Number 5: Moraine Lake
I am not sure how my beloved Moraine Lake ended up as number five. It is, honestly, one of my favorite places on the planet. She was the motivation for my first visit to the Canadian Rockies in 2010. My friend Doug had told me about a roadtrip he took to Alaska, and how he stumbled upon the amazing site and it was so beautiful it took his breath away. Something about his description, and his passion for the beauty, made me use the old google and I became obsessed with the idea of visiting there. It took about five years before I was able to make a trip, but since 2010, I’ve been back three times.
On my most recent trip to Banff, I went to Moraine lake four days in a row. Each day, I wanted more. Each day, I wasn’t satisfied. I went to sunrise three days in a row (even in wretched weather and snow storms, she was beautiful!). I drove hundreds of miles round trip to see her at sunrise. Honestly, one might say I drove 8000 miles to see her, as she is the inspiration for me buying a teardrop camper in 2014 (Louise is the color of Moraine Lake) and wanting to visit the Canadian Rockies with my camper. I hired an AMAZING photography teacher to help me improve my techniques, and take me to my favorite site.
So while she might be number five in this year’s top ten, Moraine Lake will ALWAYS be my favorite. I feel so at peace when I sit on her shore, waiting for sunrise and hoping for magic on her peaks.
The sunrises this year weren’t perfect. But maybe that was in her plan so I’d come back and visit again.
I think I will.
Teardrops & Ales 