Majestic Canadian Rockies Part 1

For this post I will be going back in time to February 2011. In this month I took two amazing trips with my fiance to Banff, Alberta and Jasper, Alberta. This will be a two part blog. The first part will be about Banff, Alberta and its surrounding area.

Lets travel  to a little town called Exshaw just outside of Canmore, Alberta first.

Exshaw hosts a variety of cement facilities along highway 1A that have been in operation for nearly as long as Alberta has been around. The town was named after Lieutenant William Exshaw, son-in-law to prominent railway surveyor and engineer Sir Sanford Flemming. *

Just between Exshaw and Canmore is a little lake called Gap Lake. Beyond the lake is the majestic Pigeon Mountain.

Pigeon Mountain with Gap Lake

When you reach the town of Canmore, Alberta you will see the mountain called  Three Sisters, named for its triple peaks.

Three Sisters Mountain

Canmore refers to the Scottish King Malcom II, who was known as Canmore. meaning
big-head” in Gaelic. Canmore’s name was chosen by Lord Strathcona (Donald A. Smith), however, the name was changed in orthography from “Kenmore” to “Canmore”.*

Next along the stop is Banff, Alberta which is the third largest national park in Alberta. It became Canada’s first national park in 1885 and is the most visited national park in Canada.

The most prominent mountain above the town of Banff is Mount Rundle.

Mount Rundle

Where will my photos take me next?

B 😀

* Taken from “The Story Behind Alberta Names” by Harry M. Sanders

Advertisement

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

That’s right, Alberta has been hit by the fluffy white stuff! 😦  🙂 I don’t know if I am happy or sad about that.

On one hand I freeze when I walk from my car to the train station for school. On the other, I can finally learn to ski this year as my fiance is an avid skier. And there is always the gorgeous photography that the snow provides.

For example, when the snow falls freshly in the middle of the night and you wake up  in the morning the trees look like a winter wonderland all covered with the white fluffy snow.  Those are the mornings in the winter I especially look forward too.

Sunset through snow covered trees

Snowy Sunset

 

Snow field at sunset

I can’t wait till the weather and roads clear up so I can head out the back roads so I can take some other wonderful snow filled pictures for you.

B 😀