Babel Creek and Consolation Lakes

 

If you have ever been to Banff National Park there is a good chance that you have been to Morraine Lake.  It is a jewel amongst the amazing peaks and valleys that the area has to offer, but it is not alone.  If you follow the trail that goes southeast from the parking lot you will eventually come to a pair of lakes.  They are the Consolation Lakes.  The channel that drains them is Babel Creek and is the water body you see in the above picture.

Like most tourists, I will travel to popular destinations that attract the masses.  Getting there early is always a good idea as the light tends to be better and there are few people to get in the way of photos.  For me, it doesn't stop there.  I like to go beyond the typical experience and explore lesser-known venues.  A good example was the experience I had visiting Morraine Lake.  I did thoroughly enjoy my visit there and came away with some stunning photos, but it was my journey along the path following the ascending valley that provided adventure.

The lakes themselves are not very large or deep.  Nor do they have the alure of swimming or even wading as their continually frigid waters would give pause to even the most intrepid among us.  It was their beauty, nestled within the steep sided valley that ensconced them, and the plethora of boulders that adorned their rocky shores that gave them ethereal beauty.  Short lived as summers tend to be in alpine regions, it wouldn't be long before they became icy plains hiding away the treasures that they sequestered.

Sometimes my expectations for adventure around an unexplored corner go unfulfilled, but on this day they were hamsomely rewarded.  Even when such hopes fizzle unclimatically, the trail awaits the eager traveller, knowing that, occassionally, something stunning awaits.

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