved the walking sticks they’d used for support and then as I looked back I could see that they were now beginning their own descent.
