Falling for the Rockies.
A lot has happened since I first launched this website at the start of September. I started Letter Carrier school with Canada Post, which I have since passed. I’ve traded in my film slate for a mail satchel. So far it’s been pretty great! I also bought a brand new Toyota 4Runner, which I promptly took on an adventure. I’ve been to the Rockies many times but never in the fall. Of course, I’ve seen many pictures of the larch and aspen trees as their leaves change and the colours pop. I decided to hit the road and head towards the mountains.
I got the first ferry off the island and started my drive. As I detoured through Kelowna to see what devastation the fires had wrought, I wished I had gone a different route. The air was still SO thick with smoke, and it didn’t clear until after Vernon. It didn’t take long for the smoke to work its way into my brain, and I started getting a headache. It was bad enough that I didn’t feel like sitting behind the wheel anymore. I needed to get out and get some fresh air. Salmon Arm proved to be the perfect opportunity for such a sojourn.
I’ve only ever driven through Salmon Arm in the past, and I was looking forward to getting out of the car to explore the town on foot. I headed down to what I deemed to be the main tourist attraction: the wharf/pier that juts out into Shuswap Lake, taking my time to smell the flowers in the garden before being wind-whipped on the water. I took a little stroll along the waterfront trail and found myself walking around McGuire Lake just as the sun started to show off some amazing colour. I saw this abandoned house and spent a good twenty minutes trying to find the “right” composition for it. I’m not sure if I got there or not. I spent some more time walking through the town before taking myself out for an Indian feast and a dip in the hotel hot tub.
The next day saw rain clouds covering the entire sky for my short but very nice drive to Golden, where I met up with my cousin, Derek. He owns a woodworking/design company called Five Island Woodworks in Golden, and, despite my bias, I highly recommend him! It had been about eight years since we had last seen each other. He took me to the top of Mount Seven to watch the sunset, and upon returning back to his place, I got a message from my friend and fellow photographer, Kahli April, that contained one word: “AURORA!” I looked at Derek and we both jumped in my truck and drove right back to the top of the mountain. We were gifted a short but sweet aurora show, with a dash of Milky Way. Such a great night under the stars! The next morning, Derek took me into the backcountry so I could see more of the area, take some pictures, and fly my drone in one of the few places you’re actually allowed to. I had so much fun! Early afternoon saw me work my way towards Canmore, where I’d be calling home base for a couple of nights.
Kahli and I met up for dinner. We hadn’t seen each other since running around in the Namibian desert, and it was a nice little reunion. The same occurred the following night, when I met up with the infamous Lee Nordbye for a bite, prior to heading into Banff to visit with Paul Zizka and his wife, Meg. It was so great to see some friends.
I took advantage of the gorgeous weather on both days. I spent one day working my way through Kananaskis, and the following hiking up to the alpine for larches. I promised to keep the hike/trail a “secret,” (aka not blowing up the spot on social media.) I saw so many beautiful colours and I’m always a fan of that turquoise water. It’s so unique to this part of the country. While I did see a lot of colour on the leaves, I was perhaps a few days early, or not in exactly the right spots to see the massive changes, but I worked with what time I was giving myself.
I then continued my journey north towards Jasper, taking a big detour to visit Abraham Lake to see the submerged trees. I hadn’t been here before, and unfortunately, most of the floating leaves had vanished, but I managed to find some fun compositions and, of course, a self-portrait. I took the drone for a spin as well before heading into Jasper. I’ve driven north to south on the Icefields Parkway many times, but I’ve never driven in the opposite direction. I highly recommend it. Coming down one of the mountain passes to see the moon so high and “close” almost got me into an accident. I was enthralled. I would have preferred to be a passenger at that exact moment, but I made sure to stop as much as possible with the fleeting light.
It was a quick gas up in Jasper and a coffee to go, as I was aiming to spend the night in Valemount to be in the dark if the weather gods were going to cooperate with a clear sky. They didn't, so it was an A&W Mama Burger for dinner and some motel trash TV, which is one of my many guilty pleasures. The following morning was dismal and dreary, and a tad bit scary with the rain, thunder and lightning on the highway. I had considered spending a night with some friends in Vancouver, but by the time I got to Chilliwack, I was ready to finish the journey back to the island.
From Victoria to Alberta and back!
