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Photo locations · Banff National Park · Canada

Moraine Lake Rockpile: sunset photography forecast

The Rockpile is the elevated Moraine Lake view, where the ten peaks line up above luminous water and the shoreline trees provide scale. Dawn is beautiful, but access—not exposure—is now the main planning problem.

Sunrise tomorrowSunrise TuesdaySunrise Wednesday

Will today's sunset be worth it?

Simplified forecast from the open model run. The full forecast — a second model, your exact viewpoint, the hourly cloud timeline — is in the app.

Global model, about 13 km: less certain than in Europe.

in 2h 3m

Blocked grey lid

Little usable low-sun light expected

Sky colors

Golden hour
Sunset

Light corridor: blocked

Why: Rain near you is likely to block the light.

  • Light path: partly blocked (39% blocking cloud at the ray's height)
  • Sun: likely hidden. You're above the low cloud (1920 m), but a solid mid-level deck (99%) sits over it; the sun stays screened from above.
  • Rain: likely near you, which blocks most direct light
Viewer's line of sight, tangent to the Earth at your locationNear-ground relative humidity6% cover — too thin to draw as cloud15% cover — too thin to draw as cloudConnected cloud layer · 48–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 35–56% cover · 10–25% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 61–81% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 32–71% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 63–63% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 48–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 52–52% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 56–56% cover · 25–25% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 61–81% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 71–71% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 42–42% cover · 25–25% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 63–63% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 52–52% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 56–56% cover · 25–25% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 61–81% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 71–71% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 63–63% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 81–81% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 71–71% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintylow cloud · 73% reported, 52% resolved on a pressure surface — 21% is somewhere between 2.02 and 3 kmlow cloud · 61% reported, 35% resolved on a pressure surface — 26% is somewhere between 1.92 and 3 kmlow cloud · 41% reported, 15% resolved on a pressure surface — 26% is somewhere between 1.51 and 3 kmmid cloud · 99% reported, 36% resolved on a pressure surface — 63% is somewhere between 3 and 8 km20 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch orange light50 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch orange light100 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch red light100 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch red light

Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.

cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud

Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunset.

Know the light
before it happens

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For photographers: shooting Moraine Lake Rockpile

Best months

June to early October while Moraine Lake Road and shuttle services operate. Late June has snow on the peaks; September adds autumn colour and colder mornings.

Suggested focal lengths

20–35 mm for lake and peaks; 50–100 mm for peak reflections and canoes.

Composition

Climb beyond the first opening and use trees to frame the lake without hiding its shoreline. A polariser can deepen the water, but check that it does not kill the reflection.

Recommended arrival

Choose a shuttle that gets you there 45–60 minutes before sunrise; private vehicles generally cannot drive to the lake.

Access planning

Moraine Lake Road is seasonal and personal-vehicle access is restricted. Reserve Parks Canada or an approved shuttle well ahead and verify the current first departure.

Parking: Park at the shuttle departure location specified by the operator; there is no general visitor parking at Moraine Lake.

Approach: Ten to fifteen minutes up the signed Rockpile trail from the shuttle stop.

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