MORAINE MELANCHOLY
Canadian Rocky Mountain Locale Among World's Most Beautiful, Peaceful Sites


By Ken Paul Mink

One of the nicest things about taking a few vacation getaway days at the Moraine Lake Lodge in the Canadian Rocky Mountains near Banff was all the questions we heard from our friends when they looked over our photos from the trip.
"Is the lake really that color...that blue?" (Yes, it is, absolutely).
"Are those really glaciers that close to the lake and lodge?" (Yep, they sure are...in fact you can even hike to one or two and of them and walk right across them).
"Are those mountains really that ruggedly beautiful?" (Nah...they're much more beautiful that what those photos showed).
Needless to say our friends were all psyched up about making their own visit to that magnificent section of Canada.
We found ourselves reluctant to leave, too. Having experienced one of the world's most lovely vistas has that kind of effect on you.
The Moraine Lake Lodge is located a couple of miles off Canada's Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), some 50 miles west of Banff and about 120 miles west of Calgary. The facility is in the Banff National Park and as such provides visitors an up-close-and-personal relationship with Mother Nature. No billboards, no satellite dishes, no high-rises, no concrete jungles. Just mountain splendor. Lake Louise is about 10 minutes away (though larger and very picturesque, Lake Louise cannot match the unique beauty of Lake Moraine).
Lake Moraine is located in what is known as the Valley of the Ten Peaks area, featuring 10 mountains in the 10,000-foot-plus elevation range. Looming directly behind the lodge is 11,621-foot Mount Temple, the third highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. The setting is so beautiful it was recreated on the Canadian $20 bill for years. The site is considered one of the World's Top 10 Most Scenic Locations.
Lake Moraine is gaining a reputation as a honeymooner paradise, with more and more young (and old) couples kicking off their shoes amid the natural splendor. While Moraine Lake Lodge is a top choice for adults, children are discouraged. "This is a beautiful, quiet, peaceful place and we like to keep it that way," said a lodge official.
The stunning blue/green color of the lake is the result of the glacier movement over the years. The grinding away on the high mountain rocks created stone flakes (called glacial flour) that over the years filtered down to the lake, creating the sky-matching reflected color. The glacial silt is suspended in the water and absorbs all colors expect blue-green (with the blue-green then reflected outwardly).
Moraine Lake Lodge, situated at about the 6,300-foot level, is truly a place you go to when you want to totally relax and commune personally with nature.
Boating and hiking dominate the activities, with numerous trails along the lake and up the mountainsides. You can bite off as much as you can chew, taking short 30-minute hikes or all-day excursions. The views are magnificent from all the trails. Fall hikes are especially inviting because the mountains are snowcapped, with the larch tree forests providing a golden necklace as the tree's pines change color.
The lodge employs a naturalist, who each evening sits down with guests and goes over various aspects of the trails, plants and animals to be found in the area. Bears (mostly black but sometimes even a grizzly)., moose, elk, bighorn sheep, etc., are not uncomon sights to hikers. The naturalist also conducts guided hikes each day (sign up early for these).
A huge pile of boulders and rock debris marks one end of the lake. The Rockpile, as it is called, is about 100 feet high and is scalable (great views from the top). Moraine in French basically means an edge of glacial "rockpile" and that is how the lake got its name.
Free canoes are available to guests who want to ply the turquoise waters.
The lodge has 34 rooms in cabins dotted all around the main lodge, all with great views of the lakes and mountains. All the cabins have workable fireplaces.
The lodge staff is extremely helpful, knowledgeable and courteous.
Dining at the Lake Moraine Lodge is also a fabulous treat. The large restaurant has huge glass picture windows and a glass roof, affording fantastic views of the lake and mountains. The kitchen staff prepares a variety of sumptuous meals, with world class presentation. Several patrons were overheard saying the restaurant ranked alongside many four and five-star restaurants they have visited over the years.
The lodge's Trading Post offers a wide variety of clothing and gifts and the library serves as a congenial common room where overnight guests can relax after a hike, meet other travelers or read quietly by the fire.
At Moraine Lake Lodge, people are inspired to enjoy each other as much as the natural beauty surrounding them. As Walter Wilcox was the first to observe, a half-hour or a week spent in this setting can be the happiest of a lifetime. The lodge combines a rugged grandeur stage with luxury to create a living postcard at every turn. It is no surprise that the lake has become known as "the Jewel of the Rockies.'
Within a few minutes drive of Lake Moraine is a multitude of scenic locales, small villages and crystal clear rivers.
Unfortunately for many, the Loraine Lake Lodge is not open during the winter months (usually opening in June and closing at the end of September) due to the heavy snowfall that would make travel too difficult.
Moraine Lake Lodge is not cheap (nothing really great ever is), but there are various package plans available. For rates and other information, check out the lodge's website at www.morainelake.com or call their toll-free number at 877-522-2777.

This story was published on 15 Oct 2005.