Month: September 2013

Walking in a Winter Wonderland!

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, TRAVEL REVIEWS123 Comments

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Up High on Mt. Revelstoke! What a difference a little elevation makes. Jim strolling along, temperature one degree celsius…..
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The Ranger going to retrieve Jim (Jim is the black spot in the distance) to tell him the final peak ascent at Mt. Revelstoke is now closed to pedestrian traffic due to weather.
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Yep, these are color shots, see the sign! Normally we like to take Forest Service Roads because they tend to have lots of critters and not many people (don’t tell anyone) but today we decided to stick to the main roads cuz the weather was a bit iffy…….
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Down at lower elevations, the scenes couldn’t be more different.

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Mt. Revelstoke National Park has three specific eco-systems: inland temperate rainforests full of amphibians and skunk cabbage, Snow Alpine Forests, and the Taiga Cordillera.
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Quite amazing to experience them all at once and quite the eye candy!

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Hard to imagine that it is draught conditions at home at The Holler, 88 degrees farenheit, hot and dry, with Santa Ana Winds, and high risk of fire. (Click on photo to enlarge).

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Cheers to you from Mt. Revelstoke National Park.

The Snow Sheep of September!

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, TRAVEL REVIEWS65 Comments

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It’s snowing in the altitudes near Golden, British Columbia Canada. And there are sheep high up in these peaks!

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Here’s a sense of the September snow.

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The Ewe Mountain Sheep and her two lambs were very high up in the crags of the peaks, jumping around. You can see the snow falling. It was 3 degrees centigrade. Here is a sense of the the height perspective. Look carefully and you can pick out the sheep family.
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And here are some more shots of these stunners!
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Please excuse me for not being able to respond well now. Internet is getting dicey as we move towards Revelstoke NP. I look forward to catching up with you soon!
Cheers to you from just past Golden, British Columbia, Canada!

Wildlife Jasper National Park: Pt. I

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, TRAVEL REVIEWS96 Comments

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What to do when a bull moose walks right by you and you are in the middle of the wilderness? Back up slowly and take a pic….

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or four! He got into some tussles with small pine trees, that looked rather aggressive, but I think he was just scratching his antlers. (I’ll post them if you want to see them)

Here is a sweet-faced peaceful lady elk. I was taking her pic from fairly close by, and she was unperturbed.

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When all of a sudden there was this helacious din, that sounded something like a dinosaur. It is elk mating season in Jasper National Park, and I was right in the path of Sammy the suitor and his intended. No matter to him that his mating path was right in front of our cabin! He ran up to his intended, and saw me in his way….(Male elk in rut are somewhat deranged and can be quite dangerous, especially if you are in the way of true romance!)

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He lowered his antlers at me in a most un-friendly manner…

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And bugled at me loud enough to wake the dead! You can see him bugling at me in the lower pic.
I got the message and backed away! Letting true love take its course.

The males are out bugling in front of our cabin every night and it is most exciting! I run out with a flashlight catching glimpses of them.
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Male Mule Deer are Everywhere.
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And then, of course there are the irrepressible, highly entertaining red squirrels. They like to camaflouge themselves so sneakily as water faucets……
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This particular guy has amassed a pile of pine cones 12″ x 12″ round and at least as high! He’s not going hungry this winter!
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The last moments of fall are lingering in Jasper, but winter winds are already here, snow is covering the mountain peaks, and winter is coming!

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Time to pack up the canoes and chairs by the lake until spring tip-toes back next year!
Cheers to you from Jasper NP, nightime temp tonight 26F.

Beauty is Truth & Truth Banff!

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, TRAVEL REVIEWS154 Comments

(Please click on photos for optimal viewing!)
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Moraine Lake

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Ten Peaks (three of them!)

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Upside-down Tree Lake….my name.
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Moraine Lake

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Paradise River, both shots.

Heading deeper in to the wilderness tomorrow, so I am not sure if there will be internet access. I will check in when I am able. Cheers to you from Canada!

The Autumn Leaves Are Turning Gold At Lake Louise In Banff National Park!

On By cindy knokeIn Flowers, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, TRAVEL REVIEWS106 Comments

(Please Click on Photos to Enlarge for Optimal Viewing!)

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Looking towards six glaciers across Lake Louise.

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Hiking Towards the Glaciers.

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Getting side tracked exploring streams.

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Looking Back at Chateau Lake Louise.
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Reaching the Glacier.

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Nature’s glory everywhere! Cheers to you from beautiful Banff~

On The Road Again: Alberta and British Columbia Canada!

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, Flowers, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, TRAVEL REVIEWS102 Comments

Click on Photos for Optimal Views!
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Enroute today and yesterday to Banff, just arrived and here are some preliminary pics.

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The flowers, butterflies and bees at Lake Louise are all very happy and beautiful.

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Can you see the butterfly and the bee having a chat?

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Such beautiful flowers everywhere!

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I am traveling now which makes access to computers far more difficult. I will post when I can and follow your posts when I am able to. Please understand if I am less active than usual. But don’t worry, I will pop in when I can. Cheers to you from gorgeous Canada and I hope I get some good critter snaps for you soon!