A morning walk in a forest as the heat of the sun melts the early frost of autumn is probably one of greatest delights we city dwellers can experience (if adequately insulated from the cold).
Before moving on to British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, I reminisce a little with a look back at Alberta's introduction to the Canadian version of the Rocky Mountains. There is a kind of peace and meditative quality to memories like these. Yet, beyond gazing at the photographic record, it is being in a magnificent place at least once in this short lifetime that sews up the soul and stops the bleeding.
We've made an almost thorough rendezvous with Alberta's natural highlights stuffed mainly in the Jasper, Banff and Kananaskis parks that straddle the Canadian Rocky Mountain foothills, lakes, meadows and passes. The trails and paths await millions more feet tramping along side the elk, bears, and various other forest dwellers that have resided in the wilderness for millennial eras. I am looking forward to British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest next, but first I will stop at Moraine Lake, Lake Minnewanka, and mountain country in between before turning westward.