There is a saying that the third time is a charm. When it comes to the weather surrounding or over mountains, the saying simply does not apply. Watching numerous weather apps is just as futile (even more futile than having them predict your local weather). Why? It is a scientific fact that mountains create their own weather. Don't ask me how as I am not qualified to answer this, but my experience of many years of traveling and shooting them simply proves it to be true.
Last week, it took a fourth visit to Bow Lake when the magic happened unexpectedly. Our first three visits saw rain, snow, wind and low-hanging clouds. Not ideal, but we were still able to get some nice moody photos. On our last day in Banff, we headed toward Jasper National Park with very little expectations. The forecast was for rain and we were hoping for a few breaks along the Icefields Parkway. When we pulled into the parking area for Bow Lake, magic happened. The sun was shining, cumulous clouds were above, and most surprisingly, the lake was as still as glass. I couldn't get out of our car fast enough. It was hard not to get a great shot. The magic lasted for about 20 minutes, but what a 20 minutes it was.