Copper Mtn

 I think we've all heard the phrases "be in the moment" or "just enjoy the moment." Understanding these words is easy, but living them can take years, and for some, a lifetime. This fall, more than at other times, I’ve found myself reflecting on these words. At work, on a hike, listening to the radio, and elsewhere, I've heard others compare the fall colours in the Canadian Rockies to those in the East. Lately, I’ve come to see this type of  conversation as a waste of time and energy.

A few weeks ago, in October, I was visiting family in the Toronto area, where I grew up. Every day, I would go for a long walk to a park, enjoying the fall colours on the way there and in the park. I was amazed by the beautiful colours nature can produce. Late September and early October, I once again enjoyed the fall colours in the Bow Valley and on several hikes in the mountain national parks. Again, I was amazed by the beautiful colours of nature. Not for a second did I think about or compare which area had more beautiful colours. Each time, I was simply enjoying the experience and, as always, part of me was hoping it wouldn't end.

Several weeks ago, a friend shared with me pictures and words about a great hike he and others had on a beautiful morning. I enjoyed his story and could hear the excitement in his voice, recalling the same excitement I had experienced that same morning elsewhere. Not for a second I wish I had his experience or he had mine. We all had a great morning. Life is short, and I let others worry about creating lists of things you "must do” or create a top ten list.” Life becomes fun and easy when I can find something special in each moment I encounter. 

Reflection

Another fall colour season is behind us in the Canadian Rockies. I got some good hiking done to see the fall colours in the valleys and higher up. As always, each hike was different. On my return from one hike from a pass to the parking lot, I encountered 315 people and 41 dogs in an hour and a half. I beat my old record of 11 dogs. Birds most spotted or heard were Pine Grosbeaks, Mountain Chickadees, Golden-crowned Kinglets and hanging out by the trail with a bit of attitude, Spruce Grouses. The surprise bird encounter was two Bald Eagles perched on the larch trees next to a small alpine lake. Unfortunately, they saw me before I saw them. They were in the air before getting any pictures. For mammals, nothing bigger than red squirrels.

For this picture, it was a hike past Boulder Pass. A nice break from the previous well loved Lake Louise area hike. Throughout the whole hike, I saw less than 30 hikers, and one baby blanket by the side of the trail. Whose owner was quickly found. It was a cold morning, which is great for hiking. I was happy to get to the lake, the wind was just starting to pick up. I still had to take 20 to 25 seconds long exposures to get a calm water look to my side of the lake. Once the pictures were out of the way, it was time to put on a few layers and sit back to enjoy the views and my first food of the day.  Another great fall hiking season is behind me.  But I have a lot of images and the larch needles I will keep coming across in my pack and outerwear to remind me of the great hikes until next year.

Above the Clouds

One thing about hiking, scrambling, or climbing is that you need to make sure you not only reach your destination safely but also come back safely as well. Sometimes that means turning back before reaching your goal. This was on my mind when my original hiking plans changed a couple of weeks ago. I had instead decided to head up to the Big Beehive above Lake Louise. It had snowed the day before, and I would be encountering snow and ice on the trails as I got higher. The lake’s elevation is 1,731 meters, and the Big Beehive viewpoint is 2,164 meters. There were low clouds covering the valley, and my hope was to be above them to enjoy the views. But the first goal was to reach Lake Agnes for the sunrise and then deal with the possible tricky and exposed switchbacks back of the lake to the Big Beehive in the morning light. Two-thirds of the way up, I started encountering snow and some ice on the trail. The ice was thin and broke up as I stepped on it. I reached Agnes easily in time to set up for the sunrise. I was in the upper part of the low clouds, it cleared up enough to see the peaks in the back and the setting moon was as well. I started chatting with two friends who were visiting from Oregon as the clouds rolled back in. They were visiting the Rockies for a few days.

We talked about the local area and Banff NP before I packed up and said goodbye. I headed for the back of the lake to see if I was going to make it to the Big Beehive viewpoint. Before I even got to the switchbacks, there was more snow on the trail and thicker ice. That area does not get too much direct sunlight at this time of the year. The switchbacks were good for ascending but looked risky for the return trip. I started going up, deciding I would go down on the least used, longer, and safer trail located on the south side. As hoped, the viewpoint was above the clouds and the views were great. I stuck around there for half an hour or more, enjoying the sights, taking pictures, and having a snack while preventing two Clark’s Nutcrackers from taking my food from my hands. Much of the ground and the trees were covered with snow, it was a winter wonderland at the top, with larches showing their fall colours under the snow. As expected, no problems while coming down. As well, part way down, I was also able to get a nice black and white picture of the peaks on the other side of Lake Louise. Perhaps something to share in the future. While walking along the shores of Lake Louise, I was thinking about doing another short hike in the area. But after seeing the day before "Christmas shopping" like crowd, I decided I would spend my energy somewhere else.

Mount Temple

You do all the planning to go for a hike, with the hopes of coming back with a few good pictures.  Load up the camera equipment, a few extra layers, food and water, first aid kit and some odds and ends. You get an early start to the hike. But once you get there, as often happens, the weather has other plans. The hike was great but no pictures were worth saving. Then there are those days when the hike starts late due to weather. On your way to the trailhead you see the fog start to burn off as the light starts coming through the clouds. And then the right parts of the mountains light up to get the pictures you want to keep before you even start the hike. Once again, nature decides when to put on the show and you just have to be ready to click. 

Golden Sunrise

Alpine larch, also called subalpine larch and lyall larch is a deciduous conifer species that grows higher on cool exposures than other trees. It grows in very cold, snowy, and windy environments. It remains small and stunted, but in wind-sheltered areas it can reach up to 29 m in height. For more than half of the season, the average temperatures are below freezing for this tree’s environment. The average precipitation for most of the alpine larch sites is between 800 and 1900 mm. Generally, the snowpack starts around these larch trees in late October and can linger with most stands until early July.

Most of the soil development in the alpine larch stands tends to be immature. Alpine larch sites have undergone alpine glaciation during the Pleistocene and have been deglaciated for less than 12,000 years. Due to a short, cool summer season as well as low soil temperatures and high acidity, the processes that can enrich the soil are limited. Alpine larch commonly grows on slopes covered with granite or quartzite talus, which were not previously surrounded by vascular plants. Vascular plant tissues are great at conducting water and minerals. Even in sites that have better developed soils, the soils are still rocky and immature.

The Alpine larch is a slow-growing, long-lived tree. In ideal sites, the dominant trees can have a 400 to 500-year life span. Many can live to 700 years of age, oldest are estimated to be about 1,000 years. In 2012, the oldest one was recorded in Kananaskis, Alberta, at 1,917 years old. A sapling that is about 1.2m tall is about 30 to 35 years of age. With alpine larch roots extending deep into the rocky ground, they are well anchored and able to deal with very heavy winds. The crown and trunk of old trees may break under heavy winds, but they are less likely to be uprooted. For many species of trees, snow avalanches and snow slides are a source of damage to them. But the alpine larch is better adapted to surviving these conditions than other tree species. An alpine tree 6 m high can handle the flattening by snow slides, then stand straight when the snow melts.

Its ability to take hold of steep northern slopes and snow chutes, where other trees have problems doing the same. It’s assumed alpine larch helps to stabilise snow loads and reduce the force of avalanches. Scientists from several countries that are interested in avalanche control are looking at alpine larch as a possible solution. Most of the wildlife makes use of alpine larch stands during the summer, when cooler timberline temperatures and succulent vegetation await them. The Alpine larch is more than just a pretty looking tree.

Fall Colours

Perhaps it’s good that the fall colours only last a few weeks. It makes this part of the season that much more special. We only have so much time to see the colours and enjoy the walk among them. With fall colours and other anticipated nature-related events that occur annually, the wait is always longer than the event itself. Each year I have several fall colours hikes planned. If I get to do half, I’m happy. For a few weeks, I like others have been paying more attention to all the plants that started changing their colours or will be.

However, in order to see the larch trees in their natural habitat, some hiking up the slopes is required. There are a few places in the valley from where you can look up and see their colour. But nothing compares to walking among them under the sun. Just a few days ago, I got to see a few larch trees with snow covering their golden yellow needles. The snow did not last a day, but the cold temperatures that came with it got more larch needles to change into their fall colours. It’s time now to go see the larches. With the warmer temperatures coming up, we may get a few more days to enjoy them before the needles start falling toward the ground.

Bow Valley

In civilization, red, orange, and yellow colours are used to grab attention. Nature can do that as well. If you have driven along the same road all summer and not noticed the trees, come fall with the leaves changing colour, the trees pop from their surroundings. But, these warm colours can also bring about a feeling of warmth and comfort. Depending on our background, colours can have a different meaning and effect on our mind. Seeing fall colours might not just provide visual pleasure, but there can be subconscious effects as well.

I, for one, look forward to the fall colours. There’s never enough time to enjoy them. The day I took this picture in the Bow Valley. Wind, rain, and possible thunderstorms were forecasted. So I had decided not to venture too far and started off exploring the trees below me. One thing led to another and up the slope I went to get a better look at the fall colours below. Not only did I get pictures of the aspen, balsam poplar, and other trees and shrubs below me, but also of the larches across the valley along the peaks of the Massive Range.

Fall Colours

This hike to Healy Pass started on a cold morning, half an hour before the sunrise. After a few hundred meters in, the leg settled into a rhythm that would be maintained until I reached the pass I was aiming for. Only stopping to remove the shell and the fleece. Much of the hike was in the woodland, with each step I was anticipating the view I was going to have if the overcast sky let some light in. The woods were quiet, on the steep sections I could almost hear my heart beating. But I was feeling relaxed, the body was in the zone as the mind was focused on the surprise higher up. A kilometre or more from the top, the vegetation on either side of the trail was covered with a few centimetres of snow. I looked down on the trail, for the first time that morning I saw evidence that someone had stepped on the tail before me. 

On closer inspection, I realized a bear with two cubs had gone across the trail. The tracks were fresh, still soft to the touch. I looked in the direction they had gone, the view was obstructed with scattered larch trees. The trail I was on went well above their racks, I hoped perhaps I would see them from above. I kept looking for the family as I went up and across. No luck seeing them, but after a few hours of hiking that beautiful morning, I had the view in front of me that I had hoped for. 

Fallen Leaf

No matter the size they become, all leaves start out from a little bud. After winter they start showing themselves, letting everyone know warmer weather is on its way. As much as I enjoy birding before the leaves show up, easier to spot, I love seeing all the different shades of green in the spring and early summer. The leaves are a food source for many insects and wildlife but they also they produce the food for the trees to grow and survive.

In our Northern Hemisphere when the days grow shorter and starts getting colder, a hormone is triggered in the leaf-dropping trees, the party is over for the leaves. When the message is received cells are produced where the leaf stem is connected to the branch. These so called “absicission” cells help slowly push the leaf away from the stem. Leaving the leaf dangling with a weak connection. So its not as much as the leaves fall but instead are pushed away from the tree.  The wind helps accelerate the process. But before the leaves fall, many give us amazing fall colours, what a way to go. Most fall to the ground, but a few will get caught among the branches, giving us a second chance to enjoy them.

Mount Rundle

Getting the picture before the storm clouds took away the light and brought in the rain. Mount Rundle and the fall colours.

Larch Trees

One does not always have to go far or for a long hike to connect with nature. There is enough research showing how we can benefit by connecting even a small way to nature. Just looking out the window at the sky can make a positive difference in our mood. Nature has a way of breaking the cycle of problems we may have going through our head. Going for a small walk, sitting on a bench by a river, lake or on the edge of a forest can help. Providing a break to think about what we are seeing and hearing in nature. In the fall I enjoy watching leaves falling, seeing where the next one will land and every now and then trying to catch one.

Last week I was not only doing that, but also watching the larch needles land all over me, don’t tell the law enforcement, but by mistake some ended up home. They have a way of attaching to your pack and clothes. On my first off day few of us got an early start and headed for the Lake Louise area, we enjoyed the hikes and the colours. I spotted four goats and knew a location to see them closer, about 80 to 90 meters away. But the hiking version of the Christmas shopping crowd was making their way up the trails, we decided it was a good time to go home. The next day I was out on my own across the valley to explore the back country. Saw and talked to some of the 23 hikers that were on the trails that day, I got to look at more amazing views than that. It was a great day. The larches are never in their prime fall colours on the same date every year, but this year I was there for the ones I came across while exploring Boulder and Deception Pass and beyond.

Skoki Mountain

By far my favourite activity in the mountains is hiking. Some of the hikes I have had are better than others, but I have enjoyed all of them. Including this one where the larches were showing the fall colours.

Fall Colours

Still few leaves cling on, time is moving fast before they also join the leaves who have ended on the ground.

Fall Colours

First came the snow, than below freezing temperatures, followed by balsam poplar leaves falling to the ground. Creating a gold coloured effect.

93 North

Few weeks ago the fall colours started to appear. With the overcast weather and rain it has been a challenge getting pictures of the colours. That changed couple of days ago and more opportunities to come.

Castle Mtn

More fall colours seen while driving through Banff National Park, I take this road often, so when I was headed out I had the gear I needed to get the picture. Pulled off the road and stepped out and took the picture. Knowing the area goes a long way getting the picture I want.

Fall Colours

I have been busy taking picture of the fall colours, here are the colours produced by a trembling aspen leaves. I can never get enough of the colours, where ever I go I'm looking out for them. In this case I was hiking to a lake and when I spotted this small aspen tree with beautiful colours on the leaves. Took my camera to take few pictures and then I was on my way.

Until next moment,

Amar

Herbert Lake

Fall colours can be spotted near the ground as we wait for the larches to change their needles into the beautiful golden colours. I was passing by Herbert Lake where a broken up storm was passing through. Adding the fall colours to the foreground made the picture for me.

Until next moment,

Amar

Aspen Colours

Still finding fall colour, and still taking pictures of them. So much to have fun with, moving around to find the best combination of subject and background.

Until next moment,

Amar

Fall Colours

Have been able to sneak away from the crazy part of my life and be among the beautiful fall colours. It's a feast for the eyes and can't stop taking pictures of the leaves. Moving around them until I like the colour or colours in the background. Treating the leaves the same way as I treat the flowers when taking their pictures. Hoping to be out there again before the fall colours disappear for the year.

Until next moment,

Amar