点评:Located near Lake Louise in Banff National Park, the Lake Agnes Trail is a 4.6 mi/7.4 km out-and-back hike with an elevation gain of 1,259 ft/383.7 m. My wife and I completed this hike on a chilly and overcast day in mid-October 2023. This trail is rated in most guides and publications as being moderate to moderately challenging, but as a 69-year-old experienced hiker, I definitely found it to be more in the difficult range. We did not carry bear spray as this is a very popular trail with a great deal of foot traffic, which made the likelihood of a bear encounter much smaller.
To reach the trailhead, park your vehicle in one of the public parking lots for Lake Louise (these lots fill up quickly, so arriving before 9am is recommended). NOTE that there are no restroom facilities along the trail until you reach Lake Agnes, so you might want to use the public restrooms near the parking lot. Once you are looking at magnificent Lake Louise, turn right and follow the paved promenade; look for the fork to the right as you reach the end of the grounds for the Chateau Lake Louise. There you should see a small sign directing you to Lake Agnes. Take the paved trail heading up the hill toward the forest.
Once in the forest, the trail eventually becomes hard-packed dirt and progresses ever upward. NOTE that the trail’s uphill grade is relentless; there are very few places where it temporarily levels out, so take your time and take rest breaks when needed. At around the halfway point, just before a switchback, there is an opening that allows you a great view of the turquoise waters of Lake Louise. Continuing your uphill trek, you eventually reach Mirror Lake, a popular rest stop for hikers. The fog was so thick this morning that we couldn’t see more than a few feet of the lake, but it still provided for a welcome respite.
From Mirror Lake there are signs that point the way to Lake Agnes. For a while, the trail is uphill but in good shape, but then you come to a stretch where the trail becomes extremely rocky. In addition, the trail is also used by horses, so we also had to contend with lots of fresh horse droppings as well. After you pass that section you will hear a waterfall, which is your signal that you are almost there. Next to the photo-worthy waterfall are stairs that will lead you to the famous Lake Agnes Teahouse.
The teahouse was closed for the season, so we found a place next to the lake to rest and relax. We could barely see the lake, as at this elevation (7,005 ft/2,135 m) we were basically sitting in the middle of a cloud. However, at one point the clouds dramatically parted a bit and we were able to catch a glimpse of the impressive peaks that surround the lake.
Typical of my reaction to difficult hikes, I grumbled all the way up about how hard it was and how tired I felt, but once I got back to our car I admitted I was glad we did it. It was a beautiful hike and well worth the effort.
翻译:艾格尼丝湖步道位于班夫国家公园的路易斯湖附近,是一条全长 4.6 英里/7.4 公里的往返徒步路线,海拔高度为 1,259 英尺/383.7 米。我和我的妻子在 2023 年 10 月中旬的一个寒冷阴天完成了这次徒步旅行。这条步道在大多数指南和出版物中被评为中等至中等挑战性,但作为一名 69 岁的经验丰富的徒步旅行者,我确实发现了它更加处于困难的范围内。我们没有携带防熊喷雾,因为这是一条非常受欢迎的步道,人流量很大,这使得遇到熊的可能性小了很多。
要到达步道起点,请将车辆停放在路易斯湖的公共停车场之一(这些停车场很快就会停满,因此建议在上午 9 点之前到达)。请注意,在到达艾格尼丝湖之前,沿途没有卫生间设施,因此您可能需要使用停车场附近的公共卫生间。当您看到壮丽的路易斯湖后,右转并沿着铺好的长廊行驶;当您到达路易斯湖城堡场地的尽头时,请寻找右侧的岔路口。在那里您应该会看到一个小标志,指示您前往艾格尼丝湖。沿着铺好的小路向山上的森林方向前进。
一旦进入森林,小路最终会变成坚硬的泥土,并不断向上延伸。请注意,这条步道的上坡坡度是无情的;很少有地方会暂时趋于平稳,因此请慢慢来,并在需要时休息一下。在中间点附近,就在之字形转弯之前,有一个开口,可以让您欣赏路易斯湖碧绿海水的美景。继续上坡,您最终到达镜湖,这是徒步旅行者的热门休息站。今天早上雾很浓,我们只能看到湖面几英尺以外的地方,但它仍然提供了一个值得欢迎的喘息机会。
从镜湖出发,有指示牌指向艾格尼丝湖。有一段时间,这条小路是上坡的,但状况良好,但随后你会到达一段路段,小路变得非常岩石。此外,这条小路也被马匹使用,所以我们还必须应对大量新鲜的马粪。经过该部分后,您会听到瀑布声,这是您即将到达的信号。值得拍照留念的瀑布旁边有楼梯,可通往著名的艾格尼丝湖茶馆。
茶馆因季节关门,所以我们就在湖边找了个地方休息放松。我们几乎看不到湖泊,因为在这个海拔(7,005 英尺/2,135 米),我们基本上坐在云朵中间。然而,在某一时刻,云层突然分开了一点,我们能够瞥见湖周围令人印象深刻的山峰。
这是我对艰难徒步旅行的典型反应,一路上我都在抱怨这有多难,我感觉有多累,但当我回到车上时,我承认我很高兴我们做到了。这是一次美丽的徒步旅行,非常值得付出努力。