Bow Summit Lookout

Short, but steep describes today's hike in the Bow Lake area along the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, the first time we have ventured up the Icefields. 

The trail began at the popular viewpoint on Peyto Lake, an incredibly turquoise-colored lake.

The view across the lake better shows the color.

The trail follows an old fire lookout road. Tim says, "the trail meanders up", but it was more like a steep climb and the views of the valley just got better and better as we climbed.

At the top of Bow Summit was this view of Bow Lake and the Icefields Parkway passing by on the northeast side.

From the summit we could look north and see it raining in the next valley.

There was one section of the trail that crossed a small, crystal clear stream and a few times we had to traverse snow on the trail.

There are several different hues of the Indian Paintbrush wildflower, but the ones along the trail today were a vivid fuschia.

It is actually the leaves that are colored with the flowers tucked away at the top.

A grouping of fir trees like this is called a Tree Island. They cluster together in islands to improve their chances of survival. A dense clump offers shelter, support and warmth. Some islands are made up entirely of many offshoots of a single parent.