It’s probably been 15 years now; one day, I'll return to Plain of the Six Glaciers, situated in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta behind the pristine jewel Lake Louise. There’s a marvelous and varied hike there. You start at the very civilized Chateau Lake Louise, one of the those wondrous British facilities built with the railroad that traverses Canada. You're in a castle-like place with all these tables and cozy chairs along windows where you could read or write while gazing upon the glowing beauty of the lake and Victoria Glacier behind it. I never stayed at the chateau, but we often walked through the lobby before or after a hike. That’s where I first had Lindt chocolate—the kind with the raspberry filling. It tastes very good after having hiked all day.

If I’m not getting to Plain of the Six Glaciers it’s because it’s so hard to describe without the words diminishing its loveliness. All powdery and white and light-aired and open.

Back to the hike itself. The initial trail is on the right side, the forested side. (To the left, a scree slope.) At first you’re looking at glacier and the volcanic slopes mirrored into the teal-blue lake. It's a very flat beginning where you’re likely to run into chateau guests strolling with a dog or baby. Then you come to a great wall of igneous rock, shades of black and burnt oranges and blues if my memory is connecting to the right page. The trail narrows as you curve behind the lake and then away, outside of view of the chateau. You start to gain altitude now, and come to rocky slopes partly covered with snow. You might see or hear a pika, and as the afternoon wears on, you may hear the thunder of distant avalanches, see snow on high crashing and exploding in the sunlight.

Everything so far has been a high, the chateau, the beds of petunias and pots of fuschia, the beautiful mirroring lake. Near the tea house, a pipe drips melting glacier. It is perfect water.

But approaching that first glacier is like approaching God.

And then you come upon the white bowl, with six glaciers arrayed about you.

There is something about a glacier that is startling and fundamentally pleasing. Is it the immenseness? The whiteness? The thick layerly look to it? I don’t know. You gasp and fall back.

Once your eyes fix upon a glacier, you are forever owned. Might as well surrender.

http://www.flickr.mud.yahoo.com/photos/aliceinw/194845155/