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.
I went for a bit of a tour around Crowsnest Pass and the surrounding area yesterday with my wife. I had my camera with me and was hoping to take a few photos of people enjoying Family Day in the great outdoors. It was a beautiful day. There was barely any wind and the sun was shining. The temperature climbed to 4°C in the afternoon, and it felt like spring was in the air.
Our first stop was Castle Mountain Ski Resort. Its parking lot was full when we arrived and the slopes were busy with skiers and snowboarders. We’ve had tons of snow lately and the ski hill looked like it was in great shape. Our next stop was Beaver Mines Lake, followed by Beauvais Lake Provincial Park. Quite a few families were ice fishing at both places. There were a number of ice tents set up, but most anglers were standing outside, soaking up the sunshine. Kids were skating and playing, and having a fun time.
Ice fishing at Beaver Mines Lake
On the way back to the Pass, we noticed several vehicles parked at a couple of access points along the Crowsnest River. I stopped at one of these and chatted with a fellow who was fishing with his two sons. They were accompanied by their pet dog. It was nice to see that dogs get to participate in Family Day, too!
Fly-fishing on the Crowsnest River
