Exploring Southern Alberta
With the august bank holiday looming, Sarah and I decided to take a short road trip, using our tried and tested 'pin in the map' approach we booked a hotel in Medicine Hat in the south east corner of Alberta. We planned our usual wandering route through the prairies calling in at various places along the way.
Our first stop was just an hour from home where an enormous glacial erratic sits in the middle of the flat prairies like a ship in an empty ocean. The rock, now split into 3 parts, is the largest of the 'Foothills Erratics Train', a scattering of glacier carried quartzite that stretches over 900 kms from northern Alberta, south to the international border. To think that this 16.500 tonne rock was carried such a distance by moving ice is really quite incredible and even more impressive when you are actually standing beside the monolith.
As we walked around this impressive rock formation we caught sight of a weasel chasing mice around the long grasses surrounding the rock. He was incredibly fast and skittish but I managed to make a couple of shots before he disappeared back into to confines of his rocky maze.
Our first stop was just an hour from home where an enormous glacial erratic sits in the middle of the flat prairies like a ship in an empty ocean. The rock, now split into 3 parts, is the largest of the 'Foothills Erratics Train', a scattering of glacier carried quartzite that stretches over 900 kms from northern Alberta, south to the international border. To think that this 16.500 tonne rock was carried such a distance by moving ice is really quite incredible and even more impressive when you are actually standing beside the monolith.
As we walked around this impressive rock formation we caught sight of a weasel chasing mice around the long grasses surrounding the rock. He was incredibly fast and skittish but I managed to make a couple of shots before he disappeared back into to confines of his rocky maze.
After our ermine encounter at the glacial erratic, we headed east on empty prairie highways for another hour before stopping in the town of Vulcan. Originally named for the roman god of fire the small prairie town has become more famous as the home of 'Mr Spock' from the TV series Star Trek, it seems not to matter that Mr Spock wasn't born here or ever lived here, the name Vulcan was enough to make it so. In 1990 the town decided to capitalise on its new found fame by building a few Star Trek themed tourist attractions. It's not something you would go out of your way to see (unless you're a 'Trekkie' of course) but it is a fun thing to visit if you are in the area.
The visitor centre is an impressive building which has a walk through museum with genuine articles from the show and 'green screen' photo opportunities to put yourself on the Enterprise. There are the usual gifts and T-shirts too for those seeking such things as well as more expensive replica items from the show. Close by is an enterprise replica sitting on a large pedestal with lighting powered by an equally large solar flower nearby.
In the gallery below Sarah is actually trying to make the usual Mr Spock greeting while sitting on the rock outside even though it looks like she is throwing up gang signs.
The visitor centre is an impressive building which has a walk through museum with genuine articles from the show and 'green screen' photo opportunities to put yourself on the Enterprise. There are the usual gifts and T-shirts too for those seeking such things as well as more expensive replica items from the show. Close by is an enterprise replica sitting on a large pedestal with lighting powered by an equally large solar flower nearby.
In the gallery below Sarah is actually trying to make the usual Mr Spock greeting while sitting on the rock outside even though it looks like she is throwing up gang signs.
From Vulcan it's a 30 minute drive to a wonderful little treasure tucked away in the prairie. Little Bow Provincial Park is an idyllic location with a good sized beach, picnic sites, small store with paddle board rentals and ice cream sales as well as lovely easy hiking trails to high bluffs overlooking the Travers Reservoir.
When we arrived we found a great spot right next to the beach but under the shade of overhanging trees, perfect. We sat here having our lunch (a subway sandwich bought in Vulcan) when we saw a family arriving, with kids in tow and arms full of gear for a beach day they needed a spot. Sarah said we should give them our 'prime position' so the kids could be on the beach but still within site of the parents. It was a good point so I caught the eye of the lady hauling gear and asked if they would like our spot, it was nice that she accepted but said we could join them. As we had decided to go hike the bluffs we declined and started out toward the trail, as we did so a male voice started saying 'sarah....sarah' in a quiet (is it or isn't it) voice. Sarah turned around and the man from the family who took our spot said, you are a nice person in real life too!!. It turns out he worked in the I.T. group at Cenovus and Sarah had recently taken responsibility for that group (along with others). Talk about leading by example, the girl is a natural.
In the main shot below we had just returned from the bluffs and had an ice cream sitting in the shade by the beach, I'd finished with this and just popped it in the deck until we were ready to move on and drop it in the bin, I thought it captured the moment well.
When we arrived we found a great spot right next to the beach but under the shade of overhanging trees, perfect. We sat here having our lunch (a subway sandwich bought in Vulcan) when we saw a family arriving, with kids in tow and arms full of gear for a beach day they needed a spot. Sarah said we should give them our 'prime position' so the kids could be on the beach but still within site of the parents. It was a good point so I caught the eye of the lady hauling gear and asked if they would like our spot, it was nice that she accepted but said we could join them. As we had decided to go hike the bluffs we declined and started out toward the trail, as we did so a male voice started saying 'sarah....sarah' in a quiet (is it or isn't it) voice. Sarah turned around and the man from the family who took our spot said, you are a nice person in real life too!!. It turns out he worked in the I.T. group at Cenovus and Sarah had recently taken responsibility for that group (along with others). Talk about leading by example, the girl is a natural.
In the main shot below we had just returned from the bluffs and had an ice cream sitting in the shade by the beach, I'd finished with this and just popped it in the deck until we were ready to move on and drop it in the bin, I thought it captured the moment well.
From Little Bow Provincial Park we drove the final 2 hours across stunning open prairie with sunflower fields on empty highways to the town of Medicine Hat where our hotel awaited. Once settled in we freshened up and went out to a small riverside park called Strathcona Island Park where golden leaves on some of the cottonwood trees suggest autumn is closing in. After leaving the park we had a restaurant dinner before driving up to the 'Worlds Tallest Teepee' in the hope of a sunset shot. Unfortunately storm clouds killed off any chance of that.
After a restful night and hearty hotel breakfast we headed east to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park to explore. The park is a beautiful place spanning the border between SE Alberta and SW Saskatchewan. Entrance from Alberta is through the small community of Elkwater where restaurants, general store, boat and paddle board rentals, boardwalks and bike rentals await visitors.
There are numerous campgrounds and surprisingly a ski resort (Cypress Hills rise 1446m (4800 feet) from sea level). Hiking trails crisscross the park giving plenty of opportunity to those inclined to roam. Ice cream by the lake or a paddle from the spacious beach make the townsite a mecca for locals and tourists alike.
We went west to the overlooks and east as far as Reesor Lake on the Saskatchewan border where we saw people and pelicans fishing, both catching plenty of fish too. Cypress Hills is definitely somewhere we would consider returning to, maybe taking our bikes along next time.
After dinner back in Medicine Hat we returned to the hotel to call it a night, the storm clouds were killing any chance of a sunset shoot so an early evening seemed like a good idea. As I looked out of the hotel window I could see some gaps in the cloud forming so I left Sarah in the room and made a short trip with the camera gear to a nearby field with wind turbines and set up for a shoot. I was pestered by cows for most of the time but enjoyed getting out, the cloud did ruin the sunset but I made a couple of shots anyway and enjoyed being outdoors in the warm summer air.
There are numerous campgrounds and surprisingly a ski resort (Cypress Hills rise 1446m (4800 feet) from sea level). Hiking trails crisscross the park giving plenty of opportunity to those inclined to roam. Ice cream by the lake or a paddle from the spacious beach make the townsite a mecca for locals and tourists alike.
We went west to the overlooks and east as far as Reesor Lake on the Saskatchewan border where we saw people and pelicans fishing, both catching plenty of fish too. Cypress Hills is definitely somewhere we would consider returning to, maybe taking our bikes along next time.
After dinner back in Medicine Hat we returned to the hotel to call it a night, the storm clouds were killing any chance of a sunset shoot so an early evening seemed like a good idea. As I looked out of the hotel window I could see some gaps in the cloud forming so I left Sarah in the room and made a short trip with the camera gear to a nearby field with wind turbines and set up for a shoot. I was pestered by cows for most of the time but enjoyed getting out, the cloud did ruin the sunset but I made a couple of shots anyway and enjoyed being outdoors in the warm summer air.
Sunday threatened to be another stormy one so we opted for a slow morning with a late breakfast. After breakfast we went into downtown Medicine Hat to look around before stopping for coffee. We then moved on to Medalta Potteries in the town, a working museum similar to, but more 'rustic' than those we see in Stoke on Trent at home. It's a genuinely interesting place with a self guided tour through the old factory which was once the leading pottery production facility in north america. This was where we found our 'road trinket' for the trip, a lovely small long stemmed vase made on site.
From there we went down to Police Point Park which sits in a huge horseshoe along the South Saskatchewan River where we skipped stones and walked by the water. Clouds once again blocked the setting sun so after the park we returned to the hotel as a heavy shower hammered down.
From there we went down to Police Point Park which sits in a huge horseshoe along the South Saskatchewan River where we skipped stones and walked by the water. Clouds once again blocked the setting sun so after the park we returned to the hotel as a heavy shower hammered down.
I had almost given up on a teepee sunset shot when I saw an opening in the clouds from the hotel window. I told Sarah I was going to make the drive back to the teepee once more while she enjoyed a nice shower and an evening in. I didn't hold out much hope as the cloud was still quite bad but as I drove the 10km to the site a clearing began to form, soon the sun was bursting through as the cloud seemed to evaporate away.
I set up and made some nice images as the light turned from yellow to red and then into the blue hour as the artificial lighting illuminated the frame. The resulting images were worth the repeat trips to the site and the numerous bites I received from the local mozzy population.
I set up and made some nice images as the light turned from yellow to red and then into the blue hour as the artificial lighting illuminated the frame. The resulting images were worth the repeat trips to the site and the numerous bites I received from the local mozzy population.
Before we knew it our break was over and we were hitting the road home. We opted for the longer route through the lesser used back roads stopping in at Dinosaur Provincial Park, Drumheller for lunch and Horseshoe Canyon as we picked our way home through those wonderful prairies. As usual we have been home 5 minutes and are already contemplating our next trip.