Vermilion Lakes Winter Afternoon

Following our stop at Two Jack Lake, Stewart and I ventured on to a familiar location on the Vermilion Lakes. This trio of lakes is situated in the Bow Valley, just west of the Town of Banff. We were able to find a good position at the far west end of the second lake with some open water between us and Mount Rundle to the east of the lakes.

Here’s how it looked on this sunny, December afternoon.

The open water creates innumerable opportunities for good pictures, more than we could hope to capture in the space of time we were there. This next picture features clumps of the reeds protruding above the water’s surface. They normally stand much taller but have been weighed down by an accumulation of snow. You can also see individual reeds, barely poking above the surface. They are coated with frost, the result of humid air contacting the colder surfaces of the reeds.

Looking toward the northeast, I was able to capture a good reflection of the Fairhome Range mountains which border the east side of the Bow Valley. The smaller mountain on the right side in the background is Tunnel Mountain, located in the Town of Banff.

Along the edge of the open water are numerous small inlets, ringed with accumulations of frost atop the ice beneath. These lakes are quite shallow, particularly at this location, where you can see the bottom quite clearly. I particularly like the ragged margin created by the ice crystals.

My final picture for this post features Mount Rundle, the focus of attention for anyone photographing in this area. I chose this shot from a number I took of the mountain. It’s a more close-in view and it was nicely illuminated by the late afternoon sun. I like the inclusion of some open water, the lines in the ice and the dormant reeds in the foreground. Also, if you look closely, there is a solitary band of wispy cloud, running along the upper edge of the mountain.

The combination of great weather, nice light and some very good ice and water features made for an excellent afternoon of photography. And some people wonder how I can enjoy the winter so much?