Do the staff live at the tea house?

The majority of the staff are university students who work at the Lake Agnes Tea House during the summer months before school starts again. Accommodation is provided in a loft above the teahouse and two rustic wooden cabins nestled in the woods around Lake Agnes.

How do staff get to work?

The staff hike on the same trail you do to get to the tea house. They hike up and down from Lake Louise 2-4 times per week carrying supplies with them on the way up and garbage with them on the way down.

How do you get supplies to the tea house?

The staff hike up fresh supplies with them on their backs 2-4 times per week. There is also one helicopter supply run each year which brings up dry goods and propane. This usually takes an entire day at the beginning of the summer as it takes 20-30 trips to fly 10,000 pounds of supplies up. The helicopter uses a long line with a net attached to drop the supplies right next to the tea house porch.

What do you do with the garbage?

All the garbage and recycling is carried down the trail by staff every day. Every time a staff member hikes down to Lake Louise they are carrying two large bags of garbage. If you are every hiking the trail in the evening you may catch a staff running down with garbage.

How do you get your water?

The water is pumped from the lake using a gas powered water pump. It is then stored in a large water tank and the water is gravity fed to the tea house. All the water is then boiled for service including boiling water and cooling it to make lemonade every day.

What time do the staff start working?

The baker begins their day at 5:30am to bake our homemade oatmeal brown bread, tea biscuits, and other baked goodies that we bake fresh every morning for service throughout the day. The next staff member comes in at 7:00am to continue setting up for our opening at 8:00am. Then begins a long day for all of the staff as there is no electricity at Lake Agnes so all tasks are done by hand. Staff are constantly preparing food and drinks, washing dishes, waiting tables, and baking.

What do staff do on their days off or after work?

The staff who come to work at the Lake Agnes Tea House are there to enjoy the Rocky Mountains and the outdoors. After dinner is made and the teahouse is clean for the night, staff often enjoy short hikes to the back of the lake or Little Beehive. Longer adventures happen on days off where staff are often hiking in the nearby mountains: Devil’s Thumb, Niblock, or Mount Saint Piran. Staff also take advantage of the location to go on camping trips and explore Banff and the surrounding areas.