banff national park

Getting High in Canada

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds…

Edward Abbey

O Canada
Why is one part of your country nothing but magnificent snow-capped peaks, glacier carved valleys and glistening blue lakes?
Why do you make it so photogenic and expansive?
Why do you make it so easy to immerse oneself in nature?

A weeklong trip to the heart of the Canadian Rockies near Banff yielded these and many more questions as I worked my way from one scenic location to another. I wish I could go back and check out these rocky monoliths one more time.

Canadian Rockies

Return to Nature

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more”

Nothing connects me with nature more than witnessing an alpine scenery like this one, a boundless vista of mountains, lakes and greenery. Here is to one last whiff before winter takes over this life-giving landscape.

Banff National Park
AB USA

Cold Reflections

The silent shores of Lake Minnewanka were eerie on that cold dreary morning. The clouds sucked away the sunny disposition of the Rockies, leaving behind the still waters of the lake, with only the green conifers to give me company.

It was supposed to be colorful sunrise in the mighty Canadian Rockies, but with the sudden change of weather, I had to make a sudden change of plans, and I found myself shooting the ghostly cold shores of Lake Minnewanka.

Lake Minnewanka

AB Canada

Ice Age Remnants

There was a remarkable change in terrain. Gone were the thick conifers on rocky slopes with gurgling creeks carrying fresh snowmelt. The slippery scree of the glacial moraine was unmistakable, and up the U-shaped valley, I could spot the tail of the Victoria Glacier and the thin icefield it originated from.

Time and climate change had definitely taken its toll at the Valley of the Six Glaciers in the heart of Banff National Park. Where the six glaciers used to converge was now a vast debris field left behind by the glacier as it had retreated. Barren hillslopes sans vegetation were evidence of where the glaciers had originally risen up to.

While it is unfortunate that this glacial terminus won't revert back to its glorious self in my lifetime, I do hope that other glaciers around the world won't reach this same fate.

Banff National Park

AB Cananda

Seeking Light

There are times when light lines up. And when that happens in the mountains, it can lead to an explosion of color like nothing else. And as a photographer, you have to be at the right place at the right time to capture nature's showtime.

I was fortunate to be at the right place to capture this one. The summer days in the Canadian Rockies, during the week I spent exploring the nooks and crannies of the montane terrain, were 16 hour long days filled with vibrant moments like these inbetween long periods of cloudy weather. But these vivid interludes more than made up for the exhausting week in the beautiful Rockies.

Saskatchewan Crossing

AB Canada

Alone in the Rockies II

The meandering river led my gaze through the lush green forests carpeting the seemingly endless range of snow-capped peaks. Clouds passed by slowly, foreshadowing a thunderstorm for the future, but a dramatic sky for the present. The sounds of civilization were far away, and except for a few other hikers, I had seen nary a soul.

Such places hold a special attraction. And despite the challenges of ultra-long days of hiking under unpredictable weather conditions with little company, these few moments of grandeur more than make up for the hardship involved. And the Canadian Rockies, and the remote regions away from the Icefields parkway continue to be a draw for the magical landscapes they present.

Banff National Park
AB Canada

 

A Bend in the River II

As I came across this bend in the river, ensconced in the vibrant coniferous greenery of the Canadian Rockies, I was reminded of another similar bend in the Colorado river near the town of Page, AZ. While the contrast couldn't be more different, there was common thread that connected these two natural wonders, ie, water.

It was water that carved away the deep gorge in the red sandstone layers of the desert Southwest, and it was water that carved away these layers of sedimentary rock of the geologically young Canadian Rockies. While one region was a waterless desert, this one had all the markings of a lush rainforest, signifying the over-abundance of water.

I enjoyed walking in this forest, even as I was getting soaked in the misty rain that was so typical of this breath-taking region of Canada

Banff National Park
AB Canada

Glaciated Blues

My visions for the Canadian Rockies comprised of grand glacial-blue lakes guarded by towering snow-capped peaks lined by massive glaciers, and a layer of evergreen forest carpeting the landscape below. And from the air, it most certainly looked like…

My visions for the Canadian Rockies comprised of grand glacial-blue lakes guarded by towering snow-capped peaks lined by massive glaciers, and a layer of evergreen forest carpeting the landscape below. And from the air, it most certainly looked like that. However, it was not until I explored the various lakes nestled deep within the glaciated valleys that I got to realize those visions.

Perhaps the most characteristic of these lakes is the Moraine Lake, set in one such valley just south of Lake Louise. From the shore, the look looked unremarkable, similar to the other lakes in the area. But after climbing up to get the aerial perspective, I got to see the true colors of the landscape it was surrounded by, with the grey skies enhancing the muted colors of the scene.

Despite the throngs of crowds visiting that lake, I still had felt solace and a sense of belonging to this beautiful naturescape. The craggy peaks, the vast carpet of green surrounding the azure blue lake, and the fresh scent of mountain air rejuvenated my senses, and I, for one, was better for it.

This was shot with a graduated ND filter at F/11 and 1/200s at ISO 800

Moraine Lake
AB Canada

Rise of the Rundle

It wasn't until my 3rd morning at Banff that the clouds really parted for sunrise. The cloudy and gloomy days prior had put a damper on my spirit and a camera had shot nary a scene. Yet, on this lucky day, when the clouds finally parted, it was setting the stage for a spectacular scene.

I made a beeline to the famed Vermillion lakes in the town of Banff, where all the photographers gather to try their hand at shooting the beautiful range of Mt Rundle rising steeply from the long valley beyond. Thankfully, this early in the summer, I had to share the stage with just two others, providing plenty of peace and quiet to save the slow warming of colors in the sky.

Positioning myself on the pier, battling mosquitoes and the cold temperatures alike, I got to work. Being my first time at the scene, I had to improvise quite a bit based on the lighting, the topography and the amount of place I had to work with. The biggest challenge was trying to get the floating pier steady long enough to capture a sharp scene.

In the end, this composition was one of my favorites, showing the line of clouds lit brightly by the morning sun rising slowly from beyond the peaks.

Banff National Park
AB Canada