While every hike in the Canadian Rockies is a treat, the ones in Banff National Park are particularly noteworthy! A brief jaunt from the cyan surface of Moraine Lake, gentle trails will bring you up into the alpine, with Larches replacing their Evergreen cousins on the way. For a brief window of about a week, these larches’ needles turn yellow before falling off their branches, provided a brief but stunning view of the range. Snowcaps coupled with alpine lakes complete the ensemble.

One of the memorable experiences was that morning hike to catch first light, my warm breath lingering in clouds amongst the icy air. A few four-legged friends welcomed me on my ascent, darting away as I got closer. Deer: beautiful, but ever elusive. Upon reaching the treeline and the beauty beyond, I realized this union of valley and mountain made for a perfect picture. After a search for the right alpine lake, I set up my tripod amongst its chilly banks. Thanks to the windless, still air, I was able to capture the mirrored surface of the water, and the beauty reflected within.

The Rocky Mountains are one of my favorite ‘local’ places to visit! Formed 80 to 55 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny, this Sierra is one of the highlights of British Columbia and Alberta. During this time period, a number of plates began their descent beneath the North American plate, with a narrow-angle of subduction. The result? A longitudinal belt of jagged mountains running through much of the U.S. and Canada.