The Alberta Excursion

Part Deux

A friend of mine told me about this thing called the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk so I decided to check it out.   I ended up with a group of 10 or so including my friends.  We strapped on some boots with cleats and started walking on the frozen canyon floor of previously rushing water.  I got a step ahead of our guide and crunch,crack, my  boot goes through the ice...well the top layer of it.   "I bet that scared you, didn't it?" Chuck the tour guide remarked. Yeah.   It was only about a foot deep and he knew the whole time of course but I didn't.   

This is where my foot broke though.

As I walked though carved out limestone from the last million years and looked up at the trees towering above as though they where watching over the canyon; I couldn't help but think of all the seasons they've seen and the people coming and going.    

 

The Alberta Excursion

 a short jaunt along a canadian highway 

Part 1

All Photos Copyright Jefferson L. Morriss 2009

I finally took a little vacation. My friend Beth from Australia, along with her boyfriend Stu were up in Jasper, Alberta working at a hotel and I knew this was a good excuse to see them and shoot some photos.  As I shot quite a bit of photos(and video, coming later) I will be doing a multiple posts.  

I left Bellingham at the wee hour of 4am. Eight hours later and a lot of mountains, I arrived in Alberta.  I skipped staying at a fancy hotel and opted for a more homey option, a B&B.   I was met by a very nice lady  and settled in. 

Compliments of the B&B

Money, Money, Money! 

Friday Morning: I woke up at 5:30am to catch the sunrise at Mount Edith Cavell.  Upon arriving I found the road CLOSED.  I sat in my car with the motor idling and the running lights on contemplating what to do.   The sign said 14km and at the time I had no idea what that meant in miles but I figured four, maybe five miles. Wrong. Try eight.  I set out in the dark along a snow covered road with the only sound that of my very uncomfortable boots crunching against compact snow.   I walked a very painful four miles in my boots  and then turned around.

   

Below are few photos I was able to get along that hike. 

Mount Edith Cavell with a little mushroom cloud atop it.

Sunrise light on Mount Edith Cavell 

Below is Pyramid Mountain, a short 10 min drive from my place

Pyramid Mountain