Maligne Canyon

Our next excursion, to Maligne Canyon, and Maligne Falls, actually began with searching for elk around our cabins at the Athabasca River. Though some were able to see some elk, I was not able to capture any of them. So I'll just let the mountain signify that event. Well, Maligne Canyon and Falls turned out to be splendid, though not in the majestic way that some of the sights we had seen were. It was a reminder of all the quiet woodlands that form the base of the truly spectacular mountains.

Back to the tour

Well, we got back on our tour and headed north again toward Jasper. On the way, of course, we passed by magnificent mountain scenery, and the mighty (sort of) Athabasca River, and the Athabasca Canyon, before settling in our cozy cabin on the shores of the same Athabasca River. Where we could watch the fearless upon their rafts, watch for elk (really only visible in the dim light of morning and evening). It was a nice time to kick back and relax.

Is the water really that color?

Now, some of you may be wondering, Is the water really that color, or is it just a trick of photoshop? It is really that incredible turquoise color, and relates to the fact that the water come from glaciers melting. As can be seen in these photographs, taken from lakes near the Columbia Ice Fields, the water comes straight from the glaciers, and, as such, it contains what is referred to as glacial flour, or glacial silt, which, because of the minerals trapped within the water gives the water its peculiar and beautiful color. For those of us from far away, it was just one more magnificent thing to admire about the Canadian Rockies.

Lake Louise, part two

Well, with these photos we say, for the time being, farewell to Lake Louise and its turquoise waters, its amazingly peaceful surroundings, its flowers, and its ambience. As you can see from the photos of the famous Chateau, it is going to be around for a good, long while, and will still be a famous tourist attraction long after we're gone. Somehow, though, we've got to go back there, at least once.

Lake Louise, part one

For those of you who have experienced Lake Louise, you know what I'm talking about when I say that, even though it is a place filled with tourism, it is still not to be missed. You just can't beat the scenery, the magnificent flowers, the opportunities to do things like go canoeing, or simply walking. And besides that, they've got a great deli, where you can get world class sandwiches, and to take them out with you as you do those things that you want to do... well, it's really too much for one posting. So, there's more to come.

Moraine Lake, or just how much beauty can you stand?

All right, I promised, so here it is. We next took off toward Moraine Lake, in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. There are a few places that I've visited that can really take your breath away, and this is one of those places. The scenery was absolutely incredible. The first photo is one of the mountain peaks along the way. The next picture is the beginning of our rock climb toward the lake. The next three are from up on the top of our rock ridge, looking across that cold lake toward those majestic peaks. And the last photo is from down at lake level. Enjoy.

Backtracking

This time, it's just a bit of backtracking, before getting on to the really dramatic stuff later on. These were some photos taken mostly in and around Waterton, Alberta. With the last one taken on the way back from there.