Alcove in the Shore of Lake Minnewanka in Banff

by John Twynam

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Alcove in the Shore of Lake Minnewanka in Banff

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John Twynam

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A view of Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park, Alberta, as seen from a small alcove in its shore looking out towards the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

"Minnewanka" is the Nakoda word for "Water of the Spirits". A popular day-use area for locals as well as tourists, the facilities at this lake offer motor boat rentals, kayak rentals, a guided cruise, hiking trails, and more. 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, bears) and the easy availability of rock in the mountainous terrain was key to fashioning weapons for hunting.

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 (98 ft) 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. Supposedly, there's a well-preserved toilet in a bathroom in the submerged village, and most divers make a stop there to have their picture taken while sitting on it.

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July 29th, 2021

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