Lake Louise, nestled in the Canadian Rockies, was first seen be a European in 1882, when Tom Wilson, a packhorse owner working for the Canadian Pacific Railway was brought there by his Stoney guide. It was originally named Lake of Little Fishes by the Stoney Indians, but in his infinite arrogance, Tom Wilson renamed it Emerald Lake. In 1884, it was renamed after Princess Louise Croline Alberta, one of Queen Victoria's daughters and the wife of the then governor-general, to Lake Louise.
Lake Louise is a beautiful place. Right next to the lake is the Chateau Lake Louise, which has been next to the lake since 1900. It is a wonderful hotel, and a beautiful place to stay for a weekend.
In the small town built around the Château is The Post Hotel. Although over the years this place has sometimes looked like a dump, it is one of the best resturants in the world. Seriously.
Across the Trans-Canada Highway from the Lake and the Château is the world famous Lake Louise ski hill. The ski hill covers three mountain faces (named the front side, the back bowls, and the larch area). The base of the mountain has an elevation of 5,400 feet (1,646 meters), and the summit towers 3,250 feet (991 meters) above the base, at 8,650 feet (2,637 meters) above sea level. The ski area is about 4,200 acres (1,701 hectares), and is 40% covered by snowmaking machines. They receive around 144 inches (366 cm) of snowfall annually. The ski lifts have an uphill lift capacity of around 15,500 people per hour.