One of the places I have certainly missed exploring over the last year has been the Canadian Rockies. Spread across the border between Alberta and British Columbia, two mountainous provinces of Canada, these rocky mountain ranges seem even more impressive than their cousins south of the border. Towering snow-capped peaks rise high above glaciated valleys, where a low treeline provides easy accessibility to stellar views. The expansive nature of its untouched wilderness more than makes up for the limited road access and short hiking season, and unexplored regions still await the determined outdoor hiker.
Spread across this extensive wilderness area are five spectacular National Parks: Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho and Waterton Lakes, along with countless provincial parks, each holding their own unique attraction. It is certainly daunting to try and cover these gems of the Canadian Parks system in one single trip, and I would recommend sticking to one or two parks each visit, unless you have an entire summer to travel around.
Here is one alpine scene from Spray Lakes Provincial Park near the town of Canmore in Alberta. Far less crowded than its neighbor Jasper National Park, it is just as beautiful and definitely worth a visit.
Spray Lakes Provincial Park
AB Canada
Urban Jungle
The heart-throb of a vibrant urban jungle, which I tried to capture here, seems a far cry from the shutdown induced isolation. The bustling streets of Toronto, pulsing like arteries and veins, moving people and commerce all over the rectangular grid of the cityscape I visited a few years ago, seems a distant memory, representing a moment I may never get to revisit.
Toronto
Ontario Canada
High in the Pacific Northwest
The short summer season leaves very little room to explore the mountains. So when July comes around, I try to take every opportunity to head to the vast wilderness of the Pacific Northwest.
This year, it will likely be a different experience: the pandemic will most certainly shape the number of people I go with and limit interactions in the outdoors. It also will remove one of my favorite parts of hiking: the post-hike burger, beer and ice-cream, which will most likely be relegated to flimsy takeouts.
Nevertheless, I still hope to head outdoors, and capture the wonder that is the wonderland of the Pacific Northwest.
Here are four images from different parts of Washington and British Columbia, showcasing the endless mountain-scape of rugged peaks with mighty glaciers and volcanoes interspersed amongst them.
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
Oh Garibaldi
The thought ran in my mind on the seemingly endless rocky ascent. In the distance, I spied the summit, people like ants. The gentle sun sprayed warmth, while the draft from a nearby glacier spattered cool air. The trail disappeared into a rockfall, with nary a cairn to mark the way up.
It became steeper near what I thought was the end, but just like every black cloud has a silver lining, every steep ascent ends with remarkable views, like this one of Garibaldi Lake just outside Whistler.
Garibaldi Provincial Park
BC Canada
Night Time Surprises
Sometimes the night sky can put up a show.
After 36 hours of watching nothing but grey clouds meandering slowly above the wilderness campsite in Garibaldi Provincial Park in British Columbia, I had given up hoping for a clear night sky. And hence, when the clouds finally parted revealing the beautiful night sky, I couldn't resist the opportunity to capture a timelapse. And While mild auroral activity was predicted, I wasn't confident I would capture it this far south. I was certainly surprised when one of the frames turned up a bright red display of colors that lasted ~30mins.
The northern arm of the Milky Way crosses the frame to the right of the North Star, with the bright disk of the Andromeda Galaxy in the upper right corner.
Garibaldi Provincial Park
BC Canada
Regrowth
The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. And up here, high in the alpine terrain of the Canadian Rockies, where large icefields give birth to glaciers, spring starts in July, and summer only lasts a month. Yet, plants thrive in this harsh environment, albeit barely. And reward us with beautiful pastel colors on a soft green carpet.
Canadian Rockies
AB Canada
Sunstars
While a part of my weekend time is spent looking at my photo archives for jogging my memories, a part of it is also spent gathering inspiration for future travel. And sometimes, looking at my archives can motivate me to seek new destinations.
This was one such archival set - a backpack I did into the coastal range of British Columbia into the heart of Garibaldi Provincial Park. While exploring opportunities to shoot by the lake at sunset, I found a small patch of fireweed catching the fire of the last light. This inspired me to start booking backpacking trips in this beautiful part of Cascadia.
Garibaldi Provincial Park
BC Canada
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