Moraine Lake mandatory shuttle access starts up
It's the start of a new season at Moraine Lake and for the first time, you will have to take a shuttle bus to access the famous landmark -- no matter how early you're willing to show up.
This will be the first weekend of mandatory shuttle access and while it's going smoothly so far, organizers admit the system hasn't been tested yet.
"Moraine Lake was sold out for the bulk of the day," said Colin Debaie with Parks Canada.
"We felt it was a really good test of the capacity of the system."
The announcement may have been sudden but the problem has been building for years.
The village now has not one but two traffic lights and for years, Parks Canada staff were turning away vehicles, telling them to try again later.
That had some circling back half a dozen times, further aggravating the traffic situation.
There may be adjustments in the future - but the shuttles are here to stay.
The real summer rush is still a month away but already, the parking lots are starting to fill as tourists arrive.
The road to Moraine Lake has been controlled for years, often closed once the tiny parking lot at the far end filled up -- something it seems out-of-province visitors were already aware of.
"I noticed that parking would be very difficult down in Lake Louise, so I decided that probably taking the shuttle would be the easiest," one person said.
It's also the only way in unless you're ready to bike or walk the 30-kilometre round trip.
It's only the early days of the mandatory shuttle but so far, the concerns are minor.
"You need to log in and then come back and it's a little bit confusing and it takes a little bit longer," another person said.
The shuttles board at the Lake Louise ski area parking lot and you can book 48 hours in advance.
Walk-ons are very limited but visitors say it quickly gets easier.
"Once you purchase and come here, it's really easy to park and the shuttles come quite often," said one person.
Not everyone knows what to do -- some people were in line without a reservation.
Today, they'll get on but by August, there's bound to be some disappointment.
"We arrived in the area and then they said that we have to take the bus, so more directions would be helpful," said another person.
Parks Canada says some disappointment is inevitable given the massive crowds trying to reach a small place but overall, it's hoped the system will be an improvement.
The best advice: book ahead, be flexible in your dates and have a backup plan.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.