Sept 04: Lake Maligne – Jasper National Park

Just past Spirit Island on Lake Maligne

When you get to Lake Maligne, get there earlier than we did.  That’s so when you finally realize you want to rent a canoe and go to the end of the lake, you have more time.  I, of course, thought we were just going to rent the boat and go for a fun paddle on a beautiful lake, eat a picnic lunch and paddle right back.  Have some time for a glass of wine or something on the deck of this cool restaurant overlooking the lake, maybe buy Mom something in the gift shop – just like normal tourists.  But nooooo; Diana said we had to paddle out to Spirit Island on this incredibly translucent clear blue-green water, where all the vertical mountains, snow fields, and hanging glaciers are; where the lake narrows and all this scenery comes right down to the lake shore and you can just about reach out and touch it.  Nine miles away.   With the wind in your face the whole way (both there and back, ouch).  And if you noticed, nine miles there means nine miles back.  I guess it was OK?  We did discover a cow moose feeding in the lake along the way.  She had two calves frolicking in and out of the lake until we got close, and then they went up and hung in the trees while mom stayed out and ate.  Wonderful watching her put her head under water for several minutes at a time grazing, then looking up dripping to see what we were doing.  We maybe watched 20-30 minutes.  It was hard to leave her, and hard to leave the lake.