Today is the day many southern Alberta stream anglers have been looking forward to since the end of last October when the 2016 fishing season came to a close. Their long 7-1/2 month wait is finally over. It’s opening day of the 2017 fishing season! Continue reading
Crowsnest Pass would have been an exciting place to be during the early 1920s. It was in its heyday then and there was always something going on, in one way or another. There was plenty of hustle and bustle in each of the towns, with people constantly coming and going from one place to another. The Pass also had its share of interesting characters back then. One such person was Emilio Picariello, proprietor of the Blairmore Hotel. Among most residents of the area, he was known simply as, “Emperor Pick.”
The years leading up to the Roaring Twenties were good for the Emperor. He had become a successful and respected businessman in his own right, but it would all come to a sad and tragic end shortly after 7:00 pm on Thursday, September 21, 1922.
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Several weeks ago I posted a few photos here of wildflowers, including prairie crocuses and yellowbells. While they can still be seen at higher elevations, other flowers are starting to bloom in the mountains. Glacier lilies are one of my favorites. They are sometimes called yellow avalanche lilies because they like to grow at the edge of receding snowfields in spring.
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We have been receiving some nice weather over the past few days and it appears the spring snowmelt has started in the high-country. There is a lot of snow to melt in the mountains and warm temperatures are helping to get things going. Providing we don’t receive excessive rain over the next month, we should not be overly concerned about flooding on our local rivers. Continue reading
I enjoy photographing wildflowers this time of year. Prairie crocuses and yellowbells have been in bloom for at least a couple of weeks and I’ve been admiring them on some of my recent hikes and walks. It wasn’t until a couple of days ago, though, that I packed my camera gear along with the intention of taking a few pictures. Continue reading
It’s beginning to look and feel more and more like spring around here every day. The days are growing longer and temperatures are beginning to warm. Much of the snow at lower elevations has melted and the valley is showing signs that it is about to transform from one season to the next. All of our rivers and streams have become ice-free and some of the lakes are starting to open now, too. Ducks, Canada geese, and other migratory waterfowl have returned from their southern winter retreats, and are searching for suitable nesting sites. It’s been two weeks since I saw a flock of mountain bluebirds in Crowsnest Pass. You know spring is knocking at the door when these colorful birds make their appearance in this part of the province. Continue reading
I spent a few hours yesterday afternoon fishing for rainbow trout on my home stream, the Crowsnest River. The west winds made casting a little challenging at times but it was a great day to be on the water, nevertheless. Continue reading
The limber pine is one of the longest-lived trees in Alberta and can have a lifespan of more than 1,000 years. They can be found on rocky, wind-swept ridges throughout the Crowsnest Pass and surrounding area. Limber pines often become scraggly and stunted in appearance, particularly when exposed to the hurricane-strength winds this corner of the province is famous for. In some places, the relentless winds have caused these trees to grow at crazy angles, almost to the point where it looks like they will surely topple over the next time it blows really hard. Sometimes, they do.
The limber pine in the photograph above is located near Passburg in Crowsnest Pass. It’s growing in a spot that’s sheltered from the wind, near the crest of a hill. The tree is healthy and doing well; it’s growing straight and is full of strong branches and limbs. I can’t say how long it has been standing here, but suspect it has hundreds of years left to live before the tenacious, ever-persistent Crowsnest winds topple it to the ground.
I took this photo last week, after a snowfall. It seemed to lend itself best to a grayscale conversion, as the only color in the scene was a small amount of blue in the sky, near the top of the image, and above the tree-covered ridge in the distance. I liked the way the tree and its shadow contrasted against the snow-covered hillside, and the clouds rolling across the sky.
Castle Mountain Resort
Yesterday was the third Monday of February, which meant it was Family Day in Alberta. It’s a statutory holiday in our province, so the majority of people were off work and schools were closed for the day. This holiday was introduced in 1990 as a way to promote the importance of families and family values in the province. A lot of families took advantage of the holiday, and long weekend, and spent some quality time doing things together. Many communities held special Family Day events and the province offered free admission to its historic sites, museums, and parks. Continue reading
Southwest Alberta continues to dig out from a major snowstorm that occurred last weekend. Crowsnest Pass received upwards of 80 cm (36 inches) of snow between Saturday and Monday. Castle Mountain Ski Resort, west of Pincher Creek, received 112 cm (44 inches) of snow, and Waterton Park got a whopping 120 cm (47 inches). Highway 3 between Coleman and Sparwood, BC was closed for a couple of days, causing numerous motorists to become stranded. Most were able to find accommodation in the communities of the Pass. The highway reopened late Monday evening and by Tuesday afternoon everyone was on their way again. Some stores remained closed for a day or so, and students in the area enjoyed a couple of snow days at the beginning of the week. It was a good old-fashioned snowstorm, the likes of which we have not seen for a long, long time.
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