Lake Minnewanka
Encyclopedia
Lake Minnewanka is a glacial lake
located in the eastern area of Banff National Park
in Canada
, about five kilometres northeast of the Banff
townsite. The lake is 28 km (17.4 mi) long and 142 m (465.9 ft) deep, making it the longest lake in the mountain parks of the Canadian Rockies
(the result of a power dam at the west end).
The lake is fed by the Cascade River
, flowing east of Cascade Mountain
, and runs south through Stewart Canyon as it empties into the western end of the lake. Numerous streams flowing down from Mount Inglismaldie
, Mount Girouard
and Mount Peechee
on the south side of the lake also feed the lake.
Aboriginal people long inhabited areas around Lake Minnewanka, as early as 10,000 years ago, according to stone tools and a Clovis point spearhead
discovered by archaeologists
. The area is rich in animal life (e.g. elk
, mule deer
, mountain sheep, bear
s) and the easy availability of rock in the mountainous terrain was key to fashioning weapons for hunting.
The western end of the lake can be reached by following Lake Minnewanka road from the Trans-Canada Highway
. Boat tours are available near the parking lot. A hiking and mountain biking trail runs along the northern shore of the lake, passing Stewart Canyon and six backcountry campsites. Mount Aylmer
which at 3162 m (10,374 ft) is the highest mountain in this area of the park, is located a few kilometres north of the lake.
Dams were built in 1912 and 1941 to supply the town with hydro-electric power. The most recent dam (1941) raised the lake 30 m and submerged the resort village of Minnewanka Landing that had been present there since 1888. Because of the presence of the submerged village, submerged bridge pilings, and submerged dam (the one from 1912) the lake is popular among recreational scuba divers
.
Glacial lake
A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. Near the end of the last glacial period, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create...
located in the eastern area of Banff National Park
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, about five kilometres northeast of the Banff
Banff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
townsite. The lake is 28 km (17.4 mi) long and 142 m (465.9 ft) deep, making it the longest lake in the mountain parks of the Canadian Rockies
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
(the result of a power dam at the west end).
The lake is fed by the Cascade River
Cascade River (Alberta)
The Cascade River is a medium-sized river in southwestern Alberta, Canada. It originates in the Canadian Rockies, flows through Lake Minnewanka, and in turn, joins the Bow River....
, flowing east of Cascade Mountain
Cascade Mountain (Alberta)
Cascade Mountain is a mountain located in the Bow River Valley of Banff National Park, adjacent to the town of Banff. The mountain was named in 1858 by James Hector after the waterfall or cascade on the southern flanks of the peak. The mountain has also been called Stoney Chief, which is related...
, and runs south through Stewart Canyon as it empties into the western end of the lake. Numerous streams flowing down from Mount Inglismaldie
Mount Inglismaldie
Mount Inglismaldie is the second highest peak of the Fairholme Range in Banff National Park. It is located immediately west of Mount Girouard in the Bow River valley south of Lake Minnewanka....
, Mount Girouard
Mount Girouard
Mount Girouard is the highest peak of the Fairholme Range in Banff National Park, Canada. Mt. Girouard is located in the Bow River valley south of Lake Minnewanka....
and Mount Peechee
Mount Peechee
Mount Peechee is the third highest peak of the Fairholme Range in Banff National Park. Mt. Peechee is located immediately southeast of Mount Girouard in the Bow River valley south of Lake Minnewanka....
on the south side of the lake also feed the lake.
Aboriginal people long inhabited areas around Lake Minnewanka, as early as 10,000 years ago, according to stone tools and a Clovis point spearhead
Clovis culture
The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appears 11,500 RCYBP , at the end of the last glacial period, characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools...
discovered by archaeologists
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
. The area is rich in animal life (e.g. elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, mountain sheep, bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s) and the easy availability of rock in the mountainous terrain was key to fashioning weapons for hunting.
The western end of the lake can be reached by following Lake Minnewanka road from the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
. Boat tours are available near the parking lot. A hiking and mountain biking trail runs along the northern shore of the lake, passing Stewart Canyon and six backcountry campsites. Mount Aylmer
Mount Aylmer
Mount Aylmer is a mountain in Banff National Park, Canada. At , it is the highest point of the Palliser Range and the entire East Banff Ranges of the Canadian Rockies. The mountain was named in 1890 by J.J. McArthur after his hometown of Aylmer, Quebec....
which at 3162 m (10,374 ft) is the highest mountain in this area of the park, is located a few kilometres north of the lake.
Dams were built in 1912 and 1941 to supply the town with hydro-electric power. The most recent dam (1941) raised the lake 30 m and submerged the resort village of Minnewanka Landing that had been present there since 1888. Because of the presence of the submerged village, submerged bridge pilings, and submerged dam (the one from 1912) the lake is popular among recreational scuba divers
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
.