More Pictures from Canada

Panorama of Herbert Lake

In the week since I returned home from Canada, I have been cleaning and putting equipment away, doing paperwork, and I have written the blog's.  However, I still have many pictures to go through and have been working on them all day today.  So here are additional pictures of Canada.  I still have more to go through and select.

Conifers growing on the side of the wall in Johnston Canyon

The Prairie along the Trans-Canada Highway With the Canadian Rockies in the Background

One of the lakes alongside the side of the Trans-Canada Highway

Looking down the Trans-Canada Highway at the Rockies

The Mountains near Patricia Lake

Photographing an Elk

Johnston Canyon

Herbert Lake With Reflections

Ewe and Kid Bighorn Sheep Running

Bighorn Sheep Kid on the Rocks

Canadian Rockies at Sunrise

Panorama of Herbert Lake, six vertical pictures stitched in Photoshop

Bighorn Sheep Eating

Bighorn Sheep Kid Running

Bighorn Sheep Ram

Final Day in Jasper and Large Mammals

Bull Elk

On our last morning in Jasper, we started out again to find wildlife to photograph.  This day, we were lucky and came across some bull elk, who allowed us excellent pictures.  We also photographed a sunrise, as it hit the mountain peaks.

Bull Elk

Sun Hitting the Mountain Peaks

Although we searched again in the usual spots where Bighorn sheep are normally found none were located in the morning.  We stopped again for brunch, and one of our participants came and told us that the Bighorn sheep were right on the corner on route 16.  We went and photograph them.  The sheep were both down by the river and up on the ridge by the railroad tracks.  We climbed up and were photographing them.  There was approximately a total of 47 sheep with a young ram in charge of the flock.  They were good photo opportunities.  I enjoyed watching a kid walking on the railroad track.  The sheep were not afraid of us, and were used to the trains, in fact, when one train came and and the engine sounded the whistle, the sheep moved off of the tracks without any hesitation.

Big Horn Sheep Ram

Bighorn Sheep Yearling

Bighorn Sheep Ewe

Bighorn Sheep Ewe Running

Bighorn Sheep Ram Interested in a Ewe

Yearling Bighorn Sheep Tightrope Walking on the Railroad Track

Interesting part about the train, was most of the cars were covered with graffiti.

Graffiti on a railroad car

After we finished photographing the sheep, we again went looking for more animals and photographed again a number of elk.

Elk

Elk In the Golden Light

Although we did not find any large RAM Bighorn Sheep, or any Moose, I have to say the experience was wonderful and this area deserves a return visit.

Our building at the Lodge

The Road to Jasper

Mount Cheperen

Early Wednesday morning, we checked our of our hotel in Banff and started our convoy toward Jasper.  We wanted to be on the Icefields Parkway, prior to dawn, so we can get the sun rising on the mountains.  Our first stop was Waterfowl Lake with Mount Cheperen in the background, and we were able to capture the sun's glow hitting the peak of the mountain.  Also, the moon was right above the mountain.

Mount Cheperen with Moon

Our next stop was Mistaya Canyon, a slot canyon formed by the Mistaya River.  The Canyon has rushing water winding through it and a great view up the river.  Along the trail to the Canyon, there was a number of dead tree stumps with lichens and moss covering them.

Mistaya Canyon

Mistaya Canyon

Mistaya River entering the Canyon

View down the Mistaya River from the Canyon

Moss and Lichen

Our last stop on the Parkway, prior to traveling on to Jasper was at the Parker Ridge, which is just below the boundaries between Banff and Jasper National Parks.  We also had a close encounter with a Common Raven.

Parker Ridge

Clouds over Parker Ridge

Common Raven

When we reached Jasper and the hotel the Jasper Park Lodge, our rooms were not ready yet, so we were shown with the parking lot was and then one of the Lodge employees took us to where elk were right on the property, so we could get some photographs.

Female Elk

After checking in, we then left the hotel to search for wildlife and we found very cooperative bull elks, and since the rut was over, they allowed us to approach close to them and enable great pictures

Bull Elk Resting

Bull Elk

After supper in Jasper, we returned to the Lodge for a good nights sleep.  Looking forward to another great day exploring and photography.