Mountain Do

True purists may object to the paved paths that make the hiking seem a bit tame, but the waterfalls and "ink pots" -- mineral springs that are a brilliant aqua color -- make up for the pavement.

Water has been eroding the canyon for 8,000 years. A plaque notes that "when the pyramids were being built, the canyon was only half as deep as today." The waterfalls are small but beautiful. Most people stop after the first fall, about half a mile from the parking lot. But you find solace if you go another mile to a second waterfall, then on to the ink pots.

My only regret is that I arrive at Johnston Canyon early in the day, so I am not able to have lunch at a charming little restaurant whose deck reminds me of a rural German beer garden. But I'm mollified with a picnic later along the shores of Lake Louise. The famous lake is smaller than I'd imagined -- just 1 1/2 miles long and 1,600 feet wide. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in sheer beauty.

At one end is the towering face of the 11,350-foot-tall Mount Victoria, which straddles the Continental Divide. The elegant Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise sits at the other end, its manicured gardens a draw for both tourists and moose. The other two sides of the lake are lined with trees and hiking trails, one of which leads to a teahouse.

The first white man to see this lake: Thomas Wilson, a horse packer for the Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1882 he heard the roar of an avalanche in the distance. A Stoney Indian told Wilson the sound came from "the snow mountain above the lake of little fishes," and led him there. Later, railroad men built the towering hotel that is a cross between a French chateau and a Scottish castle.

Even if you can't afford to stay the night, splurge on a meal or tea in one of the restaurants that overlook the lake, and check out the shops. At a gems store, which is more like a museum, I covet an amazing artwork of nature: a slab of rock with indentations from a fossilized palm tree and several fish, arranged as if by the hand of a genius artist. Seeing as how it's a prehistoric, one-of-a-kind piece, I'm surprised that it only costs $25,000 U.S. A bargain! Still, I settle for something more in my price range: a $12 turquoise ring.

I also splurge on a $30-an-hour canoe rental. (All prices quoted here are in U.S. dollars.) Learning that the lake is up to 295 feet deep and never gets warmer than 39 degrees, I'm glad it's rather small. With the hotel at your back you can imagine yourself a Canadian trapper paddling this gorgeous, unspoiled stretch of water to parts unknown. At the same time you know you're within screaming distance of humanity should you capsize.

I further enjoy the beauty of the lake on the outdoor patio of one of the hotel's two cheapest restaurants, the Glacier Saloon. Given the views, it's a bargain, even though the food is ordinary, with entrees ranging from about $12 to $24.

There are still a couple hours of daylight left, and I wonder if I should drive about 16 miles farther, to Moraine Lake. I'm spending the night here at Lake Louise, which is by far the most visited and most famous lake in the Canadian Rockies, so why not relax here?

But I head off anyway, and on arrival thank myself for being dutiful. The deep blue waters of Moraine Lake are sheltered by mountains, and the lake is accentuated by an island covered with tall, green trees. I am the only person sitting along the shore awaiting a sunset that makes the land and water glow.

Bigger Than a Glacier

Nature calls at dawn on my last day in the Rockies, and in my groggy exit from bed I happen to look out the window. Suddenly I'm wide awake, mesmerized by the sight. The rising sun has set the sky ablaze in shades of red, orange and gold. Both sky and snowcapped mountain reflect off the emerald lake, making it hard to discern where land begins and sky ends.

I watch until the sun has completed its rise to the horizon, then inadvertently fall back to sleep until noon.