autumn at Glenbow Ranch October 1, 2026

After putting paint on paper for the above watercolour creation, I had second thoughts about printing "Hikes" maybe I should have printed "walks".  I enjoy both activities equally for various reasons. I then wondered when does a walk become a hike! This morning I put my hiking boots on then drove to Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park to cover kilometres where I could see amazing autumn hues.  The parking lot is located about a kilometre down a long winding dirt road.  From the parking lot, I descended down into the valley bottom.  The sun was up but was just beginning to rise above the rolling hills.
 

By zooming in, I could get a clear shot of three deer, this is one of them. With the naked eye, the three were just brown blobs moving about in the brush.  I believe it was a Mom and her two little ones, this is one of the little ones. 

The Moon was still glowing high in the sky!  

Got my selfie shot out of the way early! 

The sun was hitting the tops of the trees behind me.

After descending to the valley bottom, 

then ascending a little hill to a ridge, 

this was the view I had behind me.

This was the view I had in front of me. The train passed by as I arrived up on the ridge. The Canadian Rocky Mountains to the west are now all covered in new white gold.   

The route along the ridge was a welcoming line of autumn aspens. 

from the Prairies to the Mountains

The temperature was just below freezing. I wondered was that why this Yellow-Rumped Warbler was all fluffed up.  There were a few of this species of Warbler in the flock.  I was surprised yet happy to see they had not flown further south yet.  Being all fluffed up really showed off its yellow rump.

another Yellow-rumped Warbler 

further east along the route offered up a view of the Bow River

See the Moon?

It was views like this I came here for!

leaves covered some of the trails

The clouds were beginning to form interesting formations! This was the last photograph I took before beginning the ascent back up out of the valley bottom. I like how the thin clouds form an arch frame over top of the autumn shades.  

After arriving back up to the top, I stopped to enjoy the view of the autumn shades, 

the long line of snow-capped mountain peaks and the wispy clouds filling the beautiful blue sky.  

After you have been "out & about" you then wonder 

do you call that a walk or do you call that a hike? 

My answer to that is, 

"what you accomplished is in the mind and body of the beholder"!