47/52 - Perfect Peyto
Peyto Lake, Canadian Rockies.
Peyto Lake is a glacier-fed lake in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies
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.
This photo was taken in Spring, just after the de-icing of Peyto Lake. For a short period of time the lake assumes a sapphire color, much darker than its characteristic turquoise.
Its color is due to the significant amounts of glacial rock flour that flow into the lake during the Summer, giving the lake a bright turquoise colour. Because of its bright colour, photos of the lake often appear in illustrated books, and the area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists. The lake is best seen from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefields Parkway.
The lake is fed by Peyto Creek, which drains water from Caldron Lake and Peyto Glacier (part of the Wapta Icefield). Peyto Lake is the origin of the Mistaya River, which heads northwest from the lake's outflow.
