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Laura B has new pics.

Random Mountain

When driving home from the Columbia Ice Fields, we saw an unmarked pull-off and an unmarked mountain. It lookd inviting, so up we went.

At first, the weather was nice, but as we approached the top, it became worse. Thick clouds turned to cold rain. We were wet and shivering, but it could not have been more beautiful.

I risked my camera to get some of these shots, but after all, it's only gear.

Moving, slow and fast

Last Sunday, a group of us headed out of town toward the Columbia Ice Fields, the land of glaciers. Real, live glaciers. OK, maybe not alive, but they do move.

In the car, on the way there and back, we played a sick game called dysfunctional family. I was a teen heading for college, and was a bitter disappointment. My five year old sister drew stick figures and wouldn't stop poking me. My other sister was nicer. My mother was a 31 year old French man, and my father was younger than me.

After about a two hour drive through the now familiar but ever astonishing crumbling rock castles, we arrived in the middle of nowhere. After having lunch in a charmingly disgusting cafeteria in a building with all the warmth of an airport terminal, we boarded a bus. It took us to another bus, but this time with five foot high low pressure tires designed to ride on ice. I know you like my assonance. Isn't it nice?

So, another sight that words can't describe. Tragic, then, that we only had 15 minutes on the ice. I hope the pictures can say what I can't. I doubt it. There just wasn't enough time. There is never enough time. Didn't I just arrive?

Sister Album(s): James

Check the links section for a bunch of nice pics from comrade James. After clicking the link, choose the specific album by clicking its link.

AA3: Sunrise on Rundle

I set out this morning in search of light.

I knew where to find it: 56 degrees East of North.
I also knew when: 6:00 AM.

I left my apartment at 4:40 AM with very little sleep behind me. Arriving on the scene just before six, I immediately began to compose a shot that I would use over many frames to document the evolution of the light.
It was cold as I wore my shorts and short sleeved shirt, and the mosquitos found me quite quickly. There I stood shivering and swatting as pink light began to spill onto Rundle's peak. I clicked away frames as I saw changes, and as I repetitively triped the shutter, something happened that instantly eclipsed the cold and the pests.

A warm breeze feeling so much warmer that before hit me from the West. While I had been watching the light to the Southeast, the same light had been working behind my back, warming the stone face of another mountain and in turn warming the air that passed over it. Having witnessed such true magic, I felt truly grateful to be alive.

At 6:40 AM, the Sun had just broken the mountain horizon, and at this precise moment, a certain type of bird began to sing. The field of grass in front of me was now lit in the best possible way, so I recomposed my shot to include it in the foreground. At seven, having accomplished my goals, I headed back toward the Cente, taking a quick snap of Cascade on the way.

And now, a CanadaviD exclusive: A special time lapse album of the Sun rising on Mount Rundle. I did my best to preserve the exposure despite the changing brightness. Color changes are accuratley preserved.

Please enjoy.

- CanadaviD

Frank Lockwood

Today, Frank Lockwood, my mentor and friend, made his glorious return to The Banff Centre to pay his old student a visit. Back in the early 1800's, Frank was a Banff Centre audio associate, just as I am today. Frank is the reason that I'm here, having written letters and made phone calls on my behalf and having prodded me quite violently to go.

We started the day by visiting Luscar control room, and there we found Dan Porter, another one of Frank's students from good ol' BSU. We went downtown, wathced Frank shop for candy, and ended up a bar and burger joint named Bruno's. We had a few and then stumbled back to the Centre to say hi to some people and to check out the rest of the studios.

As usual, more to follow by clicking the title.

Ansel Adams 2: 3-5 PM

Today I collected more data, this time between 3:00 and 5:00 PM. I also calculated the proper azimuth and elevation of the Sun at all times of the day, so now I can know exactly where in the sky the Sun will be at a given time. I updated my 3D model accordingly, and there's a picture of that, too.

I'm starting to develop some probable target times, so next time I'll aim for one of those.

Ansel Adams

Today I decided to get serious about capturing the beauty of the mountains that surround me.

Target #1 is Mount Rundle. Taking a tip from landscape legend Ansel Adams, I've decided to start collecting data on how the Sun interacts with the facets of the mountains. At about 4:30 today, I set out towards a particular vantage point where the view of Mount Rundle is virtually unobstructed. There I sat for about an hour watching the changing light and taking snapshots. Also, with the use of a lensatic compass, I recorded the direction of the Sun at various times as well as the direction of the mountain itself. With this and a bit more such research, I hope to predict an optimal time for making some sort of definitive portrait.

Click the title for some interesting data collecting shots, a couple of bonus images from my hike home, and some nerdy fun.

Sister Album: Laura

No, not that Laura.

Check the links section for a link to Laura Baehrle's pics.

Lake Louise

Sorry for the drought; CanadaviD's back.

Yesterday we returned to Lake Louise, a place we had visited before but only for a few minutes as we had just completed the legendary Sentinel Pass Hike.

We gathered in front of the Co-Op at 8:45 AM, but didn't manage to depart until nearly 10:00. Organizing 17 people can be a challenge.

Our hike began at the lakefront, which is home to a large luxuruy hotel. We quickly left all of that behind and headed up the mountain in the familiar zigzag pattern that we've come to expect. The first landing, only about 30 minutes up, left us at the so-called Beehive, which overlooks a small lake known as mirror lake. It started to rain a bit, so we hid under the trees.

After another longer stretch, we arrived at the first teahouse. Yes, the first teahouse. Odd, I know. I can't remember the explanation for this right now, but I'll ask around and try to post back. Anyway, deciding to save tea for the final teahouse, we set out around Lake Agnes toward the top of the mountain.

As you will see in the pictures, you can see the entirety of the sea green Lake Louise from up there, as well as the cerulean Lake Agnes. Light was not so great for most of this hike, so I chose to focus more on people this time.

From the top of the mountain we went down the other side and then nearly to the top of another mountain, to the second teahouse. The people that work at this one stay for five days at a time and then get five days off. We had some tea and such, illegally fed some chipminks, and headed back down by the way we had come.

Happy Birthday

to me.

Actually, it wasn't that bad. I had to work in the morning and afternoon, but after that my flatmate Wladimiro took me out for pizza. He also organized a gathering at the Rose and Crown, a local bar. A good number of people showed up, and many of them bought me drinks. That, plus two rounds of tequila shots, again from Wlad, had me pretty toasted. The next day was a disaster.

Thanks Wlad! You're a good friend.