Every year, just before the big freeze, a short window of opportunity presents itself in the Rockies to photographers and tourists alike. An opportunity to see a winter wonderland in the making, as the landscapes reveal themselves in the early morning light.

October in the Rockies is pure magic. A brief, but captivating period between seasons where a soft dusting of snow covers the landscapes and surrounding mountain peaks. When the sky catches light in contrast with the snow, every beautiful detail reflects a mirror image in the unfrozen lakes below.

This pastel sunrise was taken from the shores of Two Jack Lake on a crisp October morning in Banff National Park. To this day, it reigns as one of my most cherished mountain lake reflections.