Beakerhead 2018

After five years on the volunteer photo crew, I continue to be inspired, delighted and challenged by the 5-day mash up of arts and science that is Beakerhead! Five things stand out about my 2018 experience.

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Photography

Photo Blogging Challenge – Colourful (September 2018)

Street photographers would respond to this month’s theme with portraits of fascinating people. For nature/landscape photographers, the transition of summer to fall is rich with everything from flowers, to autumn leaves and blue skies. Add five days of Beakerhead to the mix for a wide range of colourful subjects.

Photography

Photo Blogging Challenge – Macros (August 2018)

After completing an online course on macro photography, this month’s “photographer’s choice” theme was a great opportunity for some purposeful practice, including water droplet refraction, insect and oil/water abstract macros.

Banff NP / Hiking

Hiking Banff National Park – Helen Lake

The Helen Lake trail is an awesome wildflower season hike. With a relatively modest elevation gain of just under 600 meters from trailhead to lake shore, a long stretch of trail also offers expansive views of Dolomite Peak and several unnamed ridges, peaks and three glaciers. Upon reaching the scenic highlight that is Helen Lake, there are a few options to extend the day, including hiking to the Cirque Peak or a nice ridge walk above the lake.

Hiking / Yoho NP

Hiking Yoho National Park – Lake O’Hara Alpine Circuit

Hiking the spectacularly scenic Lake O’Hara Alpine Circuit is one of the premier day-hiking experiences in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Three things make it a stand-out: 1) altogether, the various segments of the Alpine Circuit lead to, pass by or incorporate scenic viewpoints overlooking almost a dozen turquoise mountain lakes; 2) it offers hikers the flexibility to complete the Alpine Circuit in small sections, linking as few or as many sections in one day as their heart, lungs and legs desire; and 3) it showcases the vision and generosity of spirit of Tommy Link and Lawrence Grassi, who devoted many years and considerable effort to create a network of engineered trails that significantly improve the hiking experience in the area while at the same time doing much to preserve the fragile alpine environment.

Photo Blogging Challenge – Staying Cool (July 2018)

Whether your idea of staying cool is cultivating that fashionably attractive “it” factor, maintaining calm no matter what or simply becoming less hot, there’s plenty of scope for creatively photographing the theme “staying cool”.

Hiking Yoho National Park – Lake Oesa

This is an easy, interesting and scenic hike that starts along the Lake O’Hara shoreline, turns uphill via a short series of switchbacks and then enters an otherworldly plateau of loose talus and scree before ascending alongside Victoria Falls on stone steps constructed by Lawrence Grassi. After skirting the shorelines of two lovely little lakes, a short slope up through a break in the cliffs leads to the rocky slabs above scenic Lake Oesa.

Hiking Yoho National Park – Opabin Plateau

Opabin West and East trails anchor an easy loop to Opabin Plateau – a beautiful, rocky hanging valley above Lake O’Hara. The plateau is dotted with multiple alpine lakes, offers spectacular views of Lake O’Hara valley and is criss-crossed by a network of trails that pass multiple waterfalls, larch trees and more.

Photo Excursion with Olympus Visionary Peter Baumgarten

What’s it like to spend a day photographing Banff with like-minded Olympus enthusiasts? Tons of fun and lots of learning! Thanks to The Camera Store and Olympus Canada for organizing/sponsoring the “Discover Banff” event with Olympus Visionary Peter Baumgarten.

Hiking Yoho National Park – Lake McArthur, Odaray Highline and Odaray Grandview Prospect

This limited access area of Yoho National Park is named for Lake O’Hara. But Lake McArthur, situated in a hanging valley surrounded on three sides by Schaffer Ridge, Mount Biddle and Park Mountain, is roughly twice the size of Lake O’Hara, and definitely worth a visit.

Out and About with the GeoKs

Hiking, biking and other adventures (mostly) in the Canadian Rockies