Nose Hill (not the usual) November 20, 2019

I went for my typical tromping ten km trip this morning up on Nose Hill but it turned out being not the usual outing where I spend time admiring the scenery and capturing photos of it.  I did pay attention to the views but other things kept grabbing my attention with some seeming to be a little off, so much so that I began to wonder was there a full moon.  I did hear a howl!  

I hit the trail just as the sun appeared in full over the horizon and began to turn Nose Hill a different shade of pale pink that was not that pretty.  It was a challenge to photograph but I gave it a shot at taking a shot.  I soon realized with all the blue in the sky, I should focus on something other than far off or landscape type views for pretty pictures. I did not need to work at focusing.....

.....as I mentioned early, things kept grabbing my attention!  

I now knew where that howl came from!

 It was a bright sun-shiny morning up on Nose Hill.

I was not the only thing creating a shadow!

I took a different route this time around and soon was sorry I did.  The snow had drifted and was deep and no one else had been yet.  Here the snow drifted right up the back of the trail marker and the snow even blew through the opening flower shape.  

 What the heck watch out!

Not only had I heard that howl, I also heard a vroom vroom.

I jumped out of the way when I saw this coming towards me and just watched him motor on by.

It was very quiet up on The Hill other than that howl and the vroom vroom.  

It felt a tad bit erie too.  Being watched can make it feel that way.

 just hanging out

 Here we go again!  What the heck!  Are you lost?  This is Nose Hill not the highway!

 Here is the confirmation there is not a full moon!  

 It was just a strange morning being "out & about" up on Nose Hill!  

This was my 10km route.

Paradise Creek Snowshoe November 14, 2019

🎼🎶🎵walking in a winter-wonderland🎵🎶🎼

FINALLY!  YES FINALLY!  I strapped on my snowshoes this morning and went walking in  a winter- wonderland for a glorious four hours!  Aaaahh!  It felt so good, it felt so right!  Heavenly!  Divine!  Sweet!  Aaaahh!   Lake Louise area was our destination specifically the Highline Trail, Paradise Creek, Moraine Lake Road, Tramline, Louise Creek,  Campground, Bow River, it was one of those one way specials.  

heading for the trail head 

We stopped at the first junction so "one" friend could show "another" friend our plan of attack.  

The "another" friend had never been in this area.

The sky was a somewhat dismal beige/gray yet visually it was quite bright thank you to all the new fallen white gold that ladened the tall trees.  I was surprised at the amount snow here already and seeing this confirmed I made the right choice in joining these friends on this trail today.

 another junction

We arrived at the bridge at Paradise Creek and it was obvious we would not be snowshoeing out on the creek today.  It's early season for that.  There was still open water. The sky remained that beige/gray dismal color.  We voted to enjoy our lunch on this side of the bridge.  After savouring my sandwich paired with a couple of cups of hot tea, I grabbed my camera and walked back over to the bridge.....

 .....and this is what I saw!

That beige/gray turned to blue/white!

We all stood on the bridge and watched the clouds lift to see this gift!  Give it time and one day down the road we will be back here and that is when it will be safe to carry on out into Paradise Valley.  

We packed up and continued with our snowshoe trek down Paradise Creek Trail towards Fairview then out onto Moraine Lake Road.  Oh the X-C Ski tracks looked lovely and for a couple of seconds I drifted off to being on my skis and gliding along.  Snap...back to reality!

 view along Moraine Lake Road

 a young family skiing up the track

 the higher section of Lower Tramline

 at the bridge where we now veer off onto Louise Creek Trail

 Not long from now those little  pimples in the snow will be big bumps.

With time on our side, instead of heading back to the Village, we took a detour through a section of the Lake Louise Campground.  The section was where I camped this past July.  For a couple of seconds I drifted off to being stretched out in my hammock beside my tent with a fire roaring.  Snap...back to reality!  We snowshoed beside the Bow River, crossed over the bridge, then it was time to aim for the Village to catch our ride back home.

🎼🎶🎵a beautiful sight I'm happy tonight🎵🎶🎼

Sulphur Mountain November 11, 2019

With winter tires finally on my car and a road report that says good to go, I was now ready to go.  With a recent snowfall of a few centimeters and a weather forecast for cold + crisp + clear, I wanted to get caught up in all this.  Banff National Park was the place, up Sulphur Mountain I would set the pace.  I arrived to only two others ahead of me, one turned back very early, the gondola would not run until 10:00am so this meant it was very, very quiet here.      

It was so easy to focus this morning, eyeing the beauty as I ascended, hearing nothing but my breathing and the off & on crunch of my spike in the packed snow.  I took only two stops along the way, one to delayer and sip my beverage then one photo opportunity.   I reached the deck and the beauty was as it always is although I took some time to make sure to appreciate it a bit more on this Remembrance Day.   This was the first time I noticed the coloring on the sign.  I sported orange and turquoise too!

Oh Canada!

I arrived at the observation deck to this view.  

It was cold! It was windy!  It was awesome!  

The heated igloo is open and inviting. 

I spent a little time inside warming up, enjoying my tea and the view.

At this time of year if you hike up Sulphur Mountain then you can ride the gondola down for free so I did just that.  The window was down and the view of Mount Rundle was sweet.  I exited the base building and walked back up to my car near the trail head.  It was still cold and still windy and still beautiful!

West Bragg Creek Trails November 7, 2019

I like new and today would be new for me!  This was my first time ever in the West Bragg Creek area other than many many moons ago spending a Friday evening nearby downhill skiing then watching a Warren Miller Movie at the Wintergreen Ski Hill.   I was looking forward to what would transpire today and what sights I would see.  I am crazy about snow so this sight at the gigantic West Bragg Creek Parking Lot was appealing first because of all the snow and second because there were only a few others here.   

 We opted out of snowshoeing in favour of spiking instead.  

It was a beautiful winter wonderland with snow laden trees.

We had an intended big loop in mind to cover but experienced an ooops along the way and began to create a figure eight, double the pleasure two loops instead of one!  The climbing was gradual and I was happy about that.  I am working on getting my elevation heart and lungs back up to par.

break time along the way for a sip & snack

Like I mentioned above, I am crazy about snow!  

Some say I am in age denial!  

I say I am just loving life and living it!

The views open up and we can now see mountain peaks peeking out!

 venturing through and beyond

Noon time!  Dine time!  We found an open slope along Merlin and settled down.  Here you can see Moose Mountain which is now no longer a fire lookout seeing as they removed the lookout house this summer.   Maybe a new one will be built next summer!

 settled down in the sun and ready for tea

After lunch we continued on with our figure eight at times following The Great Trail.  The arrow is pointing west.  If you follow all the arrows for The Great Trail heading west, you will eventually arrive at where I was a couple of weeks ago and that is where the trail begins and ends on the west coast of Canada.

We saw many deer today, some were skittish and took off, others stared at us while we admired them.

We arrived back at the parking lot just in time to quickly gear down then hop on for our ride home. 

Nose Hill Autumn Delight November 6, 2019

red is the berry

and the snow is white

it's not even Christmas

but I feel merry & bright

I was home from this morning's appointment at 7:50am and back out the door at 8:10am, now all bundled up with camera in tow and not far to go.  I knew I needed to be at Nose Hill early while it was still frigid with a wind chill and some fluffy puffy clouds dancing about.

The equation added up correctly for a day of crystal clear that I love so dear!

Everything was covered in a heavy layer of hoar frost.  

I walked into a dream!

Is what it did seem!

Oh what a beauty you are!

With that crazy quick drop in temperatures over night, 

Canada Olympic Park got busy making snow to cover the downhill ski slopes.  

The snowflakes were so big and so defined and so perfect.  I picked up a bunch and shook them around on my glove.  Then admired them.  Right before my eyes was a heart shaped from a few flakes and on the right side of the heart was a crystal of snow shaped like a star and it sparkled in the sun.  I got goose bumps and not because it was so cold.  I don't purposely go looking for hearts, they just appear in one form or another and it has been happening lots lately.

Am I looking for love?

This was today's route.