The Lake of the Hanging Glacier is a stunning Alpine lake that glimmers turquoise in the summer sun. The lake gets its stunning colour and its name from the hanging glacier that feeds it, trickling down from the jagged mountain peaks that surround the stunning lake. This view is the reward for completing one of the more challenging hikes that Panorama offers.

The Lake of the Hanging Glacier trail is approximately 16km roundtrip, with an elevation gain of 720m, taking 4-6 hours to complete. This trail can only be attempted in the late summer when water level conditions allow for a seasonal bridge to be placed. Most of the trail is switchbacks that take you through the forest, past cascading waterfalls and trickling creeks flowing down from the Glacial Lake.

As you near the top, the trees clear into meadows, where many people camp. In the late summer season, the area surrounding the lake is often inhabited by flowers and mountain goats. While it is a gruelling way up, the view of the lake, and a possible dip inside its icy waters, truly make it all worth it.

Photo: Jude Matsalla, flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0