The Huge Beehive Hike from Lake Louise

The Huge Beehive hike is a basic path within the Canadian Rockies of average issue rewarding hikers with lovely views of the unreal Lake Louise and it’s nice to make a cease on the famend Lake Agnes teahouse. Huge Beehive is a mountain that resembles a beehive situated near Lake Louise in Banff Nationwide Park.

Mountain climbing by way of Lake Agnes the path takes round 4 hours to finish. The trailhead is on the spectacular Lake Louise, a turquoise, glacier-fed lake surrounded by excessive peaks with many mountaineering trails of various issue beginning right here. Mix the Beehive path with a number of different routes to create a path as lengthy and laborious as you need to hike.

Attending to the Trailhead at Lake Louise

Lake Louise is the trailhead for a number of superior mountaineering trails and could be reached from each cities situated contained in the Banff nationwide park, the City of Banff and the village of Lake Louise. These cities are 57 km aside by highway with loads of transport choices between them. The Regional Service is handy and low-cost, in season buses run 5 occasions per day, the switch from Banff to Lake Louise takes about 50 minutes for $CAD6 a method.

See our detailed Information to the Greatest Hikes in Banff Nationwide Park.

In season Parks Canada  supply shuttles to the Lake Louise lakeshore from Lake Louise city each quarter-hour from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lake Louise is situated 4km from the city Lake Louise.

Greatest Time To Do the Huge Beehive Hike

One of the best time of the yr to hike from Lake Louise is late June to center September. The lake begins to thaw center June for these superior images of the right glassy turquoise lake. Snow on the peaks solely melts in July. The Lake Agnes teahouse opens early June. We hiked the entire 19.5 km circuit late September, it was lovely with the golden larches, the path and the teahouse was nonetheless busy, however snow and frozen paths made some part tough.

The Huge Beehive Mountain climbing Path

• Path Kind – out and again
• Distance – 10.5 km (6.5 mi)
• Time – 3 to 4 hours
• Elevation acquire:  550 m (1800 ft)

The basic Huge Beehive hike is an out and again path beginning at Chateau Lake Louise and turning round on the Huge Beehive with some unbelievable views of Lake Louise. On the path you stroll previous Lake Louise, the Mirror Lake, Lake Agnes and the Lake Agnes teahouse. The path presents nice views of Mount Whyte, the Satan’s Thumb and Lake Agnes.

The path gives a phenomenal mixture of forest, mountain and lakeshore surroundings, various from simple strolling to climbing the difficult switchbacks to the highest of the Huge Beehive.

Huge Beehive Mountain climbing Choices

Shorter Hike – Lake Agnes Teahouse

If you wish to do solely a portion of the path mountaineering to the Lake Agnes Tea Home is an effective choice. It is a comparatively simple hike, reducing out the steep switchbacks and you’ve got views of the Huge Beehive from the path. Lake Agnes Teahouse is a small, rustic tea home on the shores of Lake Agnes, and is a pleasant cease at an elevation of two,135 meters (7,005 toes) about an hours stroll from Lake Louise for a cup of tea. The return path is 7 km.

Lengthen the Path – Plain of Six Glaciers Tea Home

Lengthen the path by strolling to the Little Beehive, the Satan’s Thumb or proceed to your second tea home of the day, Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. Strolling to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse from the Huge Beehive could be executed with two potential routes. The highline path between the 2 teahouses is 14.6 km, or strolling to each tea homes and again alongside Lake Louise Lakeshore is a 19.5 kilometer hike. Be sure you have sufficient time, it is a lengthy hike and took me greater than 6 hours, if circumstances aren’t nice with a lot of snow and ice this will take as much as 8 hours.

The Huge Beehive Mountain climbing Path

The trailhead – the Huge Beehive hike begins at Chateau Lake Louise, near the car parking zone. The primary Beehive path signal is at Lake Louise.

Lake Agnes teahouse path – From Lake Louise to the chateau is a simple, flat paved path. After passing the Chateau comply with the Lake Agnes path to the appropriate. The primary 1.9 miles (3 km) of the hike is a gradual climb for about an hour till you attain the Mirror lake reflecting the picture of the Huge Beehive towering above the lake. From the mirror lake there’s a properly marked detour to the Little Beehive, it’s 0.5 mile (800m) detour. The path retains on climbing at a gradual incline to Lake Agnes teahouse for an additional half a mile. Mountain climbing to Lake Agnes is about 2.5 miles (4.1 km) The climb just isn’t too steep with an elevation acquire of about 1600 ft (500m).

Climbing to the Huge Beehive – Stroll from the teahouse on the trail subsequent to the lake, cross the massive, flat rocks on the finish of the trail. Go up the scree coated slope on the finish of Lake Agnes. Look again for some wonderful views of the valley. Essentially the most difficult a part of the hike is ascending with a sequence of switchbacks to the highest.

The intersection – in the event you proceed you’ll attain a 4-way intersection of trails simply over a mile (1.8 km) after reaching Lake Agnes, 3.6 miles (5.9 km) from the beginning of the path. Go proper to go to the Satan’s Thumb, proceed straight for the shortest path to the Highline Path, go left to to the Huge Beehive.

Views from the Huge Beehive – There are some good spots from which Lake Louise could be seen on the highest of the Huge Beehive. The Beehive shelter on the finish of the path is a pleasant spot to have a break or one thing to eat, however it’s not a terrific viewpoint.

The Return Hike – To hike again to the trailhead from Huge Beehive you may both stroll comply with the identical means down the switchbacks to Lake Agnes. An alternative choice is from the Huge Beehive to comply with the moraine to the Plain of Six Glaciers’ historic teahouse, with spectacular views of the Victoria Glacier and Abbott Cross. From right here you may return to the again of Lake Louise on the lakeshore path, this loop mountaineering to all of the stops on this path is a 12.5 mile (20 kilometer) path taking about 7 to eight hours.

Ideas for the Huge Beehive Hike

• Convey micro spikes – if you’re going to do that path early or late within the season. With icy sections the path turns into very slippery, I used to be so glad that I had micro spikes in my backpack.
• Convey money – the teahouse sells soup and sandwiches, however solely settle for money.
• Purchase a Espresso earlier than the hike – the Lake Agnes teahouse served a couple of hundred sorts of tea which was nice, however had not espresso after I was there, tip for different caffeine junkies.

Lodging in Lake Louise

Funds Lodging – HI Lake Louise Alpine Centre – the one price range choice in Lake Louise, I loved staying right here. Good amenities for a hostel, cafe, good wifi even a sauna! strolling distance to the mall and bus decide up.

Mid Vary – Mountaineer Lodge – properly rated, good location, good worth.

Deal with your self – Fairmont Château Lake Louise, keep in luxurious, solely lodging situated on Lake Louise (not the city, however on the lake) panoramic views of Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier, 4-star resort. Gymnasium, nice eating, location proper on the lake!