Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: outcrop

William J. Bagnall Wilderness Park is named after Mountain View County’s first reeve, who served in the position from 1961 to 1981 and also served as a councillor until 1985. The William J. Bagnall Wilderness Park (34.7 acres) is located seven kilometres west of Water Valley just off Highway 579. "Remediation efforts for the wilderness park were undertaken after the area was made inaccessible following the flood of 2005. Included in the upgrades is a new entry and parking lot on the south side (just off Highway 579); two walking trails that will form a 1.2-kilometre loop; a historical sign detailing the history of the site as a coal mining area; a small picnic area, including outhouses, tables and pest-proof containers; along with several stairways for steep-grade accessibility." From an article in the Mountainview Gazette on 14 June 2011. www.mountainviewgazette.ca/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201... Yesterday, 18 April 2016, I went NW of Calgary with a small group of friends to explore the William J. Bagnall WIldness Park. This was actually my very first visit to this wilderness park. A couple of friends had mentioned it recently and two weeks ago, on 5 April 2016, I finally decided to go and explore the area. That day, I drove through some beautiful scenery, but discovered after I got home that, in fact, I had not even been in the park itself. Instead, I had kept driving past the entrance way along what I think is the Harold Creek Rd. William J. Bagnall Wilderness Park is only small, with a fairly short trail that loops back to the parking lot. It leads through the forest, down the forested hillside to the creek which still has a layer of old snow and ice on it, and then back up the slope to where the cars were parked. It was still too early for plants and fungi to be growing, but the friends I went with are specialists in mosses, lichens and fungi, with most impressive knowledge of every kind of nature, including birds. The second photo I posted this morning shows one of the rather attractive lichens that we saw on a rocky outdrop that was covered in these circular patterns. As far as photography goes, there was not very much to photograph, though I did catch this little Red Squirrel near the parking lot. I also stood listening to the call of a Varied Thrush and, when I was ahead of the rest of the group, I suddenly saw a bird fly into a distant tree. Couldn't find it in my viewfinder, but I could tell exactly where the call was coming from. Then the bird flew and I got a tiny glimpse of its colour. A tiny Comma butterfly gave me a chance to use my camera, too. We stopped and ate our lunch at the small picnic area that has an outhouse. Always a welcome sight! Once back at the cars, we then returned to the city via Highway 22. Thanks so much for driving, Peter - much appreciated. It was pure luxury to travel my usual owling route with someone else driving! A great day in glorious weather and in great company. Nothing like having summer weather in mid-April. It's supposed to get up to 27C this afternoon, which is crazy. A week from today, though, the forecast is for 3C and snow, lol!

This was where the little Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel in my previous photo lived : ) The outcrop and pile of rocks continued a short way off the top right corner of my photo. I don't know if its burrow started within the pile of rocks or else close by, but it certainly has a beautiful area to call "home". Plateau Mountain is a great place, but, then, I'm sure all the peaks and valleys of Kananaskis and the Rocky Mountains hold similar beauty. It's so funny, because when I look at a photo like this, I wonder how on earth I ever climbed so high, though our pace is extremely slow, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do it! Even so, it takes my poor joints a couple of days to recover : )

I found it really difficult to get decent shots on this day's outing. I think I had almost hoped for some dramatic storm clouds to add interest, but we were lucky that rain was not planned for that day. On Saturday, 26th May 2007, I joined a group of Field Naturalists (NOT to be confused with naturists, i.e. nudists!) on a day's bus trip down to the Milk River Ridge area in southern Alberta. About two years ago, a friend had told me about the McIntyre Ranch, and his passion about the Ranch and how it was being run on a "balance of/with nature" method rubbed off on me. A trip was planned a year ago, but torrential rain made it impossible for a large bus to drive on the Ranch land and the trip was cancelled. Now, a year later, I have finally stood on Ranch land, breathed in its fresh air, listened to its silence, admired some of its flora and fauna, met its General Manager (Ralph Thrall 111) and taken some photos that don't do any justice at all to the immense beauty of this special land. For anyone interested in this very precious and protected area, the Ranch has a great website ( www.mcintyreranch.com ). Also, two documentaries have been made. One, by Janet and John Foster, is called "A Passion for Prairie". The other is called "The Gift". Both are superb. "The McIntyre Ranch has changed very little since it was established in 1894. The 'balance of nature' philosophy that guided fifty-three years of McIntyre ownership has continued since Ralph Thrall bought the 87 section property from the McIntyre estate in 1948 (one section equals 640 acres, 1581 hectares or one square mile). Twelve sections that were once farmed have been seeded back to tame grasses for grazing while the other seventy-five sections remain in their native condition. Several factors are considered in order to maintain and enhance the healthy range condition. Appropriate stocking rates (number of cattle) in conjunction with duration and time of year grazing, water requirements, natural shelter, strategic fencing and salt distribution all must be considered for effective balanced grazing. Our goal of achieving excellence with all aspects associated with the McIntyre Ranch will be worked at while functioning in harmony with nature. Sustainable ranching has been and continues to be the main objective of this company. Ralph A. Thrall passed away in 1978. The Ranch is presently owned by Ralph A. Thrall Jr. and managed by Ralph A. Thrall III (General Manager 1990), Duane Spitzer (Controller 1973) and Jamie Christie (Foreman 2001)." From the Ranch website. UPDATED on 30th October 2011, from the Lethbridge Herald Newspaper. I noticed that quite a number of people were looking at my photo via Google yesterday and today. I was greatly saddened when I read the reason. "MR. RALPH AMBROSE THRALL JR. of Lethbridge, beloved husband of Mrs. Catherine C. Thrall, passed away in Calgary on Friday, October 28, 2011 at the age of 78 years." I send my condolences to the family and friends of Ralph Thrall Jr.. A friend and I met this gentleman just the one time, at an exhibition at the Alberta College of Art, about the McIntyre Ranch, but a group of us was privileged to spend a wonderful day on the Ranch back on 26th May 2007. I know that there will be a great number of people offering support to the family at this very difficult time and keeping them in their thoughts and prayers.