Topic: Canadian Rockies (Read 7012 times)

CatOne · « **on:** September 13, 2007, 12:28:12 pm »

Will be going there the last week in September. Hoping to catch some fall colors... we'll see if the storms are kind to me and don't clear the trees before I go.

I'll be a couple days at Moraine Lake, 4 days at Lake O'Hara (woot!), and a couple nights in Jasper. Anyone have some super favorite sites?

From Lake O'Hara I'm planning on hiking to Opabin Prostect, and on the same day or another hike the Yukness Ledge to the Lake Oesa. Jasper is pretty much unknown for me right now. I'm in good shape so owing to the lights I bring a 3-8 mile hike for great spots is easily possible.

Thanks!

Tim Gray · « **Reply #1 on:** September 13, 2007, 02:05:30 pm »

A nice circuit is from lake o'hara up wiwaxy gap then across to oesa - then the Yukness ledge to lake McArthur. a bit of a push if you're going in and out same day, but if you're there overnight no problem. if you're there 4 days you won't miss anything.

In sept some of the crowds from lake louise will be gone, and a nice short trip is up to lake agnes tea house then up the beehive. I was there late aug - here's a shot from lake agnes...

In jasper, make sure you go on the cruise on maligne lake to spirit island, you only get about 10 minutes there to shoot but it's worh while. you probably want an end of day cruise so the sun is more behind you. i did an early morning cruise and that was the wrong time of day.

Khurram · « **Reply #2 on:** September 13, 2007, 02:30:50 pm »

Quote

A nice circuit is from lake o'hara up wiwaxy gap then across to oesa - then the Yukness ledge to lake McArthur. a bit of a push if you're going in and out same day, but if you're there overnight no problem. if you're there 4 days you won't miss anything.

In sept some of the crowds from lake louise will be gone, and a nice short trip is up to lake agnes tea house then up the beehive. I was there late aug - here's a shot from lake agnes...

In jasper, make sure you go on the cruise on maligne lake to spirit island, you only get about 10 minutes there to shoot but it's worh while. you probably want an end of day cruise so the sun is more behind you. i did an early morning cruise and that was the wrong time of day.
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I think the Spirit Island cruise tour ended after labour day. However, Maligne lake is still a must (good for both sunset and sunrise), as is Mt. Edit Cavell and Pyramid Lake is a good sunrise location as well.

You can see some of my Rockies photos on my site:
[a href=\"http://www.pbase.com/kssphotography/canadian_rockies]http://www.pbase.com/kssphotography/canadian_rockies[/url]

Tim Gray · « **Reply #3 on:** September 13, 2007, 03:11:28 pm »

Quote

I think the Spirit Island cruise tour ended after labour day. However, Maligne lake is still a must (good for both sunset and sunrise), as is Mt. Edit Cavell and Pyramid Lake is a good sunrise location as well.

You can see some of my Rockies photos on my site:
http://www.pbase.com/kssphotography/canadian_rockies
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=139203\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

No, it goes a bit into october

Lisa Nikodym · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2007, 05:32:32 pm »

Moraine Lake is absolutely gorgeous. Be sure to take the short walk to the top of the "moraine" (actually an old landslide) that blocks the lake for the classic view, but do it early in the morning before the bus tour hordes arrive (the light is great then too, while the sun is still just behind the mountains). The restaurant at Moraine Lake Lodge is excellent (at least it was a couple of years ago when we were there).

One excellent trail there starts near the lake and heads up into the mountains on the east side of the valley, with a gorgeous view after a while back over the lake to the mountains on the west side.

Be on the lookout for marmots and pikas; there are plenty in that area, and they are fun to photograph (in fact, my avatar image is a pika on the Moraine Lake "moraine"!).

Lisa

Eric Myrvaagnes · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2007, 08:30:25 pm »

I agree with all the suggestions made so far.

You can't go wrong at Lake O'Hara, which is about my favorite spot in the world (been there three times, always in summer; the last time, in late August, we had rain and snow one day on Opabin Plateau. Next time I'll have gloves that are better than the thin cotton ones I had that day). Opabin and Oesa and McArthur are all must-see. If weather permits, do Wiwaxy and any of the ledges ("Alpine trails") that have been suggested.

Moraine Lake is also excellent. We didn't see Lisa's pika there, but on the trail to Annette Lake we encountered a huge porcupine (who, I am happy to say, ignored us completely). In this area, you should consider the trail to Sentinel Pass, or the Annete Lake/Paradise Valley loop.

While you are in Yoho NP anyway, if you are feeling energetic and have time, the Iceline is spectacular and higher than anything else around. It is a slog to get up to the good views, but once you are there you can go for miles with great views, returning the way you came.

A very useful guide book is "Don't Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies" by Kathy and Craig Copeland, which is "an opinionated hiking guide". Good descriptions so it's pretty easy to tell whether you will like the same things the authors do. They rate all their hikes with footprints: 0 means "don't do"; 2 to 4 are "worthwhile", "outstanding", and "premier". I agree with them at least 80% of the time.

Another good book is Brian Patton and Bart Robinson's "The Canadian Rockies Trail Guide". Excellent descriptions, but without the rating system. These are both available through GemTrak (www.gemtrek.com), who also have excellent maps. Or you can pick them up in bookstores in Calgary or Banff or Lake Louise.

Do have a great trip and show us some photos when you get back.

CatOne · « **Reply #6 on:** September 15, 2007, 11:32:43 pm »

Awesome. Thanks everyone for the suggestions -- I'm gonna mark 'em down and come up with a little mini itinerary for each spot. A friend sent me the sunrise/sunset chart so I'll be getting up early pretty much every day. Need to lean on some folks to get a little pre-scouted info just because I'll have 1-3 days in each place so can't pre-scout in each place.

I mean I would, but the wife would rather have a more varied itinerary :-)

I have a small book called "Photographing the Canadian Rockies" which is also very good... and Marc Muench was who turned me on to Lake O'Hara... saying it was one of the most photogenic places he has ever been. We lucked out and got in from the waiting list as we only booked 8 months out

Will be sure to post a few pictures when I get back... Tim that's a really nice one you got there.

Lisa Nikodym · « **Reply #7 on:** September 16, 2007, 01:17:35 pm »

When I was was in the area a couple of years ago, some of the ranger stations and gift shops had for sale a little book called "Walks and Easy Hikes in the Canadian Rockies", by Graeme Pole. I just checked amazon.com, and they have it available. It's a great resource for photographers, because it has not only a description of many easy walks (good when carrying a lot of camera gear), and color photos from each of them (so you can better choose which look interesting to you), but it also tells what what time of day the lighting is best. I highly recommend it!

Lisa

richardb · « **Reply #8 on:** September 17, 2007, 06:27:42 pm »

Expect snow at Lake O'Hara, especially on the Alpine Ledges. I usually wear a helmet for sections of that traverse but a lot of people don't bother with them.
I live in Canmore and we've now got snow on the mountains with more expected later this week.
Assiniboine Provincial Park is highly recommended. You can fly in there and stay at the Naiset Cabins if the lodge is fully booked. You'll need a sleeping bag, stove etc if you stay in the Naiset cabins but it's a better option than camping. Expect snow there as well.

CatOne · « **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:25:07 pm »

Well it was a great trip, though I did get quite a bit of foul weather. Had overcast skies 6 of 8 days, and snow 5 of 8 days (including every day at O'Hara). So had to change up what I was shooting (fewer "big vista" landscapes), but I did manage to get a nice shot from the rock pile:

Work has buried me since I got back... I'll post a few more pictures in a week or so when I get a chance. The larches were pretty good in O'Hara and with the snow it presented a number of fun opportunities... just have to get some time to tinker

Eric Myrvaagnes · « **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:48:38 pm »

Beautiful!

Sorry the weather was somewhat limiting. But I bet it was a stunning experience anyway. I look forward to more photos when you have the time.

Lisa Nikodym · « **Reply #11 on:** October 05, 2007, 12:50:51 pm »

Gorgeous photo of Moraine Lake! I know the road to it closes in the winter; was that just a particularly early light snowfall while it was still nominally open, or did you have to take the road with a 4WD vehicle after it was officially closed?

I've seen it at the other end of the season, early June, when the road was open (though snowless) but there was still ice on most of the lake. It looks even more beautiful with snow on the trees, which I missed in early June.

Lisa

CatOne · « **Reply #12 on:** October 05, 2007, 11:55:34 pm »

Quote

Gorgeous photo of Moraine Lake! I know the road to it closes in the winter; was that just a particularly early light snowfall while it was still nominally open, or did you have to take the road with a 4WD vehicle after it was officially closed?

I've seen it at the other end of the season, early June, when the road was open (though snowless) but there was still ice on most of the lake. It looks even more beautiful with snow on the trees, which I missed in early June.

Lisa
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It was a reasonably early snowfall -- the road was still open and we stayed at the lodge for 2 nights. Sunday night (September 30th) was the last night the lodge was open -- it's now closed.

It warmed over the course of the day and much of the snow melted off the trees, but not all of it. I think it's probably snowed a fair bit more this week, from looking at the weather forecast!

nchopp · « **Reply #13 on:** October 06, 2007, 10:54:42 am »

CatOne - that shot is bloody fantastic.

Lisa Nikodym · « **Reply #14 on:** October 06, 2007, 11:24:26 am »

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It was a reasonably early snowfall -- the road was still open and we stayed at the lodge for 2 nights. Sunday night (September 30th) was the last night the lodge was open -- it's now closed.

It warmed over the course of the day and much of the snow melted off the trees, but not all of it. I think it's probably snowed a fair bit more this week, from looking at the weather forecast!

Lucky, lucky you! I stayed there once in late September, about a week before they closed for the season, and the weather was still very summery. On the other hand, it was comfortable for canoeing on the lake, so I can't complain *too* much...

I'm sorry that the foul weather detracted at other times. Try some other year in late September, and it can be quite different.

Lisa

CatOne · « **Reply #15 on:** October 08, 2007, 11:49:47 am »

Finally got around to putting the rest of the pictures up.

Lake O'Hara: I used the gold & blue filter to add a little color:

The larches were in full color... though I never got direct sunlight on them (this from the Yukness Ledges, which was snowy and slippery but traversible):

Did a couple abstract color shots of the Opabin Plateau... again from Yukness Ledges:

And this is as much as I could come up with at Lake McArthur (this is the *only* shot where you can actually see the back of the lake!

Put the rest of my images at Canadian Rockies Gallery

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Eric Myrvaagnes · « **Reply #16 on:** October 08, 2007, 12:37:01 pm »

I really enjoyed your gallery. Even very familiar places look so different with snow (I've only been there in July and August). #109 in your gallery is right where my wife and I got snowed on (rain at lower levels) in late July a couple of years ago.

#88 (Lake Oesa) is one of my favorite places. I don't think I'd want to try the Yukness Ledges with snow on them. Maybe when I was younger.

Thanks for showing us these.

Author Topic: Canadian Rockies (Read 7012 times)