Up one level DesktopScenes.com » Scenes from the Canadian Rockies (2004) » The Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway
One of the most spectacular mountain roads in the world, the Icefields Parkway follows river valleys just east of the Continental Divide, running 140 miles from Lake Louise northwest to Jasper. The parkway is part of what makes visiting the Canadian Rockies so worthwhile, even for casual tourists, as incredible scenery is easily visible right from the road for most of its length, along with a great deal of wildlife. Most of the parkway is in Banff National Park, with this sceneset focusing on the area from Lake Louise to the Icefields Visitors' Centre across from Athabasca Glacier. Be sure to also view the next sceneset, since the Columbia Icefield area also includes part of the Icefields Parkway.

Herbert Lake Reflections When we started out on the Icefields Parkway, I was excited about the famous lakes I wanted to see: Peyto, Bow and the other Herbert Lake Reflections
Herbert Lake and the Bow Range A wider shot showing most of Herbert Lake. Behind it, tucked under the rising clouds, Mt. Niblock and Mt. Whyte, and beyond them, the peaks of the Bow Range, better known as the backdrops of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Herbert Lake and the Bow Range
Herbert Mirror This is also Herbert Lake, and was taken at around the same time as the preceding images, but appears quite different from them simply due to a change of angle. The water was remarkably clear and still despite the image having been taken several hours after sunrise. Herbert Mirror
A Sliver of Hector Lake Hector Lake is substantially larger than its similarly-named neighbor to the south, Herbert Lake, but appears small in this image because of distance. Rising directly behind it is Pulpit Peak. Beyond the mountains lies the Waputik Icefield, a smaller field with an area of roughly 15 square miles. A Sliver of Hector Lake
The Icefields Parkway The parkway is just mile after mile of amazing scenery: soaring, snow-covered mountains, sparking impossibly-blue lakes, and thick, green confier forests. Plenty of wildlife as well, if you're a bit lucky. The Icefields Parkway
Crowfoot Glacier and Mountain Crowfoot Glacier was named by early explorers for its appearance: it had three long Crowfoot Glacier and Mountain
Crowfoot Glacier A closer shot of Crowfoot Glacier, clearly showing the two remaining Crowfoot Glacier
Bow Shore Bow Lake taken from the slightly-flooded shoreline. The large peak is part of Crowfoot Mountain. Bow Glacier, a small tongue of the large Wapta Icefield, can be seen on the right. Bow Shore
The Incomparable Peyto Lake Peyto Lake is perhaps the most famous of all the lakes in the Canadian Rockies, and it's easy to see why. The natural beauty of the area is enhanced by the fact that the viewpoint is nearly 600 feet higher than the lake, creating a truly breathtaking view that rivals anything I've seen elsewhere in North America. The Incomparable Peyto Lake
Majestic Mount Chephren The distinctive peak of Mount Chephren rises above Upper Waterfowl Lake, while numerous red Indian paintbrush plants provide a nice bit of color balance. Chephren Lake is located beyond the triangle-shaped, forested slope in the middle ground. Majestic Mount Chephren
Rosa Acicularis The wild rose is the provincial flower of Alberta and is found all over the Canadian Rockies. Rosa Acicularis
Big Bend, Big Hill Given the terrain through which it winds, most of the Icefields Parkway is remarkably Big Bend, Big Hill
Golden Peyto Taken on a mostly cloudy day when the sun broke through near sunset and lit up the rocks just below the viewpoint, this image shows Peyto in a very different mood from the traditional Golden Peyto
Beautiful Evening at Upper Waterfowl Lake It was a really beautiful evening when we went for a drive down the Icefields Parkway, this stop at Upper Waterfowl Lake. The sun sets very late in northern latitudes in the summer; this picture was taken at 9 pm and the sun was only just starting to set. Beautiful Evening at Upper Waterfowl Lake
Brooding Clouds roll in as the sun is setting over the Continental Divide. Brooding
Quiet Parkway One of the advantages of being an early-rising photographer is having even popular roads like the Icefields Parkway to oneself. :) Quiet Parkway
Early Light Near Saskatchewan River Crossing Morning light hits the mountains near Saskatchewan River Crossing, where the Icefields Parkway meets the David Thompson Highway, which leads east to Red Deer, Alberta. Early Light Near Saskatchewan River Crossing
Blowing Off The mountains of the Continental Divide Blowing Off
Chephren, Shrouded Mount Chephren looked especially pretty this morning as low clouds burned off in the rising sun. Chephren, Shrouded
Socked In If you only had one opportunity to visit Peyto Lake and it looked like this, you'd probably be pretty disappointed. But since I got here several times, I liked the less typical, moody feel on this cold and rainy day. Actually, not just rainy -- we had wet snowflakes on our car's windshield as we neared this viewpoint, despite the date in early July. Socked In
Moon Over Cirrus Mountain The beautiful view from the top of Big Hill is looking rather blue in this pre-5-am image, as the crescent moon rises over Cirrus Mountain. Moon Over Cirrus Mountain
The River Wide The North Saskatchewan widens dramatically as its bed widens near Saskatchewan River Crossing, where it meets the Howse and Mistaya rivers. The River Wide
Steam This almost looks like it was taken in a geothermal area, but it is just morning fog burning off from a field adjacent to the Icefields Parkway, near the border between Banff and Jasper National Parks. Steam
Sky Blue The sky and the river are nearly the same color in this simple landscape of the North Saskatchewan River, taken south of Big Bend. Sky Blue
Mount Wilson Mount Wilson is the dominant peak near Saskatchewan River Crossing. Weather has eroded deep gullies down its sides, giving it almost a pleated appearance. This image was taken from an embankment just off the Parkway. Mount Wilson
Waterfowl on the Lake It seemed fitting that I was able to capture an image of a duck swimming on Upper Waterfowl Lake on this crisp morning. Waterfowl on the Lake
Peyto Revisited As we were leaving Banff National Park, I couldn't resist stopping one more time at the Peyto Lake overlook. This time the water was nearly perfectly clear and provided a nice reflection of Mount Patterson (right center). If you look beyond the far right edge of the lake, you can see for many miles down the path of the Icefields Parkway. Peyto Revisited
Bow Lake and Glacier A different view of Bow Glacier and part of the lake of the same name, taken from the middle of its eastern edge. Center-right, Mount Jimmy Simpson, named after an early 20th century Rockies explorer and guide. Bow Lake and Glacier
Bow Lake Panorama A wider view of Bow Lake's crystal blue glacial waters. Part of Crowfoot Glacier can be seen far left. Bow Lake Panorama
Herbert Lake - Another Perspective I close this section of Scenes from the Canadian Rockies where I began, at the gorgeous Lake Herbert, at the southern tip of the Icefields Parkway. Herbert Lake - Another Perspective

This album has 591 items in total    |    Album was updated 2011.09.15    |    Generated by jAlbum 9, custom skin ExhibitPlus 1.5
Would you like to use this image for a Web site, product or project? Or perhaps obtain a print for framing and display? Please contact me for licensing or purchase information, mentioning the six-digit number located just above.
If you'd like to make a small donation to support my art, please use one of the boxes below. Donate $10 or more and get a free customized desktop background image of your choice! Thanks for your support. :)
Donate $2
Donate $5
Donate $10
Donate $20
Donate $30
Donate: $

© 2003-2011 Charles M. Kozierok. All Rights Reserved.