FOCAL POINT Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A) It’s only 48 kilometres long, but the sights along the Bow Valley Parkway in Banff National Park pack a mighty punch. Winding between the communities of Lake Louise and Banff, it’s a quieter alternative to the nearby Trans-Canada Highway. With a speed limit of just 60 kilometres an hour, visitors are encouraged to explore at a more leisurely pace — all the better to take in the scenery and wildlife.
1. Lake Louise Few places are more symbolic of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains than Lake Louise, with its idyllic turquoise water framed by snowcapped mountains and Victoria Glacier. Go early to avoid the crowds. You can hike, bike, go horseback riding, canoe — or simply feast your eyes on Mother Nature’s perfection. 2. Plain of Six Glaciers Trail Starting at Lake Louise, this moderate hike is a classic with its impressive glacier and mountain views. About 5.5 kilometres in, stop at a quaint teahouse, then go another
1.5 kilometres for a close-up look at Victoria Glacier. You can turn back or carry on to Lake Agnes along the Highline Trail. 3. Moraine Lake and Valley of the Ten Peaks This aquamarine lake with 10 peaks rising gracefully above it has been featured on the Canadian $20 dollar bill. Climb the rock pile adjacent to the lake to capture your own postcard-perfect shot. Get here along Moraine Lake Road, just off the parkway. 4. Morant’s Curve
This was one of Canadian Pacific Railway photographer Nicholas Morant’s favourite spots to photograph trains as they rounded a picturesque bend in the Bow River. Find it five minutes east of Lake Louise along the Bow Valley Parkway. Trains typically pass by a few times an hour. 5. Castle Mountain Midway between Banff and Lake Louise, pull over at Castle Junction to admire the castellated peaks of Castle Mountain, one of the most impressive geological formations in the Bow Valley. Look for the layer of soft shale sandwiched between harder deposits of limestone and dolomite. QUICK FACT: Castle Mountain is a Rocky Mountain sandwich. That’s a term used by Professional Geologists to describe mountains with three distinct rock layers: limestone on the top and bottom, with soft shale in the middle.
RIDE THE RAILS rockymountaineer.com viarail.com
Don’t just watch trains — hop aboard! Two companies, VIA Rail and the Rocky Mountaineer, offer packages to suit different interests and budgets. QUICK FACT: The Canadian Pacific Railway is among the greatest engineering feats in Canadian history. Engineers in the late 1800s had to conquer rocky peaks and gorges along three mountain ranges, creating a sea-to-sea link that helped define the nation.
Photo Credits 1. Lake Louise -photo by Michael Muraz 3. Moraine Lake -photo by Paul Gorbould 5. Castle Mountain -photo by Chris Pawluk
78 | PEG SUMMER 2016
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