Western Alberta/Rocky Mountain Landscapes...March 2010 landscapes

[Marko]

AWESOME set...I too am planning a trip there in about 6-7 months.

[OWLP]

Very beautiful area, already four years ago, we were there (Taylor and OBrain Lakes). Have to go there again soon, it's not too far from here.
Wonderful series.

[casil403]

Thanks everyone...nice to hear you are liking my part of the world. To think only an hour away.
I think of all, this area was my favorite place to shoot....the winding road along Highway 1A formerly known as Old Banff Coach road. It runs through First Nations land and I was a little hesitant with trespassing on it, (there have been stories of slingshots with rocks hurled at trespassers on First Nations Land around here) but the scenery was just so freakingly beautiful I couldn't help myself.





That was it for our drive out there...I have a few from the drive back the next morning.

[casil403]

The next day...We decided to go via the backdoor behind Canmore and along the Smith Dorrien Road to get back to Calgary. Really windy day with gravel storms and strong winds that were both cold and a bit forceful. Not too many shots as the snow was just too deep to get anywhere decent for a shot. I fell in well past my knees and up to my upper thigh a few times to the point I didn't want to chance injuring something...damn...it was pretty though.

Sunrise over Grassi Lakes in Canmore:


Upper Kananskis Lake..one of my favorite places in the world...Ive canoed, camped and hiked here!
Mount Sarrail to the left and Mount Invincible to the right - you can see the strong wind gusts in the cloud patterns.:

[Mad Aussie]

Love those last two shots (that shot into the sun is very nicely done) and the 1st in post 18 as well.

I think when I get to Canada I'll just stay at Banff and the rest of Canada can come to me

[Iguanasan]

Love those last two shots (that shot into the sun is very nicely done) and the 1st in post 18 as well.

I think when I get to Canada I'll just stay at Banff and the rest of Canada can come to me

Absolutely, the two in post 18 (Lake Minnewanka) are my favourites out of all of them though it's a hard choice from so many great landscapes.

[casil403]

Thanks guys.

[casil403]

MA... Banff is beautiful but not cheap, especially in summer season. The off season here is in winter! High season is June to October.

[Mad Aussie]

Why is winter the off season? Too much snow and ice?? Does it have snow on the mts all year round?

[casil403]

You can go out hiking/camping touristing more in the summer season...winter has skiiing but there are far more tourists in the parks in summer.
Some of the mountains have snow all year round (lots of glacier areas also) but most of it is gone once July hits. Mind you I was up at Rawson lake (the last shot the Kananskis mountain on the left has a trail going up with a beautiful lake at the base of the vertical mountain cliff face) a couple of years ago on July 1 weekend and there was still quite a bit of snow up there.
Really cool place again on my to do list this year is the Lake Louise to Jasper via the Icefields Parkway...lots of really cool scenery there and snow in the mountains...btw, there are often bike excursions that go on that route also...You would friggin' LOVE IT!