Tag Archives: Alberta

Hiking Mount St. Piran

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Yes, I skipped out of the office – again –  but the sun was shining and the mountains weren’t just calling, they were screaming at us to come play! We chose Mount St. Piran, one of the easier scrambles out of Lake Louise.

Swiss guides came to the area in 1899. (Photo: M. Kopp)

Swiss guides came to the area in 1899. (Photo: M. Kopp)

Following in the footsteps of the Swiss guides who built this switchbacking trail off Little Beehive, we sauntered up the deceptively easy grade.

Enjoying the view. (Photo: M. Kopp)

Enjoying the view. (Photo: M. Kopp)

Near the summit around 900 metres above Lake Louise, the grade becomes less friendly for a short piece, before topping out with superlative views of Mount Lefroy, Temple, Niblock and Whyte – to name just a few.

Summit cairn. (Photo: M. Kopp)

Summit cairn. (Photo: M. Kopp)

So what writing idea emerged from this workday spent in play? I think I need to research and write a humorous piece with a message about life near the summit from the perspective of ptarmigan, ground squirrels and marmots.

“Drop the cracker, drop the cracker, DROP THE CRACKER!”

“Aww, come on you cheapskate!”

We didn’t – nor do we ever – feed the wildlife, much to their apparent dismay. Habituated wildlife becomes life without wild – and where’s the beauty in that?

Golden-mantled ground squirrel. (Photo: M. Kopp)

Golden-mantled ground squirrel. (Photo: M. Kopp)

 

Stampede 101: Come Hell or High Water

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Metal entry banner at the Stampede Grounds (Photo: M. Kopp)

Metal tipi sculpture at the Stampede Grounds (Photo: M. Kopp)

It’s over… but it won’t be forgotten.

The 101st showing of the Calgary Stampede wrapped up on Sunday with over 1.1 million guests coming through the gates. In the wake of the city’s worst flooding disaster, Calgarians rallied and sweated and slopped and pulled off something just short of a miracle.

I was there in the middle of the festivities, wandering the grounds and wondering when I’d see signs of the disaster. Yes, the banks of the Elbow River were littered with debris and tracks of mud. True, the shutttered Saddledome was a tourist attraction if only for a glimpse in closed doors at the damage caused when water rose to flood up to eight levels of seating.

Oh, the timing! (Photo: M.Kopp)

Oh, the timing! (Photo: M.Kopp)

But the only pool of water was in the – rather ironic – Bell water show. There were no traces of mud on the roads or walkways and only the odd patch of spongy grass in Weedickville. Water trucks actually had to spray down the dusty track – covered with over 2.5 metres of water just two weeks before – in between chuckwagon races.

“Come Hell or High Water” t-shirts dotted the crowds at the Stampede grounds the day I attended. The phrase became a slogan as the floodwaters receded and the Calgary Stampede adopted it and encouraged a community-funded campaign to support the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Flood Fund through purchases of the shirts.

Monday morning, as the Midway packed up and the grounds were cleared, the Stampede presented a cheque for $2.1 to the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Flood Fund on behalf of the community.

Isn’t it amazing what we can do when we work together?

On the banks of the Elbow, old and new stand strong. (Photo: M. Kopp)

On the banks of the Elbow, old and new stand strong. (Photo: M. Kopp)

Echoing words from Corb Lund’s “Blood, Sweat & Water” tribute:

“The banks of the river have crumbled,
  And the currents uprooted the trees.
  But in my eyes no city has looked quite as pretty,
  As when Cowtown rose up from its knees.“

Alberta Rockies: Spring Hiking

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Lady Mac near Canmore, Prairie near Bragg Creek – Alberta Rocky Mountain hiking is looking good this spring – even with recent snowfalls!

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Overlooking the Bow Valley from Lady Mac (photo: M.Kopp)

Tips from those who’ve been there:

  • Check for ticks after every hike, especially on dry, south-facing, bighorn sheep-favoured slopes – bloodsucking season is upon us!
  • Wear hiking boots, use ice grips and carry hiking poles – the bloody knuckles and bruised behind (her words, not mine) of another hiker coming down off Prairie Mountain in shorts and running shoes says it all!
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Summit of Prairie Mtn (photo: B.Kopp)

Feeling the Spirit of the Holiday – Already!

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Magic is in the air! (Photo: M.Kopp)

“It’s your lucky night
Brought you something bright
Something with a twinkle and a glow
To remember
The lights of long ago”

Source: A Christmas Carol, “Lights of Long Ago”

Not even Scrooge could hold a scowl for long in the glow of Calgary’s Zoo Lights. For the past 15 years, this annual holiday treasure has captivated young and old alike. I checked it out last night and ended up chatting with one of the warming fire volunteers, John, for a few moments.

“It’s a cheap date night,” John noted with a big smile, “especially for groups of teens.” And now, some of the teens from 15 years ago are coming back – with young families of their own.

That’s the sweet thing about festive traditions – they have a way of touching the soul and banishing the “bah humbug” in us all!

From penguins to elephants, giraffes to monkeys – animals light up the Zoo! (Photo: M.Kopp)

Did You Know?

  • It takes 3 months to set up the display.
  • Over 133,000 spectators enjoyed the lights in 2011 (just 3,000 shy of the record-breaking attendance in 2005).
  • Ice carving demonstrations are held every Friday and Saturday night.
  • If you bring a non-perishable food bank donation, you’ll get a 2 for 1 Zoo admission pass good for the first part of the New Year.

October is all work – and a little play!

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Where has time gone? This month has been nose to the grindstone with a big kid’s book project, a little non-fiction article for a kid’s science magazine, and a pile of queries for an upcoming travel adventure.

Panorama Ridge meadows. (Credit: B.Kopp) Last of the larch. (Credit: M.Kopp)

That being said, there’s alway time for a hike – or two! Fave of the month is Taylor Lake and the Panorama Ridge meadows. It’s a steady uphill climb, 6.4 km, from the parking lot to the lake and another 0.5 km to the start of the meadows. We strolled past the three tarns in the meadows and scrambled up a low ridge for a view over toward Lake Louise. Larches were pretty much done for the season, but this would the place to go for gold glory at the end of September – no crowds and freedom to roam.

“The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water,
but to walk on the earth.” – Chinese proverb

 

Fall in Alberta

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“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Writing is not enough, we must do.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

September has been a month full of trips close home. From one day hikes to weekend canoe trips to five days along the Cowboy Trail, I’ve had the good fortune to experience a few of the unique stories Alberta has to offer. This province is rich in natural and cultural history and I’m going to do my best to spread the word!

Sitting on a Brahma bull at Fantasy Adventure Bull Riding is an adenaline rush! (Credit: Megan Kopp)

Meeting a mountain man named Bear at Wild Horse Mountain Ranch and Outfitters had me reliving the past. (Credit: Megan Kopp)

Awakening to a sunrise on the Red Deer River is a magical experience. (Credit: Megan Kopp)

Hiking Big Beehive above Lake Louise is a golden opportunity this time of year. (Credit: Brad Kopp)

Get Outdoors

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“Some people dream of worthy accomplishments,
while others  stay awake and do them.” – Unknown

I read a blog post the other day that made sense. In a nutshell the piece reviewed a NYTimes article suggesting that getting outdoors was good for the brain. Getting unplugged helps improve brainpower – I could’ve told you so. Of course, as you probably realise (just read through my posts) it doesn’t take much to convince me to go play.  Yes, the life of this freelance writer is pretty good – and I’m smarter for it!

Looking up to the col and Northover Ridge (Credit: Megan Kopp)

From the col looking down at Three Isle Lake (Credit: Brad Kopp)

High point on Kananaskis Country’s Northover Ridge (Credit: Brad Kopp)

Find Your Writing Business Style

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Paddling the Bow River (Credit:Brad Kopp)

Paddling the Bow River from Three Sisters Campground to Bow Valley Campground the other day, we were taking it easy.  Less than 1/2 hour floating down from our put-in point, we pulled up on a gravel bar and hauled out the cooler for a little picnic lunch.  The sun was hot, the chicken bagels cool and we were enjoying watching the warblers flit in and out of the coniferous trees on the opposite shore.

Out of nowhere, two racing boats powered upstream.  The tandem paddlers in one of the boats called out to switch sides every few seconds as they ploughed through the current.  We said hi, they said nothing, concentration written all over their faces.  The single paddler granted us a brief smile.  We wanted to tell them they were going the wrong way, but didn’t think humour was part of their makeup this morn.

I admired their skill at navigating rather tippy-looking racing boats upstream along this glacial waterway.  I appreciated the effort they were putting into the task at hand.  I envied their obvious physical fitness.  But even still, I wasn’t slightly tempted to give it a try.  I enjoy drifting downstream on a sunny summer’s day watching osprey hovering over shadowy movements beneath the water’s surface.  I like listening to kingfishers chatter their way along the riverbanks.

As I watched the racers turn around and head back downstream, paddles flashing, I recalled a recent post on a listserv for travel writers with a slightly heated discussion about writing goals versus actual business plans.  Personally I don’t have a business plan – but I have plenty of goals.  And I enjoy the leisurely route I’m taking to reach these goals.  Could I make be working harder and making more money? Absolutely.  Would I have as much fun?  Nope.  I think each writer needs to find what works for them, in their own situation.  Maybe you want to race, and maybe you just want to go with the flow and enjoy the journey.

What’s your writing business style?

“Once you make a decision,
the universe conspires to make it happen.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Waterton Lakes National Park Sparks Creativity

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Overlooking Carthew Lakes (Credit: Brad Kopp)

Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.”- Henry David Thoreau

Sitting on a knoll above Carthew Ridge, I wasn’t counting the footsteps it took to climb 650 m (2132 ft) from Cameron Lake.  I was soaking up the views; laughing at the antics of resident marmots; and juggling story ideas that were flooding my head.

Waterton Lakes National Park – tucked in Alberta’s southwest corner – is wildflowers, wildlife and wickedly good hiking during summer months.  Relatively small (0.07% of Alberta’s landbase), the park boasts 50% of the province’s plant species.  With an unusually cool and moist spring, the wildflowers are blooming a few weeks later than norm – a boon for us! A seasonal story on Waterton’s wonderful wildflowers wouldn’t be amiss.

Up on Carthew Mountain, my hubby paused in wonder as he investigated wolverine tracks left in a snowdrift.  What brought it up to this barren summit?  Where was it going?  Do wolverines appreciate the view as humans do?  Research into these cool creatures in Waterton Lakes would be a interesting tale to tell.

On the drive back down Akamina Parkway towards the townsite, we slowed to snap a quick picture of a cinnamon-coloured black bear and her three wee cubs as they grazed on dandelions in their own roadside restaurant.  Waterton is well-known for its grizzly population, but I wonder how many black bears are in the park?  Or how many deer? It seems like there are hundreds of these brazen creatures wandering Waterton’s streets with impunity.  Wildlife management in parks is always topical.  And surely there’s a story in the success of salamander migration tunnels leading to Linnet Lake?

And there’s the hiking.  Early July in almost in any other national park is prime season.  Trails are packed with adventurers throwing off the chains of work and school and setting off to explore the wilderness.  Now don’t get me wrong, Waterton is a popular destination, but the trails we visited were refreshingly uncrowded.  When I asked about the name for the whitish-coloured lily with three petals (the Mariposa), parks staff said I must have been on the Buffalo Paddock Trail because that’s where it was in bloom.  Made me think there could be a short article about walking for wildflowers, e.g. want to see avalanche lilies and bear grass, hike Carthew Summit trail.

Thoreau is so right – taking a break from the computer keyboard and stretching the legs is always productive.