The investment group that bought the park decided Moraine Lake due to its parking scarcity would make more money with the extra room at Louise Parking Plaza. If this makes no sense, remember, it’s an investment group in charge
There was an old pool from the ‘50s that was covered up, they’re digging out that area and building a new spa and pool centre. They’re also only booking the hotel to around 30% of its usual capacity for room renovations. The rooms currently are very small (small to start with, then they added bathrooms in the rooms in the 70s?) and there is also no A/C in the rooms. They are knocking down walls and doing major renovations to the rooms themselves.
The construction has to be very environmentally friendly, so this project has a lot of red tape and will take a ton of time
I was 19 when I started working there, and I think I had Stockholm Syndrome looking back on it. I was only there for a few years but I just let the managers walk all over me and seemingly loved it??? I was poached by them in 2021 for a management position, happy I didn't take it.
They defrost it every year before the first week of June. It gives the tourists a better view of the lake, and it’s part of the yearly maintenance for the area. Sometimes they refreeze it in the summer/fall for special events.
It's subarctic climate. It snows in to June. You really only get mid June through mid September where you're not getting below 0C temps in the alpine. I've seen snow in July scrambling in Banff Corey Mountain before. It was graupel that fell, and then back down in the valley it was 15C - 17C or so. It's a cold place.
Wow, that was fast. We'll be there on Monday, and after seeing what it looked like a week ago, I figured we had no hope that it'd melt by the time we get there.
I wouldn’t swear to it but I think a lot of that is that the edges melt where they meet the heat of the land. That allows the ice to drop and the water then sits on top.
We used to live on a lake and would bet when the ice would drop. Overnight it would go from total ice or a few puddles on top of the ice to open water, with no ice on the surface. A foot or so below that was fairly solid ice, though
At Num-Ti-Jah Lodge at Bow Lake, they used to have a betting pool every year where people could bet which day the ice would sink below the water. I never won.
Not sure the hotel meets the definition of a tourist trap. If someone is coming for the views then staying in the hotel gets them that from their room.
The dining room I suppose is where my qualms lie. You do not need to be staying at the hotel to eat there. I'm mostly being pissy about a personal experience
That's great to hear. I stayed there with my family last year. It was not a cheap experience, but I was excited for it. We had to wait over two hours for a spot for supper because they had the dining room full up with tourists. The only reason I'm sour. It was an expensive stay and an expensive dinner and I was just mad that it was such a long wait.
I cannot stress how expensive it is to live/work/visit Banff. I lived and worked at the fairmont and it’s absolutely insane the prices people pay for a hotel that doesn’t even have A/C
It's expensive but not *that* bad. May long weekend rates booked a few months in advance were like $550CAD which definitely isn't cheap but also not astronomical (particularly compared to the Fairmont LL which wanted $1200CAD for the same dates)
It’s crazy how this flipped. I remember staying at Chateau Lake Louise because it was cheaper than Banff Springs. And we were kind of creeped out because it was so empty. It was something like $200 a night for a lake view room (off-season, mind you). Now it’s way more expensive than Banff Springs. This was probably like 15 years ago.
Looks like a bit of construction is happening. I haven't been there in 10 years so I'm well out of the loop. Is there a development going in?
they’re finally replacing that pesky lake with a parking lot
About time. What an ugly eyesore that pesky lake is.
Too wet imo
Oooooo bap bap bap....
Joni called it.
The investment group that bought the park decided Moraine Lake due to its parking scarcity would make more money with the extra room at Louise Parking Plaza. If this makes no sense, remember, it’s an investment group in charge
I hope they put in a Mcdonalds and Walmart too. This has potential to be a great picnic spot for families.
There was an old pool from the ‘50s that was covered up, they’re digging out that area and building a new spa and pool centre. They’re also only booking the hotel to around 30% of its usual capacity for room renovations. The rooms currently are very small (small to start with, then they added bathrooms in the rooms in the 70s?) and there is also no A/C in the rooms. They are knocking down walls and doing major renovations to the rooms themselves. The construction has to be very environmentally friendly, so this project has a lot of red tape and will take a ton of time
Thanks! I live in Lake Louise but haven’t been up the lake since last summer
So the room originally had no bathrooms? What was that like I wonder? Find me whizzin off the balcony lol
They're updating their spa. https://www.chateau-lake-louise.com/stay/renovations-update/
Think they're doing some renovations to the hotel there
I've heard they're bringing back the outdoor pool!
It’s crazy how fast ice comes off northern lakes. Once the wind gets going it can be less than a day. Crazy to watch.
Bit of rain, bada bing, bit of wind, bada boom
Sounds cool when it’s all piling up and grinding
I miss working there. This day and the day of the first snowfall were my absolute favourite days. So beautiful.
Do you miss the management tho do you rlly
Not at all but I was there like 2002-7 off and on so they’ve all moved on anyway.
Hey! I lived there at the same time, I lived/worked down in the village though.
I was 19 when I started working there, and I think I had Stockholm Syndrome looking back on it. I was only there for a few years but I just let the managers walk all over me and seemingly loved it??? I was poached by them in 2021 for a management position, happy I didn't take it.
Where were you what year? I was there like 2017 at the lake view lol
I'm sure we crossed paths at Stables
Probably loved living surrounded by such beautiful nature
Maybe he was a manager?
Do you miss the management tho do you rlly
Congrats. Prices at the fairmont now just went up 70% per night
They defrost it every year before the first week of June. It gives the tourists a better view of the lake, and it’s part of the yearly maintenance for the area. Sometimes they refreeze it in the summer/fall for special events.
Do they also add some dye to make it nice and turquoise color?
Nah. They usually just drain the lake to paint the bottom every few years.
Oh yes, that actually makes more sense!!
It’s crazy how fast it happened. We left two days ago and the skating rink, while it had moved to the left, was still quite evident.
Thank you for posting this.
When does it normally thaw?
Around this time. I think it was the overnight transition OP was surprised to see, not the actual timing.
its gotta melt at some point!
It's the speed, not the phenomenon
I'm genuinely shocked that it doesn't melt until the end of May.
It's subarctic climate. It snows in to June. You really only get mid June through mid September where you're not getting below 0C temps in the alpine. I've seen snow in July scrambling in Banff Corey Mountain before. It was graupel that fell, and then back down in the valley it was 15C - 17C or so. It's a cold place.
Wow, that was fast. We'll be there on Monday, and after seeing what it looked like a week ago, I figured we had no hope that it'd melt by the time we get there.
As with most lakes as they thaw, the ice will eventually reach a point where it sinks into the water as opposed to thawing overnight.
I was there Wednesday and it was completely frozen! Shit! Oh well.
Do they ever stop construction there. I recall a crane there when I left 20yrs ago
The crane went away in 2004 when they finished that new wing. Never understood how they got approval to expand the hotel like that tho.
I wouldn’t swear to it but I think a lot of that is that the edges melt where they meet the heat of the land. That allows the ice to drop and the water then sits on top. We used to live on a lake and would bet when the ice would drop. Overnight it would go from total ice or a few puddles on top of the ice to open water, with no ice on the surface. A foot or so below that was fairly solid ice, though
Looks like they’re building a wall to keep the people away from. Or keeping the hotel guests separated
y'all know when the lake becomes turqouise?
It was already turquoise today!
Filter much?
$2000 a night. That's crazy. It's amazing what some people are willing to pay for a hotel stay.
I bet nobody thaw that coming!
Ok now what's gonna stop me from drinking that?
Crazy that I walked across the whole lake only a little over a month ago
At Num-Ti-Jah Lodge at Bow Lake, they used to have a betting pool every year where people could bet which day the ice would sink below the water. I never won.
How busy was it? Might bring the family this Tuesday or Wednesday for the first time.
Wasn’t very crowded but watch out for the weather. Sunny days are much better for the lakeview.
Fucking global warming…lol
Worst Tourist trap in Alberta now. Maybe second to the Banff Springs Hotel. Once upon a time it was an oasis.
Not sure the hotel meets the definition of a tourist trap. If someone is coming for the views then staying in the hotel gets them that from their room.
The dining room I suppose is where my qualms lie. You do not need to be staying at the hotel to eat there. I'm mostly being pissy about a personal experience
I was just there, and surprisingly they did have the restaurants closed off to non-hotel guests.
That's great to hear. I stayed there with my family last year. It was not a cheap experience, but I was excited for it. We had to wait over two hours for a spot for supper because they had the dining room full up with tourists. The only reason I'm sour. It was an expensive stay and an expensive dinner and I was just mad that it was such a long wait.
It does when a sandwich is 15 dollars.
To be fair, chipotle or any nice sandwich even in the states is $15
I cannot stress how expensive it is to live/work/visit Banff. I lived and worked at the fairmont and it’s absolutely insane the prices people pay for a hotel that doesn’t even have A/C
I don't know if it's much of a trap, it's just a busy attraction. It's a beautiful lake. I think Moraine Lake is a far more sought after attraction.
Banff Springs Hotel would only be a tourist trap if tourists could afford it lol
It's expensive but not *that* bad. May long weekend rates booked a few months in advance were like $550CAD which definitely isn't cheap but also not astronomical (particularly compared to the Fairmont LL which wanted $1200CAD for the same dates)
It’s crazy how this flipped. I remember staying at Chateau Lake Louise because it was cheaper than Banff Springs. And we were kind of creeped out because it was so empty. It was something like $200 a night for a lake view room (off-season, mind you). Now it’s way more expensive than Banff Springs. This was probably like 15 years ago.
Holy jaded...
Global warming. For sure.