Our Extraordinary Backyard.

It was one of those days when the cold prarie cloud filled the Bow Valley. We took a chance and drove west and up the Icefields Parkway where the sun shone between the cloud. The scenery, so dazzling, it took by breath away. Well maybe that was because we were panting up hill! Still the downhill turns were almost perfect. A little touch of sun crust here and there but the scenery made up for the few imperfections of the snow.



Me making the uptrack. Everyone complains they are too steep!!
Well they are up hills what do they expect!



TURNS! It doesn't look so steep on the way down.

Big Country

Clive in his element. He loves these mountains.

Looking across the valley to Cirque peak and part of the
Dolomite Circuit where we were last week.

Our magnifcent mountains

Explorer's Extraordinaire

Last weekend we were lucky to have John Dunn of ARTIC LIGHT fame visit.  He was taking a break from his busy lecture tour of ELLESMERE LIGHT - the trip that he did with Clive last summer up in the Artic. We went exploring in our back yard skiing on the Divide Trail at Lake Louise. And a few photos to record the experience.   http://www.arcticlight.com/lectures/lectures/ellesmere.html

My arty shot!

 The tough explorers, John and Clive  looking at the memorial stone
 for Sir James HectorGeologist and Explorer

Well it is not quite the wilderness that these two have grown to used to.
Still the sticky snow made sure is was not without challenge.
It was a beautiful day with fresh powder.

Kind of speaks for it self!

Bumper Cars in Southern Alberta

It has been a hard winter. The roads have been challenging. Early in January I left Canmore one day at minus 27, 30 minutes east on the highest point on the Trans Canada - Scott Lake Hill I fumbled for my reading glasses to affirm that the temperature was minus 45!! Then later that day in Calgary a women in a Jeep Cherokee lost it in the fast lane and snaked aross 2 lanes of traffic. As she hit the concrete bumper I feared she would flip over the top and down to the road below. Fortunately she did a 360 and ended up facing me only about 30 feet away.

Then last Sunday, on our way to Lake Louise we watched a voltswagon golf skid off the road, roll over and back upright again in a deep bank of snow. The young girl and her boy friend rudely awakened from his sleep, staggered out into the snow but seemed OK.

So I just want who ever is up there to know that we have all had enough, we are ready for the Robins, the squirrels, the crocuses and dry roads.

Trundling around the Dolomite Circuit

Last Friday 18th March under blue skies Chuck, Jeanetter, Clive and I traversed this Rockies Classic Ski tour under blue skies. The moutains looked spectacular and I am not sure our photos did them credit. Here are a few photos for the record.

Me above Helen Lake

Jeanette and Chuck with the Wapta in the background.

Perfection

Jeanette and Chuck soaking up some rays.

On the mosquito creek side.
Sometime blogs just get pictures out of order!!!!



Me at Dolomite Pass



The world is our oyster.

After an awesome week at Eldorado, Clive and I drove back and stayed with Chris in revelstoke. He had just returned from two weeks in Gulmarg, Kashmir, India where I spent a year dare I say it nearly 40 years ago.

It was awesome to see his pictures and his joy. Way back then I bought a ring in Kashmir with a star on it. It is my favorite ring and what do you know, Chris bought his girlfriend Emma a necklace with a blue stone that had a similar lucky star!

We picked up our email messages and found out that Shona and Andrew were in Panama waiting to ship their westfalia van to Columbia while they had organised to sail their on a yacht.  And just today we heard that it took them 10 nights, 50 feet waves and 38 knot winds but they are now in Columbia.

Then the next day Chris was flying to France for 5 days. Not many dull moments.

Back Country skiing at Eldorado

 A couple of weeks have passed since we returned from Eldorado, a fabulous area just a bit north of Whistler and Braelorn. 7 of us  Jeanette, Chuck, Tony, Marg, Bruce, Clive and I helied in on a spectacular blue bird day, stayed for 7 nights, had tonnes of fresh snow, and skied out the following friday. It was a new area to all of us. We spent time exploring the fantastic slopes and had some memorable ski runs. My first ever face shots. I love them.



Our first wind-blasted summit on day one.



Looking East - we can see forever

Tony enjoying the alpine ambiance

Nature's sculpture

Up tracks - a big feature of the trip

The hut from high on a ridge

Skins on or off a big feature of the trip

Jeanette teeth cleaning and melting water

Rock knob summit

Jeanette collecting snow to melt

My narrow bunk

Drying rack



Some of us even had time for beauty treatments.



Clive and Bruce checking out his fantastic photos

Our grand group of intrepid adventurers.

Exploring the route back to civilisation

Unexpected visitors. The next group arrive just as we have cleaned up
to leave.

A woman's work is never done .

Skiing out and we had to find a road somewhere in all these trees.

The track we made the day before was a great help with our big
packs!

International Relations at Roger's Pass



We're off to see the wizard



Paul, John, Nank, Nick

Slogging up to Lookout Pass in a whiteout.

Victory - Clive, Paul, John, Dara, John and Nick all stop to let the porcupine
cross the track and climb the tree

Clive, Dara and Nick

John Nankervis

This was a great day -lots of snow, nearly face shots and

friendships renewed.

That  evening it was disturbing to learn about the

Christchurch earthquake and send our best wishes to all

who have been challenged by our trembling earth.

Mexico in December 2010

Celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe



Hanging out in the Campsite with Andrew, Shona and Kumu




A home with wheels




Kind of speaks for it self




Kumu holding her own in Puetro Vallarta




And here we have a dancing horse and master.




And this is why they dance?



Swiming crocodile

Not much surf here!

playing in the surf

Time to go south for Shona and Andrew and north for Clive and I

Au Revoir - until we meet again.

Local fauna.