Specific sunrise and sunset locations in and around Banff/Jasper/Yoho

I will be traveling to the Banff/Jasper/Yoho area of the rockies (by

auto) this summer or early fall (is it worth visiting late June/early

July or is it too busy?). I am trying to nail down some specific

locations for good sunrises and sunsets that might include mountains,

alpenglow, lakes, interesting foregrounds, etc. I'd like to have at

least 4 or 5 of these locations I can plan on visiting and know

exactly where to stop and/or hike (long hikes are not a problem) to

be in the ideal position. Any other specific information regarding

the area, including the Bow Valley Parkway, Icefields Parkway and

wildlife locations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Lucky you, Mark. For answers to most of your questions, I suggest you get two issues of "Photo Traveler" -- Feb/March 1995 on Jaspar and June/July 1994 on Banff, Kootenay and Yoho. Contact Photo Traveler Publications at P.O. Box 39912, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Based on my five trips over the past 35 years, here are four sunrise/sunset suggestions. All are world-class and are among the most photographed vistas in the Canadian Rockies.

1. Sunrise over Lake Louise from the boating dock, with the view of Mt. Victoria and its hanging glacier reflected. Once the sun rises a bit and the breeze ripples the lake, it is finished photographically.

2. Sunrise over Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks from the rockpile. You'll need 24mm or wider.

3. Sunset over Vermillion Lakes looking toward Mt. Rundle. The bugs here can be ferocious.

4. Sunrise and sunset over Peyto Lake. Peyto Lake is always magnificent and I return to it throughout the day to take the same view under different lighting conditions. Projecting these "time lapse" slides in order can be very effective visually.

Sunrises and sunsets can be extremely contrasty generally. At these sites, this problem is made even more difficult than usual by the

presence of glaring snow or ice. A split neutral density filter is a necessity. Finding animals is hit or miss in the summer. They often escape the heat by moving from the Bow Valley to higher elevations. I've never been there in the fall, but I'm told that when cooler weather approaches in mid-September they move back down into the Valley, where the fall foliage is beautiful. Locals caution about

approaching bull elks in the fall during the mating season.

Its diffucult to find a poor location for photography in Banff and Jasper. Besides those areas already mentioned, I got some great sunrise images at Johnson Lake and Lake Minnewanka in Banff NP. The drive by these lakes is great for big horn sheep, elk and ground squirrels as well. Shooting the ground squirrels near the buffalo paddock was great fun, and some of the best images of the trip (don't overlook these little guys)! I photographed sunset at Vermillion Lakes several times, with many successful images. Try some of the less photographed areas along Bow Parkway.

The road to Maligne Lake in Jasper was a wildlife hotspot - black and grizzly bear, elk, big horn, deer, coyote, even wolf! Terrific! Got some of my best landscape images in this area as well.

If you have time, and if you are interested in bird photography, the Columbia River Valley to the west of the parks is a paradise. A real hotspot for eagles, hawks, falcons, ducks, and passerines.