This crazy long weekend (for us anyway) seems like an excellent time to mention a fabulous site: Wildsmart.ca.
Wildsmart tracks wildlife sightings and movements throughout the Bow Valley (generally, the area from the East Banff Park gates to Yamnuska). While the site focuses on the bear activity in the area, there is also information on cougar sightings, kill sites and aggressive elk and moose.
For anyone hiking/camping/fishing/riding/whatever in the Bow Valley area, this site is essential.
It's also worth your while to stop by trailex.org, where outdoor enthusiasts can log any wildlife encounters they've had on the trail recently.
While the long weekend is coming to an end, the buffalo berries are still in season and the bears are coming lower in the valleys to get them (I read an article that said the berries are like "ice cream" to the bears). Pay extra close attention when out and about...
Monday, August 4, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Mt. Rundle
I have a serious fascination with Mt. Rundle, the towering rock that separates Banff from Canmore. I'm far from the only one -- most nature photographers from the area have any number of Mt. Rundle shots for sale.
There's something in the way the mountain seems to jut into the sky, and the sharp angle of the peak. The lines of the mountain on the north side seem to run right to the ground. The most fascinating thing about Mt. Rundle is it seems like a completely different mountain depending on where you're standing.
Mt. Rundle is the mountain on the right in the banner photo of this blog, but that's far from my favorite angle.
I drove up to the Norquay ski hill parking lot for a look at Banff from Stoney Squaw mountain. This was mid-May or so:
It is a lot greener now. Mt. Rundle is the snowy peak on the left.
I drove back down to the Trans-Canada, and took the turn-off to Vermillion Lakes. I saw at least two professional photogs camped out along this road this day.... me, I just happily snapped away, and got some of my favorite shots of my favorite mountain...
There's something in the way the mountain seems to jut into the sky, and the sharp angle of the peak. The lines of the mountain on the north side seem to run right to the ground. The most fascinating thing about Mt. Rundle is it seems like a completely different mountain depending on where you're standing.
Mt. Rundle is the mountain on the right in the banner photo of this blog, but that's far from my favorite angle.
I drove up to the Norquay ski hill parking lot for a look at Banff from Stoney Squaw mountain. This was mid-May or so:
It is a lot greener now. Mt. Rundle is the snowy peak on the left.
I drove back down to the Trans-Canada, and took the turn-off to Vermillion Lakes. I saw at least two professional photogs camped out along this road this day.... me, I just happily snapped away, and got some of my favorite shots of my favorite mountain...
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Outdoor Weblog
Hey all, sorry for my absence of the past week -- it's been a crazy week in the HipHiker household. I have a whole bunch of photos to share though, so I'm hoping to get some of those posted in the next couple of days.
In other news, I'm also blogging over at Creative Weblogging's Outdoor Weblog. Please stop on by and let me know what you think. I'm looking for some hiking travel advice, and I've posted my question over there.... I'm curious to see some recommendations!
In other news, I'm also blogging over at Creative Weblogging's Outdoor Weblog. Please stop on by and let me know what you think. I'm looking for some hiking travel advice, and I've posted my question over there.... I'm curious to see some recommendations!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
This says it all
--John Muir
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of autumn."
(Shamelessly stolen from a trail pamphlet for Fenland Trail in Banff, Alberta)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Barrier Lake Dam, take 2
I've got more "hooky" photos coming, but I had to post a shot from today's hike.
Less than three weeks ago, I visited Barrier Lake Dam, and took this shot of the late thaw and all the snow that remained despite the warm weather:
Here's Barrier Lake Dam today, 19 days later:
To quote Kramer from Seinfeld... "Mother Nature is a maaaad scientist!"
Less than three weeks ago, I visited Barrier Lake Dam, and took this shot of the late thaw and all the snow that remained despite the warm weather:
Here's Barrier Lake Dam today, 19 days later:
To quote Kramer from Seinfeld... "Mother Nature is a maaaad scientist!"
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Barrier Lake and Highway 40 drivin'
It's been a crazy week here in my world, so it has taken me a while get these photos posted. I hate it when the real world gets in the way.
A couple of weeks ago I was still testing a digital camera, and I wound up playing hooky for the day and going for a drive in the mountains. The weather was just starting to turn nice after a *lot* of late season snow, and now when I look at the photos I can't believe they're only two weeks old....
Anyway, I drove west of the city and took the Kananaskis turnoff at Highway 40. The scenery changes from rolling foothills to the Rocky mountains in the blink of an eye. Only a few minutes and I was at Barrier Lake Dam. I think this is now one of my Favorite Places in the World:
It's so beautiful, but what's amazing is how much snow is still around compared to April of last year. Last year the ice shards from the lake were washing up on the beach and looked just fascinating.
From here I drove further south on Highway 40. It's so stunning there, sometimes it's tough to pay full attention to the road:
I pulled over at Nakiska, one of the ski hills used in the 1988 Olympics.
Right underneath the sign, I found these dried flowers from last season. They must have frozen while still in bloom (I don't remember an early frost, but the weather is a lot more severe out this way). They blended in perfectly with the dried grass, but still kept their form:
Highway 40 eventually goes through the Highwood Pass (at 2,227 meters/7310 feet, this is the highest paved pass in Canada), but the Pass is closed from mid-December to mid-June. I also wanted to make it out to Banff on this day, so I figured it was time to turn around. I found a particularly amazing spot where there were astounding views in all directions. I literally stood in one spot and snapped photos of what was around me.
South -- check out how white the snow at the top is... when clouds were nearby, you couldn't tell where the snow ended and the sky began:
East -- directly across the highway from me:
North -- the snow always looks so crisp against a deep blue sky:
West -- if there's a downside to being this deep in the mountains, it's that you don't see the bad weather until it's almost on top of you. This was another hint that it was time to get back to the Trans-Canada:
That said, it's no hardship to drive out.... amazing drive coming and going:
I'll continue the journey on my next post....
A couple of weeks ago I was still testing a digital camera, and I wound up playing hooky for the day and going for a drive in the mountains. The weather was just starting to turn nice after a *lot* of late season snow, and now when I look at the photos I can't believe they're only two weeks old....
Anyway, I drove west of the city and took the Kananaskis turnoff at Highway 40. The scenery changes from rolling foothills to the Rocky mountains in the blink of an eye. Only a few minutes and I was at Barrier Lake Dam. I think this is now one of my Favorite Places in the World:
It's so beautiful, but what's amazing is how much snow is still around compared to April of last year. Last year the ice shards from the lake were washing up on the beach and looked just fascinating.
From here I drove further south on Highway 40. It's so stunning there, sometimes it's tough to pay full attention to the road:
I pulled over at Nakiska, one of the ski hills used in the 1988 Olympics.
Right underneath the sign, I found these dried flowers from last season. They must have frozen while still in bloom (I don't remember an early frost, but the weather is a lot more severe out this way). They blended in perfectly with the dried grass, but still kept their form:
Highway 40 eventually goes through the Highwood Pass (at 2,227 meters/7310 feet, this is the highest paved pass in Canada), but the Pass is closed from mid-December to mid-June. I also wanted to make it out to Banff on this day, so I figured it was time to turn around. I found a particularly amazing spot where there were astounding views in all directions. I literally stood in one spot and snapped photos of what was around me.
South -- check out how white the snow at the top is... when clouds were nearby, you couldn't tell where the snow ended and the sky began:
East -- directly across the highway from me:
North -- the snow always looks so crisp against a deep blue sky:
West -- if there's a downside to being this deep in the mountains, it's that you don't see the bad weather until it's almost on top of you. This was another hint that it was time to get back to the Trans-Canada:
That said, it's no hardship to drive out.... amazing drive coming and going:
I'll continue the journey on my next post....
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Grassi Lakes -- May 11, 2008
I was hoping for more practice with the camera I was testing, and Grassi Lakes seemed like a good choice. When you hike it in just the right light, the natural colours of the lakes are stunning.
Grassi Lakes is just outside of Canmore (close to the Nordic Centre), and right on the border to Banff National Park, so yeah, we were expecting to snow (thanks to the incredibly late thaw this season -- or have I whined about that enough?).
However, because the temps were consistently above freezing, the snow wasn't frozen, just incredibly slushy. I didn't think we'd been able to take the path that leads alongside falling water (too frozen), or the stone staircases (too slippy), but N suggested we give it a try and it was no problem at all.
Of course, there was still plenty of snow. I don't think anyone will be using this bench for a while:
The payoff, as always, was great. I got to try the camera out on a number of different things, including those amazing lake colours. These photos don't even begin to do the area justice. A short hike, but just what we were looking for.
Grassi Lakes is just outside of Canmore (close to the Nordic Centre), and right on the border to Banff National Park, so yeah, we were expecting to snow (thanks to the incredibly late thaw this season -- or have I whined about that enough?).
However, because the temps were consistently above freezing, the snow wasn't frozen, just incredibly slushy. I didn't think we'd been able to take the path that leads alongside falling water (too frozen), or the stone staircases (too slippy), but N suggested we give it a try and it was no problem at all.
Of course, there was still plenty of snow. I don't think anyone will be using this bench for a while:
The payoff, as always, was great. I got to try the camera out on a number of different things, including those amazing lake colours. These photos don't even begin to do the area justice. A short hike, but just what we were looking for.
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