A Walking Report 24

Dear Reader (2021-06-06),
Tuesday June 01, 2021 – Goat Creek Trail – 21k – Point to Point – with Keith

The weather gods had frowned the Monday before April 20th, leaving a blanket of unstable spring snow in the high country.  The first plan for Goat Creek Trail was canceled.  For the second attempt, I had researched how I could do my first point to point, by myself using a combination of 2 public transit buses and a taxi.  In this third attempt, Keith decided to join me.  At 07:45 this morning we met at the trailhead of the Spray River Trail, in a small parking lot past the Banff Springs Hotel.  This parking lot is also an end point for the Goat Creek Trail. We leave one vehicle there, drive back to Canmore, and then drive the first 5-10 km of the Smith Dorrien (Highway 742).

Our starting point is the base of the eastern slope of Mt. Rundle.  For the next 21 km, Mt. Rundle will be on our right as we walk a well used path that, except for a few bridges, is wide enough for a small car. I would be comfortable taking my hybrid bicycle on this path, and plan to do so later this summer.  Over the next 6 hours we exchange quick hellos with over a dozen cyclists. One of them tells us of a common cycling route that begins where we started, continues on through Banff, and then picks up the bike path following the Trans-Canada back to Canmore.

AllTrails.com rates this trail as difficult.  That rating must be for distance only because we find the path free of any steep or difficult sections.  There are views, water, and as you can see on Keith’s post (click here) many photographic opportunities.  As we walk, we talk, about ships, and sails, and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings.  I also mention that I have been trying to use my tripod more often, and have been preferring the results from that approach to images captured without a tripod.  This of course means that I find most of the images captured today using the tripod are banal, dull, and not worth sharing (and I haven’t shared them). Most of the images below are hand-held. We end the day on the patio (01) of the Banff Springs Hotel savouring well deserved beers, and enjoying good company.

Notes on Images
01 A truly great patio.

02 A rare vertical panorama that works. Printed at 300 dpi this would be roughly 19″ wide by 57″ high.

03 An uncommon view of Mt. Rundle.

04-06 Water, like clouds, are endlessly fascinating.

To remove the annoying band across the top of the full size image, click anywhere on the image.

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As always, all comments are welcome and sought.
Cheers, Sean


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PS The invitation from Walking Report 23 (click here) is still valid.

All rights for all material on any media reserved – © Sean P Drysdale 2020-2024

4 Replies to “A Walking Report 24”

  1. Like Keith, I love the corded effect in Number 6. My teacher often talks of the underlying geometry in all things and, while water often seems formless, here you show us the sructures and forces that are at play and bring order. Very cool. So glad you can be back out there. Xx

    1. How nice to read your voice. Thank you for visiting and commenting. It’s always nice to read of an image resonating with a viewer.

  2. Every time I visit K country I wonder why I don’t go more often. I really should. And yet, somehow I don’t. Maybe now that I’m retired and have time…

    Vertical panoramas are always a challenge, and you’re right, this one does work.

    I have a bit of a love/hate relationships with water shots, but I’m really liking what you’ve done in 6. You’ve given the water a streaky texture that is much more interesting than the muddy milk texture of so many long exposure shots.

    1. Thank you for visiting and commenting. There is a small window of possible exposure times to get that water texture. 1/6th is too slow a shutter speed and 1/30th is too quick. Cheers

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