Plain of Six Glaciers June 30, 2021

The weather statement said this would be the hottest day of them all and I could tell that it would be when I went out onto my balcony to enjoy my morning coffee.  It felt very warm already and the sky was hot pink!  For the thirty minutes out here, I lived in those moments being thankful for where I was and what was in front of me.  

There were only a couple dozen cars at the Lake Louise parking lot when I arrived.  My original intentions were to walk the 1.7kms to Lake Louise and save on the $11.70 parking fee (new parking fee put in place this summer to park at Lake Louise).  I decided to drive there and pay as I did not really want any extra walking than was truly necessary with the heat that was forecasted.   I parked, I paid, I packed on my pack and pushed forward towards Lake Louise to begin The Plain of Six Glaciers hike.

The mountains were engulfed in alpenglow!  The air was still and it was very warm already at 6:00am.  This photo of Lake Louise is like non other I have taken.  The reflection is in the water that covers the sidewalk where the lake overflowed the rock borders. 

a view of Lake Louise further along the walkway

I did not spend too much time at The Lake,  my thinking was I would cool off in it on the way back.  The pathway was flooded in many areas and at times for long stretches.  In some places it was easy to get around but in others, not so much.  I knew it would be worse for the return trip.  I did my best at keeping my boots dry but thankfully my boots are waterproof.  This is one flooded section that afforded a beautiful reflection. 

looking back at The Chateau and the sun peeking above the mountain and through the trees

the water is licking the bottom of the boardwalk but is not covering it yet

avalanche coming off Mount Lefroy

that's the horse trail at the bottom and the people trail follows the rockwall in the middle

along the section of trail that follows close to the rockwall

As you round the corner to where the bridge, bench and tea house are, the trail is flooded.

I decided to make this my turn around point and not continue on to the lookout.  I have been many times before and today I would rather less time on the trail and have more time by Lake Louise when I get back.  

I settled in for a little while to savour some snacks and replenish the sunscreen.

Before heading back, I checked out the tea house. It was not open yet but I did see two people sitting behind the ornamental display in the middle.  Shortly after I left, I saw two people heading up with big backpacks on.  There was probably going to be a shift change.  

yellow columbine lined parts of the traill

paintbrush wildflowers paired with glacier capped Mount Lefroy

When I arrived back at Lake Louise, I found the perfect spot to sit and put my feet in the lake.  The water was quite high and was covering the lower rock steps.   I sat on the upper steps and put my feet on the steps that were under water.  I got lost in the enjoyment of doing this and time passed.  Eventually I did move on, back to my car then back to my shaded balcony.

I put the moose back on the door knob!

There is nothing more I could ask for today!

 

Larch Valley June 29, 2021

I was familiar with the challenges that faced me this morning: getting a parking spot at Moraine Lake, trying to capture lovely photographs when the sky is totally blue, surviving a sweltering hot day!  The only way to know the winner is to first get out and face those challenges head on!  I got out near sunrise, drove the minute to where the beginning of Moraine Lake Road is and at that point I already knew I was the winner with the first challenge.  The road was wide open with no barriers or signs in place yet.  

Seeing as I already hiked along the Moraine Lake Trail last evening, this morning I would just stop by the Lake to get an alpenglow photo before beginning the hike up to Larch Valley.  The air was so still it afforded a perfect reflection, even the moon showed off its reflection.  There were lots of people around, yet it was very quiet and so peaceful.   

I hit the trail for Larch Valley.  This was the earliest I have even been along this route and I wondered what I would be in for.   Early on I met this deer and the look  it was giving me was as if to say "What are you and what are you doing here this hour of the morning?"

Another couple came along and we chatted for a bit before I left them to enjoy this area.  This is the beginning of Larch Valley and where you can see the area for The Valley of Ten Peaks.  The challenge now began of capturing photos when the sky is clear blue.  I prefer when there is a white fluffy puffy cloud or two in the sky.  The moon is still there! 

I hiked up through Larch Valley and to the base of Sentinel Pass.  I could see people traversing the snow slope but doing that is not my cup of tea. I settled for a little while at the edge of Upper Minnestimma Lake.  The sun had not come up over Mount Temple yet and the sky remained a clear blue.  I have been here in  mid June when the lake is more open than it was today.

Yet, it was snow I went searching for and I found it!  

This fellow passed me in Larch Valley and I watched him carry on up the trail towards Sentinel Pass.  It's traversing the steep snow slopes like this one that is not my cup of tea.  Even watching others do it, makes the hair on my arms stand up.  It is easy to see others choose to slide down the slope on the way back rather than hike down.

What is my cup of tea though is playing in the snow even at this age in my life!  The snow was not snowman snow but I managed to create some kind of a resemblance.  Still, the sky was clear blue and that is a challenge for me to get lovely photos.  Yet, the moon is still there!

I continued back along the trail to the big boulder section where the sun was now shining down on.  I worked my way through the snow to this tarn, one of my favourite spots up in Larch Valley.  At this time of year it is still full.  

In a matter of a few minutes, it went from being comfortably cool to full on hot!  I went down to my short sleeve shirt, tied on my bandana to cover my head, smeared on sunscreen and eventually tied on my cooling neck tie.  This was a great spot to settle again for awhile after capturing my location shot.  See, the moon is still there.  

It remained very quiet up in Larch Valley.  A couple of couples passed through and carried on up towards Sentinel Pass.  I gave up hope for there being a few fluffy puffy white clouds forming.  The sky remained clear blue and I did the best I could with getting photos.  There you go, the moon is still there. 

The ground was carpeted with these Western Anemones and also lined the trail through the upper forest.

During the return hike back down, I met many others just heading up.  Seeing them and hearing them, I was thankful I was not ascending during these record setting high temperatures.  It was an enjoyable stroll down through the forest, yet when I exited the tree-lined trail and popped out into the open by Moraine Lake, the heat hit.  I headed to my car, dumped my pack then drove back to my suite where I could savour a shaded balcony, enjoy a good read, nap, sip some beverages and just keep my cool!  It's by hanging a moose on the door knob that tells staff I am in need of nothing. Right now I have everything I could want for!

Moraine Lake & The Rockpile June 28, 2021

It was time to attack that plan I put in place to escape the sweltering city heat!  After checking in and unloading my car, I then headed to Moraine Lake near Lake Louise in Banff National Park.  I knew at this time of the evening there would be no issue with getting a place to park. The lot was less than half full when I arrived and after parking, I made quick business of getting on my feet and over to the shore of Moraine Lake.

Of the people who were there, not many were walking around, they opted to sit by the water while others were in their own kayaks or canoes out on the water.  The rental kiosk was closed for the day.  My plan was to walk the trail to the end of the lake and then head up to the top of The Rockpile once I got back. This was my view as I began to walk the lakeshore.

There are views the entire stretch along the trail.  At this spot I got a good photo looking back at The Rockpile.  It does not look like much from here.  If you look closely, you can see people scattered throughout the rocks.  It's a popular place to watch the sunrise.  It's also a great spot to just sit and stay awhile!

further along the trail and once again looking back at The Rockpile in the middle

It was such a calm evening and that made for pretty reflections!

I reached the end of Moraine Lake and then returned along the same trail then hiked to the top of The Rockpile.  It was not that busy up here but there were three places that I had to wait to get a better view.  My thinking is the three couples that were getting professional photos by three separate photographers, may have been securing engagement/wedding photos.  This was the backdrop to The Rockpile, Moraine Lake with some of the peaks from The Valley of Ten Peaks.  

After capturing a location photo, I sat and stayed awhile!

The colours were incredible in Moraine Lake and when I look at this photo with the reflections, it makes me think of the northern lights.  While sitting here, I thought about tomorrow and coming back here to hike up to Larch Valley with hopes of there being snow I could play in.

A couple of hours later I was ready to drive back to my suite and settle in.  

This is the view I had out the door of the living room.

Time to put my feet up!

this & that

I got through yesterday and today's scorchers with it only get "scorchier" and this is what we have facing us beginning tomorrow!  I have a plan in place that I hope will offer relief.  This long stretch of mid 30C temperatures for Alberta has never happened before.  It's just another unusual occurrence to add to the many we have experienced over the past year plus a few months.  

Sketching has fallen by the way side somewhat, I am still doing draft sketches that one day I will make into the real thing.  That should come when I am back spending more time inside.  What I did do was paint a few rocks with northern light scenes.  This craft takes less planning, less time and not a whole lot of brain work.  This large one sits on my deck for me to enjoy.

The two on the left were given to a friend and the two on the right wait to be passed on.

On one of the scorching days, I shared some trail time with my sister at Fish Creek Provincial Park.  We went for an early start yet it was hot already.  We sauntered around the dirt trails seeking out shade and time by the river.  We saw a lady focused with her camera and this is what she spotted, a Juvenile Swainson's Hawk. 

The goat program continues again this summer. They seemed to come from out of the blue all of a sudden running to this location within a fenced off area.  Some how they know to only eat the weeds.  There was one gentleman herder and a few dogs keeping them together in a group.

What I thought would be early enough to beat the heat, was not early enough.  There is no early enough these days.  I wanted to get a few kilometres covered which I did at Nose Creek.  Nothing was moving fast which made it a great morning to get perfect bird photographs.  This Clay-Coloured Sparrow is holding onto breakfast which looks like a worm and a butterfly.

The whole of Confluence Park is carpeted in wild roses.  I am not sure the name of the tall pink wildflower which actually is a weed and what the goats would go for.  In another couple of weeks, there will be a greater variety of flowers and it will be even more colourful.

Not even the birds were moving much this morning.  I was able to get quite close before they did fly off.  This couple is a Female and Male Brown-Headed Cowbird.  When I see such fluffiness, I want to believe it's a young bird.  There was lots of yellow on the go but this Male American Goldfinch stayed in place for the longest time.   Each time I go, I see more ducklings.  This looks like another new batch with Mom Mallard.  

So that's what I mean by "this & that"!

Carburn Park June 25, 2021

They said to enjoy the cool 29C today then brace for the long stretch of record breaking dangerous heat!  I heeded that advice and hit Carburn Park where I could be by water for the entire 10kms.  There would be no owning the area during these early morning hours, dozens and dozens heeded the same advice.  It's quite easy to get loads of kilometres covered from this location and there is beauty in all directions.  

This was my starting point.

After a lap around the pond, I headed to the dirt paths that follow along the Bow River and that also meander in and out of the trees.  This sight caught my eye as it looks like the clouds are exploding out of the trees. 

There were three American White Pelicans hanging out, a single and a couple.

reflection perfection

Yellow Warbler

This sparrow looks like it has a fresh new crew cut!  

As I was heading towards Fish Creek, I noticed a nest on a power pole which I had not seen in previous visits.  I zoomed in to see if anyone was home and this is what I captured.  It did not stay long and in a matter of a few seconds it took off soaring the skies.  I followed the Osprey....

 ...until it landed! 

When I reached the entrance to Fish Creek Provincial Park, I did a turn-about and headed back to Carburn Park.  After all that rain we had yesterday, the ponds and creeks are full and the green is greener than green.  

archway framing the creek and the Bow River

I'm thankful we have many water spots in the city where relief from the heat can be found.