Merry Christmas!

Fullerton Loop & Elbow River December 24, 2019

It's time to find something to love about the day December 24!  I decided a couple of weeks ago that I need to acknowledge this day in a different way than I have the past few years.  There would be no more wanting to just disappear behind closed doors with curtains shut.  I want to fill December 24th with love and smiles.  He would want me to!  

Embracing today was lovingly done in memory of my brother Ian. 

December 4, 1956 - December 24, 2015   

It has been close to a couple of decades since I hiked around Fullerton Loop out in the Elbow Valley area.  This loop is on the short side but the time it would take to complete the distance would be perfect for today.  I was thankful for the smooth sail to the trail head and also happy to see only one other vehicle in the parking lot.  I bundled up, it was frigid at around -22C and I hit the trail as the golden glow converged on the area.

 I did the Loop in a counter clockwise direction which meant the grand views would come later on.

 looking down onto the Elbow Valley

I had a plan in place for today's hike.  I brought along my Nova Scotia Crystal 2015 Christmas Tree Decoration.  I purchased it in late December of 2015 at their factory on the waterfront in Halifax.  You can see it hanging on this tree.  While it is a seasonal ornament, it sits on my rock shelf year round.  I see it daily and it makes me think of Ian.

 He would love this view!

 At the second bench I unloaded my pack and sat for a spot of tea.  

The sun shone down on me and thank goodness for that.  

This was a beautiful spot to sit for awhile and think about things.   

 view along the trail

I arrived back at the parking lot and it was still bitterly cold.  From my car I could see across Route 66 to where the Elbow River is and it looked like a photographers dream over there.   A few minutes later I was there.  I bundled back up again and off I went with my camera.  The trees were laden with snow, the river was steaming and this created such a pretty scene.  

 hoar frost 

 This looks like something!

I swear I see things in the snow formations!

That looks like a teddy bear on top!

Once again there is a bench in a spot with a beautiful view.  

This time I passed on settling down on it.   

I love being out in the mountains, I love taking photographs, I love winter and the cold and the snow.  There was so much to love about this outing.  Even though the Fullerton Loop is on the shorter side, I came away feeling fulfilled and happy.  This is what I want my December 24ths to be like!  Ian would want them to be this way for me too!  

For Christmas we always received new pyjamas.  On Christmas morning I would be up early and I would wake Ian so he would come down stairs with me to see what Santa Claus brought.  Tomorrow I will wake early (some things never change) and I will go downstairs on my own.  I will think about Ian and I will smile!  I know he will be watching over me and he will be smiling wide!  

Glenbow Ranch Sunrise December 20, 2019

I got a wake up call this morning that I just had to answer!  It was time to catch the shades of sunrise at Glenbow Ranch.  With sunrise being so late it was no problem to be up and out the door on time.  I had time to spare so there was no rushing to get to upper Yodel to watch it.  It was beautiful to witness yet erie also as the coyotes were howling off in the distance.  

 my attempt at putting a barbwire frame on the sunrise

 trying to be artistic

 from a golden glow

 to a soft peachy hue

 then the bright pretty pink

 not to forget the orange glow behind me

 With the sun fully up and my wake up call answered it was time for a spot of tea.

 Then I hit The Great Trail back to my car.

Two hours and seven kilometers later I arrived back at my car feeling content.  

Powderface & Prairie Loop December 15, 2019

Today was forecasted to be the coldest day and wouldn't you know it, this was the day we agreed upon to hit the hills for a hike.  We had a few options on the table and of those I liked the hike up to Powderface Pass the best mainly because it was the shortest drive of all the options.  We went for the early start which meant we caught the reminance of the sunrise.

It was cold!  Boy it was cold!  We were in the forest away from any sun but at least we were sheltered from any wind.  I checked all the weather reports so I knew it would be cold but I did not expect -25C and that was with no windchill!  We motored along the trail to stay warm.

 I do like how beautiful it is when it is frigid.  

 We were happy to just be sporting spikes instead of having to contend with snowshoes in the cold.

We reached the meadow where the sun shone down.  

Everything was covered in a thick layer of hoar frost and large snow crystals.  

 a close up of the crystals

 amazing designs by Mother Nature

After a few minutes warming up in the sunshine at the junction, we made a split second decision to opt out of continuing on to Powderface Pass in favour of taking the Link towards Prairie Creek Trail. The trail had been firmly packed to this point and it was much softer and loose towards The Pass.  We wanted firmly packed the whole way so The Link route it was.

 a view of the backside of Prairie Mountain

We found a spot in the sun along the Prairie Creek Trail and settled down for some lunch and to warm up again.  After lunch we checked out the area and noticed this wall.  My friend wondered about it as she is a climber.

We took off in the opposite direction instead of heading back yet.  We were keen to explore a bit.  The wide open meadow looked inviting, it was fully in the sun and it was warm here.  A little play time would assist in keeping us warm.  Like sand through the hourglass so was the snow in our arms! The snow had the sugary consistency and we worked to find a way to keep it in our hands and arms while the camera timer clicked down to toss time.   We call this "sugar toss at powder meadow"!

 We tried and tried to get it right!

My friend got it down to a science!

It was time to head on back as we still had numerous kilometres to cover.  

The sun began to slip down behind the ridge and once again it got cold.  

 I took one last look back then it was all business to get back out to route 66.

It felt just as cold when we arrived back at the car.  We got the car going to warm it up, geared down quickly then settled in to the warmth for the short drive back home.   We agreed our split second decision to avoid Powderface Pass was a wise one and we were on the same page with feeling content and fulfilled with how we saved our day!

Emerald Lake Lodge Trip Day 4 - December 11, 2019

We woke at Emerald Lake Lodge to more white gold falling from the sky.  When the snow stopped and the sun came up, it was breathtakingly beautiful.  Breakfast was later this morning, it was our last day here and we prolonged departing.  But, we could only do that for so long as we had a plan in place and that was to drive to Lake Louise and X-C Ski the Moraine Lake Road.  It was not a long drive but boy did that drive pack a full punch of beauty.  

We arrived at the parking lot to see only three other vehicles there.  Oh how I love weekdays at the playground. I skied off on my waxless skis while my friend laid a layer of wax on hers.  The tracks were perfect and I like it like that.  My intentions were to pass on taking many photos and that took a conscious effort to do.  I did capture a few though along the way.

 as my friend passed me I grabbed a shot to show the perspective of tree size here

 the track is tree lined and curvy with a mountain view around every corner

 it was nice to be in the sun at times

I like the light on the tree tops!

It was such a quiet day on the track and also the conditions were the best for me that I have ever experienced here.  The sail down the hill was smooth and not speedy, I felt in control at all times.  It was the warmest day of the four we spent out in paradise but that is all relative, my hair says it all.

We arrived back at the car within about ten minutes of each other.  I was glad to get my boots off and it was nice knowing I would not be putting them on again tomorrow.  I am in need of new X-C Ski boots!  Before hitting the highway home, we made a quick stop at Laggin's where I picked up a coffee and one of those cookies they sell that I love so much.

As this saying says, I did live a happy joyful time these past four days!