A short burst of Auroral activity had me scrambling to get the camera out tonight, though it didn't last long it was, as always, fantastic. I messed around a little lighting up the snow covered trail behind the house with my headtorch too. Click smaller images for captioned versions.
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I returned to another old favourite today for a workout in the snow. Wasootch Ridge is a good grunt at any time of year but with a snow covering it's even harder. Fortunately most of the snow was less than boot deep, the steep climbs through the trees were much deeper as is always the case so I got the workout I was after. The main image below shows Mt Lorette across the Kananaskis Valley, to the left is Nakiska Ski area and to the right is highway 40 and the south end of Barrier Lake. Click images for larger captioned versions.
With Sunday promising highs of -6 in the mountains Sarah and I wrapped up and set off for Kananaskis Lakes. We packed the snowshoes but after a week of warming they were not needed and they stayed in the truck as we wandered the lakeshore. I always say that this place rewards those who make the journey here and today was no exception. As the sun shone down the mist rose up from the lake and engulfed a small island of backlit fir trees, what a wonderfully serene moment. We sat for a few minutes watching the mist wash around the trees before returning to our wander. Click smaller images below for larger captioned versions.
With my truck in for service today I couldn't go too far from Calgary, so Cecil picked me up at the dealership and we headed off to walk the city path around Glenmore Reservoir. It's an enjoyable 15km flat walk but the views are a little disappointing. Wildlife was almost as scarce as the views but we did get some interactions along the way. I think any other season than winter would have made this walk more interesting but it served a purpose and Cecil dropped me off at the dealership afterwards with the truck awaiting collection.
With Sarah out again this evening I had a roam around Banff National Park today with a view to catching a sunset somewhere. As it turned out the clouds hung around all day and made getting any really great shots very difficult. I chased the sunset to a frozen lake above Canmore on the way home but it died away with a whimper and I made the journey home dissatisfied with the images I'd made today, but I still got to spend a great day in a beautiful park, I can hardly complain ;)
'Zoo Lights' is an annual tradition for Calgary Zoo at Christmas time. It's a pretty good idea as it gets crowds of people going to the zoo in winter. This is the first time we've been but with tons of lights, hot chocolate/coffee and nibbles it's an enjoyable couple of hours for Sarah and I and it's great fun with the camera too. The atmosphere is fantastic and is really made by the hordes of kids all so excited for Christmas.
There are no captions with the images in the gallery below because they are pretty self explanatory, the shots with 'zoomed' lighting is exactly that, I had the camera on a tripod and used a long shutter speed then zoomed the lens outward whilst the shutter was open, the outcome is pretty nice and adds a little movement to the static shots though my favourite shot from tonight was taken by Sarah, again. I'm going to have to try harder I think. Click the smaller images for the slideshow. With Cecil joining me for a wander through the mountains today thought I'd head out to Lake Minnewanka just outside the town of Banff. I chose the location because I've yet to convince Cecil to buy some snowshoes and without them we needed a place where the tourists would have trampled a trail....
Unfortunately the tourists had let us down and Lake Minnewanka was mainly untrodden, it didn't really matter too much, we just took to the ice and walked around the shoreline. It's not as scenic as Upper Kananaskis Lake but then again what is? There were a few locations including one by the roadside where bright red chairs sat waiting for anyone who fancied sitting in the chilly winter air and taking in the views. We didn't partake of the seating and hiked around to Stewart Canyon and then along it for a short distance before returning the same way. Click images below for larger captioned versions. For those who don't know our favourite place in Canada (you clearly haven't been paying attention) It is Kananaskis Lakes and more specifically 'Upper Kananaskis Lake'. With Sarah going out for the evening I took the opportunity to go out to the mountains and stay until dark, where else would I choose but our favourite place.
The snow is about knee deep right now but snowshoes keep it at boot depth as I trudge across the isthmus toward Mt Indefatigable. I'd considered ascending the mountain today but soon decided that enjoying a day with the camera in hand would be more fun and I'm glad I did. I trudged to the far end of the lake stopping for shots along the way, I made some great images throughout the day (some of my best from this location) and hung out beyond sunset and the 'blue hour' until dark when temperatures dropped to -27. Even though it was bloody freezing as I stood in front of my truck with the engine running and the headlights blazing into the dark across the lake, it was a stunning sight. I've seen this place in every kind of light possible, in rain, wind, snow and hail. I've hiked, scrambled and climbed all around this beautiful lake. I've been swimming in it, walked across it's frozen surface and fished in the crystal clear water of summer and still it gets better with every visit. As I sipped my tea staring out into the darkness and listening to the creaking and groaning of the ice the steam from my cup of tea froze onto my eyelashes and eyebrows reminding me of the temperatures and the long drive home, forcing me to call it a day. Click any image below for larger captioned versions. |
AuthorWe arrived in Calgary, Canada on 29th December 2011 to continue our journey. This blog is intended to keep our family and friends informed whilst we explore Canada.You can use the RSS feed below to stay updated. Categories
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