BANFF NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 139

road conditions in Banff or Lake Louise before setting out. And be sure to fill up with gas;
no services are available between November and April.
SIGHTS AND DRIVES
Lake Louise to Crowfoot Glacier
The Icefields Parkway forks right from the TransCanada Highway just north of Lake
Louise. The impressive scenery begins immediately. Just three kilometers (1.9 miles) from
the junction is Herbert Lake, formed during the last ice age when retreating glaciers de-
posited a pile of rubble, known as a moraine , across a shallow valley and water filled
in behind it. The lake is a perfect place for early-morning or early-evening photography,
when the Waputik Range and distinctively shaped Mount Temple are reflected in its wa-
ters.
Traveling north, you'll notice numerous depressions in the steep, shaded slopes of the
Waputik Range across the Bow Valley. The cooler climate on these north-facing slopes
makes them prone to glaciation. Cirques were cut by small local glaciers. On the oppos-
ite side of the road, Mount Hector (3,394 meters/11,130 feet), easily recognized by its
layered peak, soon comes into view.
Hector Lake Viewpoint is 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the junction. Although the
view is partially obscured by trees, the emerald-green waters nestled below a massive
wall of limestone form a breathtaking scene. Bow Peak, seen looking northward along
the highway, is only 2,868 meters (9,410 feet) high but is completely detached from the
Waputik Range, making it a popular destination for climbers. As you leave this view-
point, look across the northeast end of Hector Lake for glimpses of Mount Balfour (3,246
meters/10,650 feet) on the distant skyline.
Crowfoot Glacier
The aptly named Crowfoot Glacier can best be appreciated from a viewpoint 17 kilometers
(10.6 miles) north of Hector Lake. The glacier sits on a wide ledge near the top of Crow-
foot Mountain, from where its glacial claws cling to the mountain's steep slopes. The re-
treat of this glacier has been dramatic. Only 50 years ago, two of the claws extended to
the base of the lower cliff. Today they are a shadow of their former selves, barely reaching
over the cliff edge.