Beauty in the Rocky Mountains

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Immediately, the pale pink dawn initiated perfect views of the mountains. Soon we drove under the strong chinook cloud, watching the light of day slowly illuminating the familiar crags. Suddenly, as we drove south, the brilliant rising sun shone under the clouds onto the fresh snow on the mountain peaks. Nature’s whitest highlights dominated the deep ravines and dark evergreen trees.

Walking around the grounds of William Watson Lodge turned my eyes down to the plants poking out of the thin snow-cover. Tiny frozen flowers steadfastly declared their faded glory from summer. Small bushes adorned the winter with their red bark. Harsh marks on brownish-grey tree trunks glowed copper in the sun.

Cozy inside the Lodge, I watched gusts of wind scour the snow from the roof, appearing to create a blizzard. Moments later, calm prevailed. Later yet, the erratic gusts blew the snow high up on to the roof again.

After lunch, the near-zero sunny temperatures enticed me into another walk, this time with snowshoers who were happy to meet this lesser challenge. We left the cleared pathways to wander down the Marsh Trail to the pier. The fierce afternoon sun seared our eyes when we dared glimpses of Lower Lake Kananaskis. Shining ice betrayed its thinness with waves of snow and weak dark blues.

On the drive home the mountains dimmed into infinite shades of grey as the sun slumped into yet another wide band of chinook cloud.

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Photos

William Watson Lodge
Serene facility for physically challenged people and their families, including seniors

Spruce
Nature's artwork

Comments

[Isabel Gibson]

Roots and rocks
I particularly like this shot. It really shows the rugged slopes that these trees cling to -- and, somehow, thrive on!

[beentouring]

Roots and rocks
My grandfather used to despair that he couldn't grow mountain trees in his garden, but in their proper habitat they could "grow in rock".