Christmas in Banff

[casil403]

Shots from my holiday in Banff AB. I will post in this thread as I go:
Caught a pretty sweet sunrise at Vermillion this morning. Did my fave thing which is to take a taxi to the end of the lakes and hike back to town. It is so much more fun to do it this way rather than drive it by car. So many more viewing points to discover and the walk is so very pretty!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5290559241_61fd815ccf_o.jpg

[casil403]

Looking southwest down Vermillion Lakes...I can never remember the name of this mountain but tomorrow I am heading over there to a place called Sundance canyon.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5291453640_79af71eab2_b.jpg

[casil403]

This is Echo Creek continuing on my walk back to town.....

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5250/5291001173_280e4c5f83_b.jpg

[casil403]

Desaturated almost BW version of the Beaver pond.. I caught it during the "blue hour" but it was a little too blue for my liking.
Bambi know this area well as I took her there when she was out visiting. One of my fave places to shoot from.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5291696300_fc306b3b4a_o.jpg

[casil403]

A look east to the Palliser Range and the Sleeping Buffalo (Tunnel Mountain) on the right.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5089/5291407997_54f4eeba47_b.jpg

[Bambi]

just lovely. What a wonderful walk. It must have taken you a bit of time :)

[QuietOne]

I like the sunrise and Echo Creek best. It looks like you're getting the holiday you wished for.

[casil403]

Thanks B and Q1!

This is Mt. Bourgeau to the west:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5082/5293533824_e8311eb62f_o.jpg

[Rinkdaddy]

Breath taking views!

[opener]

Wonderful shots here, casil. Living in Calgary, for 10 years, the wife and I only checked out Banff once if you can believe it lol. Most of our friends went all the time and thought we were crazy for not seeing the 'big deal'. You've really captured some unique shots here too.

Alot of the Banff shots I see are the same, but these are all a very different perspective. I really enjoyed this set alot.

[Iguanasan]

Absolutely wonderful images, casil. It certainly sounds like you got what you wanted for Christmas. Cheers and Happy New Year! :)

[casil403]

Thanks everybody....for me this year, I could not have asked for a better Christmas. http://mymerrychristmas.com/forum/images/smilies/26.gif
I just got in from a looooooonnnng hike up to Sundance Canyon. About 9km return in packed and soft snow. It was a trudge indeed and I almost turned around a bunch of times as it was just to hard to walk in the soft snow but I made it there and back. I'm gonna be one "Hurtin' Albertan" tomorrow. Thank Gawd for Bailieys and coffee!! http://i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww173/prestonjjrtr/Smileys/Coffee01.gif
Anyhow,this is another shot from yesterday at the railbridge over Echo Creek:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5292984325_36d26a1d5b_o.jpg

[Mad Aussie]

Banff just stays on my list of MUST VISIT places thanks to your shots Casil!

I love the 1st and 4th posts ... nominated the 4th even though I usually leave the nominating to non-mods these days!

[casil403]

Thanks a bunch MA.... :)
When you get out here...let me know...I'd be happy to show you my fave places!

I took this one today up at Sundance Canyon with my Lensbaby Muse:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5294802956_518898d582_b.jpg

[Bambi]

these are wonderful C. You may want to invest in a pair of snowshoes!

[miker]

What a great place to be - and great photos for sure. Full support for MA's nomination of #4. :thumbup: Great work!

[casil403]

Thanks B and miker.
This was where I ended up today...Sundance Canyon:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5244/5295247464_4367193266_b.jpg
I was the only person around there the entire morning...was pretty great!

[Iguanasan]

Banff just stays on my list of MUST VISIT places thanks to your shots Casil!...snip...

Not that Banff isn't worth visiting from what I have heard but I think if you were relying on Casil's wonderful photos to light the way to vacation spots you might find you would want to go just about anywhere she's been - even if it was the city dump! ;)

Wonderful images, Casil. Just love 'em.

[Mad Aussie]

Thanks a bunch MA.... :)
When you get out here...let me know...I'd be happy to show you my fave places!
Oh believe me ... if we do ever get up to Canada, AND we still have contact with you, I'll be expecting a full tour of your favourite landscape scenario's! :)

[casil403]

Excellent...I look forward to it!
And thanks Iggy, glad you are enjoying the scenery. :)

[Richard]

Beautiful images Casil, I quite like the blue one.

[casil403]

Thanks Richard. :)
Another shot of Blue Banff. No cyanotype here...it was just this really odd lighting that made everything this blue tone. I've seen many sunrises from this area but not quite this colour.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5295118819_a2ed416d26_o.jpg

Dashing thru the snow......I had my parents out a couple years ago and we did this on Xmas day...was a lot of fun!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5124/5294157159_b50d7d70e5_b.jpg

And a shot of the famous Hot springs...hard to believe these little stinky streams filled with warm water flowing out of Sulphur Mountain started the entire nation park system in Canada as we know it. Pretty cool as you can see watercress growing everywhere in the area...in December! It is its own little ecosystem down here filled with greenery.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5088/5294959631_31d5572141_o.jpg

[Marko]

Sundance Canyon is my fave so far - but it's a hard choice. many fab shots in this set.

[Wicked Dark]

these are all so amazing, girl. You are uber-talented.

[Hillbillygirl]

Really like that 4th desat. shot Casil, but really LOVE the first, with the position of the sun, and the open water reflection. Very nice comp. here.

[casil403]

Thanks WD HBG and Marko.
I took this one right before leaving Banff. It is a Rail Line Snowplow...these machines are massive and move tons of snow on the lines. They were right outside the bus station.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5297552810_0c0164a242_b.jpg

And the massive blade of the plow with Cascade in the background.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5297590200_02a2c545e8_o.jpg

To see these machines in action...take a look here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QenN5DVuLtw

[Mad Aussie]

Funny as it might seem ... we don't have large machines for moving snow off rail lines here! ;)

That vid was very interesting to me!

[casil403]

Funny as it might seem ... we don't have large machines for moving snow off rail lines here! ;)

That vid was very interesting to me!

LOL Really MA? I would have thought of Australia as a hotbed of train snowplowing activity! :headslap:

[Mad Aussie]

LOL Really MA? I would have thought of Australia as a hotbed of train snowplowing activity! :headslap:

So naive!!! :)

Only snow we get is on the top of the few alpine regions we have in NSW, Vic, And Tas.

The other day we had 38c in Perth, WA, snow on Thedbo in the Blue Mts, NSW, and Carnavon,WA got it's total yearly rainfall in 24 hrs!

Yesterday wasn't much different. WA had high temps in the high 30's c again, here in Queensland towns are being evacuated from flooding (many places I've shown in my photos lately are inaccessible now), and Mt Wellington overlooking Hobart, Tasmania had enough snow on it for people to play in.

[mbrager]

I'm enjoying this thread as you add more photos. The Blue Banff shot is spectacular. Something about the light in the mountains. I really like the desaturated shot in the beginning of the thread, but my favorite is the very first picture. That's the Rocky Mountains. Mike

[casil403]

Thanks Mike....
A couple more:

Long Shadows on the lake:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5123/5299628211_a1d3a72c4d_o.jpg

BW Beaver Pond:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5296794828_d6c350f9ba_b.jpg

[Mad Aussie]

Both very nice! Those long shadows are waaaay cool!

[aubintbay]

Wow!! What a nice thing to do for Xmas vacation. The photo ops must be pretty much unlimited as all are great. I have to say I like the one looking up the mountain to the little foot bridge x-ing a couple of rocks.....really like the perpective.

[Michaelaw]

Lovely stuff Casil :clap:

[casil403]

Thanks a bunch MA Aubin and MAW. :)

[Donna]

Wow Lisa!! Awesome shots! ... What a great way to spend the hollidays and you sure got nice weather for it . I really enjoyed this thread :)

[asnow]

What a beautiful set of pictures.
That first picture is amazing as well as the one of the beaver pond.
The picture of sundance canyon gives me vertigo as it eally gives you the sense of height

[casil403]

Many thanks Donna and asnow. :)
he canyon one was a bit scary to climb so I only did half way. It was pretty tough getting in and out of there (hiked it in soft snow 4-5km one way...alone.) So I stayed back from going up to the top b/c it was a bit icy and if something happened there was no one around and I was out of cell phone range all by myself....I'll do it again in better weather. :)

[Iguanasan]

Ok, my jaw just dropped when I saw "BW Beaver Pond"... AWESOME!

[edG]

Holy sh*t Casil - what an incredible set of beautifully made images

[casil403]

:thankyou: Iggy and Ed :)