Old homestead, Alberta
A mountain meadow, Kananaskis, Alberta
Fish Creek Park on a low-light day
Once a home
Yesterday's storm
Old granaries on the prairie
Beneath the cloud
Part of the same shelf cloud
Early morning sunrise over the mountains
Storm clouds near the city
Morning sun over Pine Coulee Reservoir
Alberta foothills in the fall
New "barn", Granary Road
Autumn in Alberta
A country scene
One of my favourite barns
King of silos
Barn with the fallen cupola
Glorious scenery for a Christmas Bird Count!
Yesterday's walk in Fish Creek Park
Red barn in winter
Whites and blues of winter
A white world
Deer on the horizon
Old barns in the foothills
Winter's beauty
A view from yesterday
Our last morning on island of Trinidad
With more big storms to come
A beautiful day in Weaselhead
Rolling hills from the Whaleback
Prairie life in winter
Winter beauty
Ghost Reservoir
A memory of Waterton from before the fire
A rural "winter" scene
Goodbye, winter - so glad you are gone!
Remembering winter
Smokey Eagle Lake
Yesterday's Chinook Arch
Heading into the mountains
Early fall, looking (and feeling) like winter
Tundra Swans in flight
Looking into the sun
Two of my favourite things
Clouds over Chain Lakes
Into the sun at Pine Coulee Reservoir
Rural decay down south
On the way to Chain Lakes
A view from Chain Lakes
Beauty of winter (well, late fall)
Day 6, Hotel Tadoussac, Quebec
Fall colour in Kananaskis
Lenticular (?) clouds over the mountains
Pine Coulee Reservoir, Alberta
Pine Coulee Reservoir, Alberta
In the middle of nowhere - spot the truck
Sheep on a smoky day
Wide angle on the Bighorn Sheep ridge
A different view from Maskinonge lookout, Waterton
Cacti on Little Tobago, Day 3
Logging piles in the Porcupine Hills
Cattle drive - and a few old barns and sheds
Dreaming of spring
Old prairie barn
Winter textures
Winter in the Nanton, Alberta, area
Non-wild horses in a wild landscape
The beautiful mountains of Alberta
Afternoon light on the foothills
Our beautiful Alberta
Nanton Christmas Bird Count
A well looked after barn
Red's the best in winter
Sharples grain elevator
01 The glory of fall
Distant haze
Our beautiful foothills on an overcast day
Across the river
The long road south
Above the tree line
Fading into the distance
Gottlob Schmidt's Antelope Hill Ranch
Antelope Hill Provincial Park
01 Middle Lake, Bow Valley Provincial Park
Beautiful old house in the hills
The difference the sun makes
Prince of Wales hotel, Waterton
The reward for getting up early
One mighty beast, Bison Paddock, Waterton N P
Waterton Lakes National Park
Hike on Erik Butters' beautiful land
Along a country back road
Another view at William J Bagnall Wildlife Park
A white barn from yesterday
William J. Bagnall Wilderness Park
Soothing simplicity
Rolling hills and distant peaks
Mountain view on an owl-less day
The Famous Five from a distance
And they call this winter (in Alberta)?
Sunlight on distant peaks
Little church in the valley
Snowy Owl - just close enough
Winter walk at Beaverdam Flats
Each one different from the others
The beautiful Badlands of Alberta
So far away, but better than nothing
Six old granaries
We ignored the warning : )
Surrounded by beauty
A view at Marsland Basin
A view from Timber Ridge Conservation Area
Exploring Timber Ridge, Porcupine Hills
Prairie skies
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Heading for the mountains on a hazy morning
I knew that this trip was probably going to be my last chance to take some fall photos, so, on 29 September 2017, I drove all day long through Kananaskis country. The next two days were a weekend, and I thought there would be a lot more people in the mountains. Of course, the mountains look beautiful in any season, but there is something extra special on a sunny fall day. People come from all over the place to see the Larch trees in their fall colour. As it turned out, three days later, on 2 October, we had a nasty snowstorm. Some of the roads leading out of the city were closed, and it was definitely a day to stay at home if possible. That's exactly what I thankfully did, listening to the strong winds howling around my place, blowing the falling snow.
If I remember correctly, this was the first time I had driven alone quite this far into the mountains, reaching the northern end of Spray Lakes Reservoir. Unfortunately, when I got there, the sun was in the wrong position and there was a haze over the mountains. I wasn't sure how far I would go, as I had intended topping up with gas at Highwood House, along Highway 40. I had also planned on buying a sandwich and a coffee there. However, it was all closed. As it was, I still managed to do the drive I wanted and still have gas in my car.
My drive started by going to Turner Valley and taking the back road to join the main Highway 40. Last fall, the views were amazing and the sky full of spectacular clouds along this route. On this recent trip, there was a hazy view and in some directions the sky was a washed-out, pale blue with not a cloud in sight.
Part way along Highway 40, I encountered a cattle drive, which was great to see. Only a small herd with one cowboy, who looked as if he was enjoying his work. He was accompanied by his herding dog, of course.
When I came to the area where the little Pikas (Rock Rabbits) live, I didn't even stop, as I really wanted to reach Spray Lakes Reservoir, in Spray Valley Park. I had left home later than I wanted, 9:45 am, and wanted to make sure I was not driving home in the dark. As it was, I reached home about 7:15 pm, with little daylight to spare.
The road to Spray Lakes, from the main Highway 40, is a dreadfully dusty, gravel road. This was a Friday, so I wasn't expecting many people in Kananaskis, but there were lots of cars, which made it difficult to drive this length of road. I was almost constantly in a thick cloud of dust with little or no visibility. The distance for the road from the Spray Lakes road turn-off from near Kananaskis Lakes to the northern tip of the huge Reservoir is 48 km, so just under 100 km return on this dusty, gravel road. The dust seeps inside the car, even with all windows closed. I also called in just long enough to take a handful of photos at Peninsular and Buller Pond, which are both along this Smith-Dorrien/Spray Lakes Trail.
The return journey home (giving a total trip distance of 422 km), back the same way I had come, was uneventful, which is usually a good thing when doing such a drive. The gas station near home was a must, so now I have a full tank just in case I manage to make a last drive out of the city, once yesterday's snow has melted and before the next snow falls. Guess I need to get my snow tires put on soon, too.
If I remember correctly, this was the first time I had driven alone quite this far into the mountains, reaching the northern end of Spray Lakes Reservoir. Unfortunately, when I got there, the sun was in the wrong position and there was a haze over the mountains. I wasn't sure how far I would go, as I had intended topping up with gas at Highwood House, along Highway 40. I had also planned on buying a sandwich and a coffee there. However, it was all closed. As it was, I still managed to do the drive I wanted and still have gas in my car.
My drive started by going to Turner Valley and taking the back road to join the main Highway 40. Last fall, the views were amazing and the sky full of spectacular clouds along this route. On this recent trip, there was a hazy view and in some directions the sky was a washed-out, pale blue with not a cloud in sight.
Part way along Highway 40, I encountered a cattle drive, which was great to see. Only a small herd with one cowboy, who looked as if he was enjoying his work. He was accompanied by his herding dog, of course.
When I came to the area where the little Pikas (Rock Rabbits) live, I didn't even stop, as I really wanted to reach Spray Lakes Reservoir, in Spray Valley Park. I had left home later than I wanted, 9:45 am, and wanted to make sure I was not driving home in the dark. As it was, I reached home about 7:15 pm, with little daylight to spare.
The road to Spray Lakes, from the main Highway 40, is a dreadfully dusty, gravel road. This was a Friday, so I wasn't expecting many people in Kananaskis, but there were lots of cars, which made it difficult to drive this length of road. I was almost constantly in a thick cloud of dust with little or no visibility. The distance for the road from the Spray Lakes road turn-off from near Kananaskis Lakes to the northern tip of the huge Reservoir is 48 km, so just under 100 km return on this dusty, gravel road. The dust seeps inside the car, even with all windows closed. I also called in just long enough to take a handful of photos at Peninsular and Buller Pond, which are both along this Smith-Dorrien/Spray Lakes Trail.
The return journey home (giving a total trip distance of 422 km), back the same way I had come, was uneventful, which is usually a good thing when doing such a drive. The gas station near home was a must, so now I have a full tank just in case I manage to make a last drive out of the city, once yesterday's snow has melted and before the next snow falls. Guess I need to get my snow tires put on soon, too.
Kama 56 has particularly liked this photo
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