On the way down
Pika, on a windy day
Farm in the foothills
Road through Kananaskis
Lichen on the rocks at Rock Glacier
Kananaskis before the snowstorm
Heading for the mountains on a hazy morning
Cattle drive in the mountains of Kananaskis, Alber…
A mountain meadow, Kananaskis, Alberta
Bighorn Sheep, mom and youngster
A view from Quarry Lake, Canmore
When the storm moved in
Bighorn Sheep on the slope
Town of Canmore, Alberta
A drive through Kananaskis
Storm arriving at Quarry Lake, near Canmore
Learning from Mom
Start of the storm
The beauty of erosion
Walking in a winter wonderland
White-tailed Ptarmigan
White-tailed Ptarmigan camouflage
A patch of blue
A white world
Time to rest
Dazzling sunlight on distant peaks
When the land turns white
Twice the beauty
On the way to Canmore - seven Swans a-swimming :)
Sedge
Beautiful Peyto Lake
Lichen at Peyto Lake
Wildflowers at Peyto Lake
Columbian Ground Squirrel / Urocitellus columbianu…
Beginning to look like fall
Thirsty Bighorn Sheep
American Pika - such a cutie
Our majestic mountains
Heading into the mountains
Forgetmenot Pond, Elbow Falls Trail
Kananaskis, through the windshield
Pika - tiny fluffball
Yellow Mountain-avens / Dryas drummondii
Afternoon trip to the mountains
Forgetmenot Pond, Kananaskis
Forgetmenot Pond
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel in a Pika's cave
A favourite road
Painted Lady
Waiting for the herd to descend
Wide angle on the Bighorn Sheep ridge
Keeping watch over the herd
Small and fast .... and adorable
The beauty of our mountains
Clouds over the mountains
Star-flowered Solomon's Seal / Maianthemum stellat…
Arnica sp.
A splash of much-needed colour
Forgetmenot Pond, Kananaskis
Forgetmenot Pond, Kananaskis
(Yellow?) Morel mushroom
Elbow Falls, Kananaskis
Tall Lungwort
Elbow Falls, Kananaskis
White-crowned Sparrow / Zonotrichia leucophrys
American Dipper / Cinclus mexicanus
Shooting stars / Dodecatheon sp. (and Dandelions)
Forgetmenot Pond, Kananaskis
A hazy view with Dandelions
Alberta's beautiful foothills and mountains
Kananaskis - a winter wonderland
Arethusa Cirque trail, Kananaskis
Strawberries and cream fungus / Hydnellum peckii
Colour among the mosses and lichens
Upper Kananaskis Lake
A view from the Porcupine Hills
It's those white birds again
It's Pika time - again
Winter in Kananaskis
White beauty
A sweet encounter
Pika pose
Almost-disappearing act
Canada's new National Bird - the Gray Jay
Before the snow
Master of camouflage
Jagged little peaks
Before winter officially arrives
The sparkle of winter
White-tailed Ptarmigan in the sun
Almost a disappearing act
Resting on a bed of snow
White beauty
A favourite mountain slope
Just like winter
Curious Moose
Gathering of the White-tailed Ptarmigan
Glowing White-tailed Ptarmigan
A few craggy peaks
Bighorn Sheep, number 18
Now you see them ... now you don't
Black eyes and beaks are a give-away
White-tailed Ptarmigan - my first ever!
And here comes the snow
Before the snow came
Red beauty on a scree slope
Mushroom at Rock Glacier
Love those little Pika feet
See also...
Keywords
Authorizations, license
-
Visible by: Everyone -
All rights reserved
-
202 visits
Scenery along Highway 40, Kananaskis
![Scenery along Highway 40, Kananaskis Scenery along Highway 40, Kananaskis](https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/86/06/45368606.4ff07d30.640.jpg?r2)
![](https://s.ipernity.com/T/L/z.gif)
Four days ago, on 18 August 2017, I made a very last-minute decision (just after midnight) to return to this location. Last year (2016), I had finally made myself do this long drive (293 km), after longing for years to be able to get there on my own. I was determined to go again this summer, and 18 August was the day.
I left home a few minutes before 8:00 am and took the scenic back road to Highway 40. The mountains along Highway 40 vary so much in colour and formation - I especially love the ones that have barren, jagged peaks, unlike this lower, green one. Unfortunately, we are still getting the smoke from the British Columbia and Alberta wildfires, so distant shots are not the best. The mountain scene in this photo, taken along Highway 40 itself, was clear of smoke. As of 19 August 2017, there were 140 wildfires currently burning across B.C., and this year's wildfire season is now officially B.C.’s worst ever wildfire season. However, the landscape on this whole drive is spectacular and I could never tire of it.
I would imagine most people drive the whole loop along Highway 40, but my destination was the place where Pikas (or Rock Rabbits) live, keeping my fingers crossed that at least one of them would show up. I was in luck and saw two of them, and managed to get a few photos, though I have taken better photos on previous visits.
While I was standing near the base of the huge talus/scree slope, I started hearing the sound of rocks falling! The first thing that flashed through my mind was that I was not standing in the best place if a rock slide happened, and then I remembered seeing someone's photo of a bear with her two cubs walking across the rocks just above where I was standing. Looking around, I could see nothing - and then, suddenly, I could just make out the tiny silhouette of a Bighorn Sheep on the very top of the very distant ridge, and then several others came along. In a short time, one of them walked to the end of the ridge and stood there, on guard the whole time it took for the rest of the herd to slowly make its way down the rocky mountain side. Sometimes, they would stop and feed for a while. They ended up passing me on a closer, low ridge and finally reached the road. What a journey they made in order to get salt off the road surface! I watched them for a long time, while they hung around just below me, refusing to leave the road when cars came along. Nothing would make them budge! It was just as interesting to watch the reaction of the drivers - most slowed right down or stopped, and most people stayed in their vehicles.
After calling in again at Highwood House to pick up a much-needed coffee, I carried on with the drive home via various backroads, including the Priddis area. My early morning drive had given me just two birds - a Northern Harrier and some other Hawk. The return drive gave me maybe four Hawks, none of which stayed long enough for a photo. A strange, empty feeling, as two days earlier, friends and I had seen dozens of Hawks during a day's drive.
I left home a few minutes before 8:00 am and took the scenic back road to Highway 40. The mountains along Highway 40 vary so much in colour and formation - I especially love the ones that have barren, jagged peaks, unlike this lower, green one. Unfortunately, we are still getting the smoke from the British Columbia and Alberta wildfires, so distant shots are not the best. The mountain scene in this photo, taken along Highway 40 itself, was clear of smoke. As of 19 August 2017, there were 140 wildfires currently burning across B.C., and this year's wildfire season is now officially B.C.’s worst ever wildfire season. However, the landscape on this whole drive is spectacular and I could never tire of it.
I would imagine most people drive the whole loop along Highway 40, but my destination was the place where Pikas (or Rock Rabbits) live, keeping my fingers crossed that at least one of them would show up. I was in luck and saw two of them, and managed to get a few photos, though I have taken better photos on previous visits.
While I was standing near the base of the huge talus/scree slope, I started hearing the sound of rocks falling! The first thing that flashed through my mind was that I was not standing in the best place if a rock slide happened, and then I remembered seeing someone's photo of a bear with her two cubs walking across the rocks just above where I was standing. Looking around, I could see nothing - and then, suddenly, I could just make out the tiny silhouette of a Bighorn Sheep on the very top of the very distant ridge, and then several others came along. In a short time, one of them walked to the end of the ridge and stood there, on guard the whole time it took for the rest of the herd to slowly make its way down the rocky mountain side. Sometimes, they would stop and feed for a while. They ended up passing me on a closer, low ridge and finally reached the road. What a journey they made in order to get salt off the road surface! I watched them for a long time, while they hung around just below me, refusing to leave the road when cars came along. Nothing would make them budge! It was just as interesting to watch the reaction of the drivers - most slowed right down or stopped, and most people stayed in their vehicles.
After calling in again at Highwood House to pick up a much-needed coffee, I carried on with the drive home via various backroads, including the Priddis area. My early morning drive had given me just two birds - a Northern Harrier and some other Hawk. The return drive gave me maybe four Hawks, none of which stayed long enough for a photo. A strange, empty feeling, as two days earlier, friends and I had seen dozens of Hawks during a day's drive.
Pam J has particularly liked this photo
- Keyboard shortcuts:
Jump to top
RSS feed- Latest comments - Subscribe to the comment feeds of this photo
- ipernity © 2007-2024
- Help & Contact
|
Club news
|
About ipernity
|
History |
ipernity Club & Prices |
Guide of good conduct
Donate | Group guidelines | Privacy policy | Terms of use | Statutes | In memoria -
Facebook
Twitter
Sign-in to write a comment.