Wow, we covered a lot of territory today - I can't remember how the day started! Up early (9am) and out by 10:15, drove back west on Hwy 11 to meet up with the Icefield Parkway (93 south) toward Lake Louise. Had to buy another day pass for Jasper/Banff State Parks (they are about $16/day) to be within the parks. Our first stop was Waterfowl Lake, another beautiful lake, then on to Peyto Lake near the Bow Summit, highest point on the Icefield Parkway. The parking lot was overflowing so we drove down the road a little way to park in a pull off area, which was a blessing because when we came back, cars and RV's were all the way down the road! We hiked up to the lookout point, which was so crowded, you could barely work in to get a picture. I saw some people coming from an upper trail, asked them about it, and they whispered the views were spectacular above and hardly any people! So we set off up the trail (there was a Y in the road initially, the downhill trail was supposed to be beautiful also, but it seemed higher would be a better view, so straight up we went! After about a half mile, we came to a sign showing a loop or left turn to the bus parking lot - we went on the right side of the loop (at the sign) to second trail on right - wasn't sure it would go anywhere, but it was well travelled and we hit pay dirt! Gorgeous views away from the madding crowds!!! Lookout way above Peyto Lake in one direction and views of Bow Summit and glaciers in the other direction! And so peaceful after all the crowds below. On the way down, when we hit that sign, we followed it out to bus/handicapped parking and walked down the road to our RV - a much better walk than following the steep narrow forest trail with crowds of people. And if you come, it would be even better to have a handicapped sticker for your car and get to the top parking level to start - but, hey, we need the exercise!! Then back on the road, passed a couple more gorgeous lakes because parking looked so awful. We did pull in at Lake Herbert for a picnic lunch - grilled some sandwiches in the RV and sat on the lake to eat - heaven! Then on the road to Lake Louise - we merged into Rt 1, then exited at Lake Louise exit, and hit traffic directors at the first intersection (next to Visitor's Center - large sign announced parking lot at VC was full, so that made one decision - drive on!) Next turn was Lake Moraine, and as we turned into that road, they were putting up a road block, saying it was too full for parking (3:30 pm), we should come back after 7pm! So, just turn around the big rig in the road, and go back!!! Sure!! On up to Lake Louise, thinking we've just hit the 10,000 mile mark in the RV, and we might not get to see Lake Louise!! We drove past miles of parked cars along the road, praying for a site, through the 4 Lake Louise parking lots, were turned away again, and about a mile back down the road, I found a site on the edge that was wide enough and long enough for me to parallel park the rig!!! Our lucky rainbow is still with us! Then hoofing it back up the steep hill another mile to get to the parking lots, and the trail to lake! Thousands of people, like walking into Disney World from their lots, except we had to walk mountain roads. Lake Louise was like in the movies, just more modern - selfie sticks dotting the air, colorful hair and tattoos, international languages and accents all around! And Sara had to notice the lady carrying her ferret in her purse - a near miss there since Sara would love to catch a ferret! Then, hoping for the same good view we found at Lake Peyto, I see a sign for Fairview Lookout - sounded like a quiet lookout point over the crowds, right? Just 1.6 km the sign said! So we start up - during our oxygen deprivation, we are trying to calculate how far that might be in miles - just 1 mile?? But it was very steep and no other people - Sara was thrilled to be let free, and we were trying to keep up with her as she went up, then ran back to us, then ran ahead again. Finally, we met another woman, who told us she had started this summit climb at 10am today and was just now coming down, she didn't know of any "lookout", but there was a sign "just ahead" - so we decide to try to reach the sign; in the meantime, we meet 2 more hikers coming down, and we ask them "how far to lookout" - they looked at their watches in alarm and said it was many hours to the summit! We rephrased, and said "just a nice view?!" And they said, "oh, just a little farther!" Needless to say, we were dying of exhaustion and lung death, but we came to a clearing with a good view, and we called it success! No lake view, but time to turn around and head down - on the way down, we saw the turnoff to get to Fairview Lookout, but we no longer cared to see any lookouts! So all the way back down to RV, about 2.5 hours total. Parking and crowds had improved, and the lodges/hotels around there looked grand - we even heard tell they serve high tea, which would have been fun, but we were no longer "high tea worthy". We tried to find the town of Lake Louise, just to drive through, but never saw it, and kind of didn't care to look at Banff either. Our goal had been to get to Canmore, first town outside the Parks, and then we started the search for a campground. I had seen Bow River Campground on maps, and location looked great, so we searched it out. Drove through and thought we would not find a site, but just at the end of the park, we got the last site!! And it's a great campground on a beautiful river. Weather is just perfect, finally have jackets off and enjoying a cool, sunny evening dinner at our picnic table. We also met another Weimeraner in the campground, the prettiest I've ever seen, from Saskatchewan! A sunset walk on the river completed our day!