There is beauty, heartbreaking beauty, everywhere.

Edward Abbey

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Back when Alex was a kid, we had done the Lake Agnes tea house hike at Lake Louise. This time we wanted to do it  with Mike. Alex insisted that if we were driving all the way there we had to have dinner at the Walliser Stube restaurant in the Chateau. They are rather famous for their fondue. So we decided to splurge on dinner but how do we save elsewhere? Instead of staying at the Chateau during high season, we decided to stay in Calgary and split the driving into two days. We had some fast food on the way and packed lots of snacks.

The Drive

Friday night we drove down to Calgary and parked at the hotel. We got an awesome rate for the weekend! After the 3 hour drive, we headed into the hotel and noticed the lobby bar was very interesting and seemed to have a good crowd going. After getting ourselves settled in the room, we headed back down and got ourselves some lovely appies and wine. That was the perfect way to end the evening.

The next morning we stopped at A&W for breakfast. Alex doesn’t quite appreciate the lettuce wrapped solution to gluten free fast food, so instead of lettuce she asks for extra hashbrowns. Taking the hashbrowns, she uses those as a replacement bun for her breakfast sandwiches. It’s better than the original with a little ketchup!

After breakfast we headed back out and started towards the mountains.  A couple hours later we arrived at Lake Louise. At the bottom of the road leading up the mountain we saw huge overflow parking lots and shuttle buses. We took a gamble and drove up the mountain thinking there’s no way all this is for Lake Louise! Well it was, and thankfully we had a dinner reservation. When we asked politely, they let us use the hotel parking lot. We wandered around the hotel and grounds briefly before starting the hike. 

Know Before You Go

The Hike

We packed snacks and water for the hike, and wore comfy layers. It looked like rain so we brought our coats as well. The hike starts out very well traveled and flat, and as you continue up it starts to narrow down. Lots of the tourists turn around at this point. Then come the switch backs up the mountain. It’s still a relatively easy hike up, and there were lots of families enjoying the climb. About half to two thirds of the way up there is a beautiful little lake. It’s another popular photo stop and turn around point. This is where we stopped for our snack break.

Another set of switchbacks head out from the lake leading you up to a small waterfall. We stopped here for pictures again before heading up a set of rickety wooden steps. They are very well used and maintained, but still require a certain grace that Alex doesn’t possess. At the top of the stairs is Lake Agnes and the tea house. 

The Tea House

It is a very busy little place with two line ups. One for food to go, where you can line up at a window and take your food outside. Then you can sit on the rocks and benches around the lake, but you have to fight the Chipmunks for your food. We watched one steal a child’s tortilla chip and run for it! The second line is for a spot inside or on the porch of the tea house. We elected to try and get a spot inside as the weather was turning gray and windy. 

After a short wait, we got a table inside and placed our order. A pot of the Lake Agnes tea blend and some chocolate cake for Christy and Mike. Alex had another one of her packed snacks. They have a larger menu than last time serving soup, fresh bread, and some other items like chips and guacamole. 

The staff hike most of the supplies up and down the mountain each day, and all the food is prepared right there in the tea house kitchen. They have a helicopter drop the large resupplies off once in a while. Where we sat, we could see them cooking in the kitchen. The tea was wonderful and the cake was delicious, but the weather was starting to turn so we headed back down shortly.

On the way down, it did indeed start to rain a bit. More of a misty sprinkle, but we hurried anyway. The way down went a lot faster than the climb up and we enjoyed the easier trip.  Along the way we saw some of the staff hiking the garbage back down to the Chateau. All too soon we were back at Lake Louise, and we headed back to the car to get our change of clothes.

We changed in the hotel washroom and Mike ran the bags back out to the truck in the light rain. Then we made our way to the restaurant. We had collectively decided to wear some of our nicer summer clothes that we don’t get as much of a chance to wear. We might have been a little fancier than the rest of the patrons but for such a nice dinner, in such a beautiful location, we felt that it would be a shame to merely meet the resort casual dress code.

The Walliser Stube

After having our choice of tables near the windows, we were seated and enjoyed a drink. Mike had an artisan cocktail called the Big Beehive after part of the mountain we hiked that day! Christy and Alex had Prosecco, and enjoyed the view. Next came the appetizer! Mushroom and Shallot Fondue with truffles, fresh bread (including the best gluten free bread Alex has had in a long time), apple, and seasonal pickled vegetables. It’s seriously to die for. So good. Alex died and went to heaven good.

After savouring the most excellent fondue, it was time for the main course. AAA Alberta beef chateaubriand. Served with crisp shallots, bordelaise, farm vegetables, tartiflette, and bernaise. It was amazing. Cooked perfectly, so tender and delicious. Alex died a second death. She still thinks about it months later. By this time we were exceedingly full. We had a bit of a break and had a second drink before dessert.

Finally we had our chocolate fondue. Served with fresh fruit, marshmallows, cream puffs, pretzels, and french madeleine cookies. It was just like the rest of the meal, absolutely amazing. By this point we were struggling to finish the chocolate, but it’s a rule. You can never leave a chocolate fondue without wiping the pot clean!

By this point we were ready to head out. We thanked the incredible staff who served the meal and explained all the many options, ingredients, and drinks with great knowledge and a sense of humor. As always at the Chateau Lake Louise the staff there are what makes the whole experience extra special. Then we got back in the truck and started back to Calgary.

The Pool

By the time we got to the hotel we were tired and stiff. This meant one thing. Hot tub time! We changed out of our fancy duds, and headed down to the pool. Alex sat in the hot tub with her ereader while Mike and Christy swam. Then after we all had a good soak in the hot tub, it was time to head for bed.

The next morning we were still full so we grabbed some Starbucks coffee from right in the hotel lobby and started driving. After a couple hours we stopped for breakfast at McDonalds before finishing the drive home. We arrived back with plenty of time to unpack and prepare for the week ahead of us.

If you want to see the beauty of Lake Louise in the winter click HERE to read our post about our January trip to see the ice carving festival!