Can you see the Bow Valley?

Yes. The Bow Valley is one of the major landscapes visible from the Lake Louise Summer Sightseeing Gondola and Whitehorn Mountain. In fact, the elevated view across the valley is one of the strongest reasons to take the gondola.

As the gondola or open-air chairlift climbs Whitehorn Mountain, the view gradually opens over the forested Bow Valley, with the Trans-Canada Highway and other developed areas appearing small below. From higher elevations, you get a much better sense of the enormous scale of the valley and how it sits between the surrounding Rocky Mountain ranges.

From the upper mountain, you can look across the valley toward Lake Louise, Mount Victoria, Victoria Glacier and the Continental Divide. In other directions, layers of forested slopes, ridges and peaks continue along the Bow Valley.

The view is particularly impressive because you're seeing the landscape from the opposite side of the valley from Lake Louise. Rather than having mountains immediately surrounding you, the elevation and distance provide a broad panoramic perspective.

On a clear day, visibility can extend a considerable distance along the valley. Binoculars are useful for identifying distant features, while a wide-angle camera lens works well for capturing the scale of the mountains and valley together.

The Bow Valley can be especially beautiful during autumn, when the forests and vegetation begin changing colour and fresh snow may appear on the surrounding summits. In summer, the combination of deep green forest, turquoise Lake Louise, exposed rock and distant glaciers creates a very different landscape.

For visitors interested primarily in scenery rather than hiking, the Bow Valley panorama alone makes the upper Whitehorn Mountain experience worthwhile. You can appreciate much of it from the developed sightseeing areas without needing to undertake a long hike. Book the Banff Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish ChairliftBooking the Banff Sunshine Village Sightseeing Gondola & Standish Chairlift Admission includes All taxes, fees and handling charges. Banff Gondola Home