May 10, 2012 at 5:02 pm

Picture of the Day: Glacier-Fed Peyto Lake in Banff

by twistedsifter

 

GLACIER-FED PEYTO LAKE IN BANFF

 

peyto lake banff national park alberta canada Picture of the Day: Glacier Fed Peyto Lake in Banff

 

Peyto Lake (pea-toe) is a glacier-fed lake located in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies (Alberta, Canada). The lake itself is easily accessed from the Icefields Parkway. It was named for Bill Peyto, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area.

The lake is formed in a valley of the Waputik Range, between Caldron Peak, Peyto Peak and Mount Jimmy Simpson, at an elevation of 1,860 m (6,100 ft). During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake, and these suspended rock particles give the lake a bright, turquoise color. Because of its bright color, photos of the lake often appear in illustrated books, and area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists in the park. The lake is best seen from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefield Parkway.

The lake is fed by the Peyto Creek, which drains water from the Caldron Lake and Peyto Glacier (part of the Wapta Icefield), and flows into the Mistaya River. [Source: Wikipedia]

The turquoise colour of this lake is truly breathtaking. To really appreciate the beauty of this location and photograph, the Sifter highly recommends checking out the full resolution 4150 x 2467 pixel image