Banded Peak, together with Mount Glasgow, Mount Cornwall, and Outlaw Peak form a small range that lies beween the Little Elbow River to the north and the Elbow River to the south. For some reason, this group seems to attract falls of early and late season snow. Often in the late spring and early summer, when rain has fallen on nearby mountains, this group will be white with fresh snow. The late summer often sees this phenomenon as well. Probably the major factor which results in mountain features being highlighted by snow are the varying slopes associated with different layers of rock. When a hard layer of rock (such as limestone) erodes it tends to leave a steep cliff; a softer layer (such as shale) will leave a more gentle slope. Thus a mountain with a number of different layers will provide opportunities for snow to accumulate along the gently sloped, softer layers and highlight the layering of the rocks. The band on Banded Peak is a dramatic example of this form of highlighting. Near the top of the mountain is a steep cliff whereas the remainder of the mountain erodes more easily and forms fairly gently slopes. Although the band can be seen at any time it is most obvious in the winter after a fresh fall of snow. The steep, dark cliff which forms the band remains visible while the more gentle slopes of the mountain are completely white. *A hiking route to the summit is described in Gillean Daffern's Kananaskis Country Trail. THE MARQUIS OF LORNE The Marquis of Lorne took the time to sketch this group of four peaks during an ambitious, cross-country tripe he made during his years as the Governor General of Canada (1878-1883). His connection to the Rockies extends even further. He would later marry Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, the namesake for the town of Lake Louise in Banff National Park. And an engraving of his sketch of the four peaks was made by Edward Whymper, the man who first climbed the Matterhorn in Switzerland and visited the Rockies several times in the early twentieth century. Whymper's engraving of the Marquis' sketch appeared in "Canadian Pictures", the book which the Marquis wrote about his trip.