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Destination Spotlight: Banff, Alberta
Lovestogo's love for the western U.S. could result in a permanent move. "Our golden-year dream is to retire in Montana, where the lakes, meadows, and wildlife are endless," she says. "Until then, we just keep working to go on vacation!"
From Oh Canada! How we loved the Rockies!
No words or photographs can fully capture the beauty of Peyto Lake at Bow Summit in Banff, Alberta. It's truly a place that you have to see to believe.
Bow Summit is located approximately 26 miles north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93). It's not a mountaintop, per se, but rather a heightened strip of land that divides the waters flowing south to the Bow River and north to the Mistaya River.
On our first visit in June 2004, the road from Icefields Parkway was barricaded and covered with ankle-deep snowfall. Nevertheless, I had seen photos of the lake and decided that a little snow wasn't about to prevent me from seeing it with my own eyes. As we walked uphill on the paved road, we encountered several folks coming down with looks of exhilaration on their faces. They all uttered the same words: "Beautiful… just beautiful."
From the upper parking lot, a wide, wheelchair-accessible trail leads down a short path (about 1/10 mile) to the main overlook of Peyto Lake. It's here that you'll be treated to one of the most breathtaking panoramic views you'll ever experience. Surrounded by dark-green spruce, fir, and white-bark pine trees, the deep, dark turquoise lake resembles a big, slightly bent arm, with "fingers" that seemingly change color with the sun's every movement.
The lake's deep-blue colors change throughout the year as the nearby glacier melts and flows across a delta and into the lake. This glacial water is laden with finely ground particles of rock debris known as rock flour, which remains in the lake. It's not the mineral content of this rock flour that contributes to the lake's unique color, but rather the rock flour's tiny particles that reflect the blue-green sector of the light spectrum.
We made two visits to Peyto Lake. The first time, June 3, we found the lake's fingers still frozen—but just a week later, we returned to see the ice almost completely melted. If you want to explore Peyto Lake up close, a steep trail leads down from the overlook, or there's a 1.6km trail leaving from the first parking area (but beware, as this one is usually wet and soggy).
You'll see spectacular photos of Peyto Lake and Bow Summit, but the view in person is a million times better. If your time is short and you have to choose what to see and do in the Banff area, a visit to Peyto Lake/Bow Summit should be a top priority.
