Torrie & Micah – Big Beehive, Lake Louise
September, 17th 2024
Alberta
Sun
Sunrise: 7:16 a.m
Sunset: 7:44 p.m
Moon
Moonset: 09:06am
Moonrise: 5:52pm
Moon phase: full moon -1 day
Lake Louise
Overview
Nearest Town: Lake Louise, AB
Where to sleep: You booked your hotel at the Mountaineer Lodge in Lake Louise
Location Information: Banff National Park
Good to Know: Very easy to access the lake shore. Hike to the Big Beehive can be challenging but very doable. The lake changes colors during the day and with the weather and with the altitude.
How to Access: Access is via Highway 1. Parking can be difficult on the day of because there is only one road getting up to the lake. I will pick you up at your hotel in the morning.
Best Lighting: 1h around Sunrise and 2h around Sunset. Good to know: When the sunsets, the best light is actually a few minutes after the sun goes behind the mountains.
Pet Friendly: Hike is pet-friendly.
Permit Information: Needs a National Park Pass. The ceremony needs a Banff National Park permit.
Leave No Trace Considerations: Always keep in mind that everything you bring in has to be taken out. Including flowers, food, drinks.
Privacy/Seclusion (estimate): It is a very popular spot. The only people you meet at sunrise or sunset are either influencers or photographers for sessions because the shuttles start around 9am. (This might change next year depending on Parks Canada, I will update during the summer with more accurate informations).
The hike
This is what the hike looks like (source: All Trails).
It takes about 4h to 5h to complete the route. There is a steep way up from the first tea house to the top of Big Beehive.
We will divide the hike as followed:
Lake’s shore to Lake Agnes tea house: 1h30
Lake Agnes tea house to Big Beehive: 1h
Big Beehive to Plain of the six glaciers tea house: 1h40
Plain of the six glaciers tea house to the Lake’s shore: 1h30
TOTAL: 5h40
Lodging
You booked the Mountaineer Lodge at Lake Louise for the night before the wedding (https://mountaineerlodge.com/).
It is located at the Lake Louise Village. It takes 10 minutes to get to the Lake Louise Lake by car (without traffic).
I will meet you there on the day of and take you up to the lake.
Legal
Lake Louise is located in the Banff National Park. You will need to obtain a permit from the Parks before hand.
To sign the legal papers, it would be easy to get either an officiant up there with us or to do it back in Lake Louise. Here is a list of some commissioners.
Example Timeline
4:30am: Wake up & Coffee at Lake Louise Mountaineer Lodge
5am-6am: Make up & Hair
5:30am: Dorine arriving to the hotel, say hi, catch up, take some behind the scenes of the morning
6am-6:30am: Driving up to the Lake
6:45am-8:15am: Hiking to the Lake Agnes Tea House (Sunrise 7:15am)
(Possibility of taking some photos here)
8:15am-9:15am: Hiking to the top of Big Beehive
9:15am-9:30am: Getting ready for the ceremony
9:30am-10am: Ceremony & Vows
10am-11am: Photos & Coffee with a view over the valley
11am-12:40pm: Going back down to the tea house of the plain of the six glaciers
12:40pm-1:40pm: Lunch at the tea house
1:40pm-3:10pm: Walking back to the parking lot
3:10pm-3:40pm: Photos on the way back and around the Lake Louise shore
3:40pm-4pm: Driving back to Lake Louise the hotel
4pm-5pm: Sign the official papers, pack and rest
5pm-6:30pm: Drive to Abraham Lake
6:30pm-8pm: Photos/Campfire/Dinner/Paddle board? by Abraham Lake for sunset / Drone photos & videos possible in Abraham Lake (Sunset 7:44pm)
8pm-9pm: Night photos possible
🤍 End of day 🤍