Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: IntelligentTravel

Yesterday, I went on a bus trip to Lake Louise to see the Ice Sculptures there. Lake Louise is a two-hour drive from Calgary, through gorgeous mountainous scenery. This was the 14th annual Ice Magic Festival and the 2008 theme was "Snow Queen, Ice Fairies and the Enchanted Forest." "Twelve teams of three carvers are given 15 blocks of ice, weighing 300 lb each, which they must transform into seven-foot tall world-class ice sculptures in three days. Weather permitting, the sculptures will remain on display through March 2008." www.banfflakelouise.com/experience-the-park/ice-magic

I saw this beautiful view yesterday when I was driving a few of the tiny side roads off Highway 22X west. I believe this was along 85th St. SW. I liked the white of the nearest snowy hills and the row of bare-branched trees in the foreground. Rocky Mountains seen in the distance. It almost didn't seem "real" : )

One of those very inelegant moments was required to get this shot, but it sums up a little of the absolute beauty that I experienced yesterday! It was one of the most perfect days I've had, hiking the trail up to Ptarmigan Cirque in Kananaskis. This is one of my favourite places (not that I've been to many places), and to get the chance to go when the wildflowers were beautiful was wonderful. These are Western Anemones - many of them were well past their prime, but this little cluster was still in good shape. Robin and Cedric - if you happen to read this, you both did a great job with this trip and I hope you will repeat it next year. You succeeded brilliantly in allowing more than plenty of time to soak up the amazing scenery, to explore for wildflowers, to stop and take (endless, in my case, LOL) photos! Thanks, Robin, for taking the time to prepare an excellent plant list, too. As for the strawberry milkshakes at Kananaskis Village afterwards - well, that was certainly an added enjoyment! Thanks so much for giving me a ride there and back, too - appreciated greatly! A job well done!

I should have posted this view rather than the vertical image that I posted yesterday. Both were taken along the gravel road to Cobble Flats, off Elbow Falls Trail. This photo gives a better feeling of the huge expanse of endless mountain peaks. I was so glad that at least the roads were free of snow - it's much too early to be worried about icy roads.