Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Kananaskis Country

Found this little Shootingstar just off Elbow Falls Trail, at Maclean Pond, in Kananaskis, on 12 June 2014. They are such exquisite wildflowers! Unfortunately, a single flowerhead doesn't quite fit into a macro photo, but I have to balance that with being able to get a soft, blurred background. "The genus (Dodecatheon) is largely confined to North America and part of northeastern Siberia. Common names include shooting star, American cowslip, mosquito bills, mad violets, and sailor caps. A few species are grown in gardens for their showy and unique flower display. The stamens are thrust out with the sepals bent back. The flowers are pollinated by bees, which grab hold of the petals, and gather pollen by vibrating the flowers by buzzing their wings (buzz pollination). The vibration releases pollen from the anthers." From Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodecatheon

These small wild orchids can be difficult to photograph, as they grow in the forest, where the light is not good for taking photos. It's always good to see them in the spring, after a long, bitterly cold winter. I remember maybe two or three years ago, I took photos of a small cluster of them surrounded by snow, so I guess they are hardier than they look. Found this one just off Elbow Falls Trail, in Kananaskis, on 12 June 2014. They are such exquisite wildflowers! Unfortunately, a single flowerhead doesn't quite fit into a macro photo, but I have to balance that with being able to get a soft, blurred background. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypso_ (orchid) www.mountainnature.com/plants/PlantsLatinNameResult.asp?I...

A photo grabbed from my archives, taken on 25 October 2013, the last time I drove west of Calgary and to the end of Elbow Falls Trail (Highway 8). On 1 December, the winter gate by Elbow Falls is closed for the winter months and then reopens on 15 May each year. This is the only drive I will do into the mountains myself, but it is a beautiful drive and I always enjoy walking around this man-made lake that is at the very end of my drive. Did you all know that you can now hover your mouse over the date the image was taken and you will see the date it was posted? This was one of yesterday's changes - a good change, back to how it used to be before this last major layout change. A few hours later, another change occurred - you can no longer click on the three dots to edit tags, only the date and time. You can still do it using the organizer, but that is more complicated. This change I definitely don't like. Have fun, everyone! I wonder what changes today will bring! Guess I've just found out what the next "mess" is! I've just opened a second browser window for Flickr and found that there is nothing on this black panel - no description, tags, sets, groups, no three dots. Late last night, a friend (in England) told me that this was happening to her, and now it has reached us here. Hopefully, this is just a temporary glitch.

I was happy to come across some of these beautiful little Calypso Orchids on 10 June 2011, when I drove out west of Calgary to the forest around Maclean Pond, Kananaskis, off Elbow Falls Trail. They are such exquisite wildflowers! Unfortunately, a single flowerhead doesn't quite fit into a macro photo, but at least it does result in a blurred background (and in this case, a rather blurry flower, too, lol!). Towards the end of May, on the annual May Species Count, we always hope that these small, delicate Orchids will be in bloom. Sometimes, they are surrounded by snow, so they must be pretty hardy little things. It's hard to imagine seeing any kind of flower after the last six months of snow and ice on the ground!

A very hazy photo (presumably caused by forest fires) of where I drove to yesterday afternoon. Reminds me that I keep on meaning to go and buy a polarizer filter, LOL. This little man-made pond/lake is at the far end of Elbow Falls Trail (Highway 66) in Kananaskis. Takes about 50-55 minutes to drive there with no stops on the way, but usually I stop at several places en route, to go for a short stroll and give my body a break. The views are so different in each direction - wasn't sure which one to post today, so just grabbed one. Had some lunch sitting at one of the picnic tables along that far shoreline. There were several other people there, enjoying themselves. My adrenalin always rises a little when I do this drive, as the mountain road is quite spectacular as you get closer and closer to this place. Often, there is no one else in sight.

We found this little cluster of mushrooms huddled against a large rotting log, on 3rd August, on a hike at Marston Creek, Kananaskis. I suspect our fungi are more or less over for this year - oh, NOOOOO!!! I'm still hoping that if/when we eventually get some rain, that maybe a few mushrooms will spring up in places. However, I do have a huge number of fungi photos that I haven't sorted through and uploaded yet : )

When I was out in the mountains yesterday with friends at the Golden Eagle Migration area near Mt. Lorette, two or three of these curious Gray Jays flew down to check us out. A lot of low cloud and low light, so my photos aren't as good as I wish they had been, but it was so nice to actually see a bird reasonably close, unlike the Golden Eagles, which were little more than very distant specks. The Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) is also called "Camp Robber", "Canada Jay" and "Whiskeyjack". "The Gray Jay, Perisoreus canadensis, is a member of the crow and jay family (Corvidae) found in the boreal forests across North America north to the tree-line and in subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains south to New Mexico and Arizona.... To the delight of modern campers, many individual Gray Jays quickly learn that we can be an excellent source of food, even coming to the hand for bread, raisins, or cheese." From Wikipedia.

This pretty wildflower was growing up in the mountains at Ptarmigan Cirque two days ago. A member of the Rose family, it grows on alpine slopes June-July. The white flower is 2-4 cm across, has 8-10 hairy sepals, 8 petals, and numerous stamens and pistils. Love to see it growing against the rocks like this.

I was happy to come across several of these beautiful little Calypso Orchids on 10 June 2011, when I drove out west of Calgary to Maclean Pond, Kananaskis, off Elbow Falls Trail. They are such exquisite wildflowers! Unfortunately, a single flowerhead doesn't quite fit into a macro photo, but I have to balance that with getting a blurred background. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypso_ (orchid) www.mountainnature.com/plants/PlantsLatinNameResult.asp?I...

I was happy to come across some of these beautiful little Calypso Orchids on June 10th, when I drove out west of Calgary to Maclean Pond, Kananaskis, off Elbow Falls Trail. They are such exquisite wildflowers! Unfortunately, a single flowerhead doesn't quite fit into a macro photo, but I have to balance that with a blurred background. Another hour, and I'm off to a full day of botanizing, north west of Calgary. I'm uploading my photos at an unearthly hour this morning, before 6:00 a.m., as I have to continue working on several photo projects /requests this evening. Later evening: I'm having problems with Flickr and Internet Explorer, grrr....Giving up for now.

Just one of many views seen on our full-day hike at Marston Creek in Kananaskis Country yesterday. This area is on the very eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains and right where Kananaskis Country begins, south of the city. As you can see, the weather was beautiful - we felt maybe half a dozen raindrops as the day wore on, that's all. The trees were such an amazing, brilliant green. One word about the "Creek" here - when we did this hike a year ago, the creek was just a little trickle. Yesterday, it was a fast-flowing stream that we had to cross somehow. People crossed at a couple of different places - I ended up crossing at what was described as the "best" place to cross, i.e. inching my feet across a slippery log from bank to bank, holding on to a long, sturdy stick that I pressed into the water, and grabbing so tightly to my backpack that a very helpful friend was carrying across for me, LOL. Thanks SO much, Arnold, for all your help! Would not have made it on my own, that's for sure! And thanks, David, for carrying my camera safely across for me - it would have been a sad thing if I had fallen in along with my camera! Of course, the whole process had to be repeated on our way down : )

Lots of Lichens to see on our full-day hike at Marston Creek in Kananaskis Country yesterday. I liked this bright orange one growing on a dark brown rock. Mother Nature is so artistic : )

Fairly near the beginning of our day hike at Marston Creek two days ago. This area is on Highway 40, south of Calgary, just where Kananaskis begins (i.e. the very eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains). There are beautiful Limber Pines on the hillsides - quite photogenic trees.

Friend Doug found this fungus for us yesterday, on a day hike to Marston Creek, Kananaskis. At first, it was thought it might be an old mushroom, but a closer look at it on the hike down the hillside revealed that it might not be. Thanks to Doug for identifying this as a Brain Mushroom, Gyromitra esculenta, a "spring morel look-alike" which is poisonous. Later: thanks to ressaure for the correct ID! The weather was beautiful - we felt maybe half a dozen raindrops as the day wore on, that's all. The trees were such an amazing, brilliant green. One word about the "Creek" here - when we did this hike a year ago, the creek was just a little trickle. Yesterday, it was a fast-flowing stream that we had to cross somehow. People crossed at a couple of different places - I ended up crossing at what was described as the "best" place to cross, i.e. inching my feet across a slippery log from bank to bank, holding on to a long, sturdy stick that I pressed into the water, and grabbing so tightly to my backpack that a very helpful friend was carrying across for me, LOL. Thanks SO much, Arnold, for all your help! Would not have made it on my own, that's for sure! And thanks, David, for carrying my camera safely across for me - it would have been a sad thing if I had fallen in along with my camera! A great source of information at Tom Volk's website: botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/may2002.html

Another one from my archives, September 2004! This is one of the many views from Kananaskis Village - spectacular in every direction. "Kananaskis Country, established by the Alberta government in 1977, is just 90 kilometers (56 miles) southwest of Calgary. The Park encompasses over 5,000 square kilometers (2,600 square miles) of land, three provincial parks and some of Canada's most spectacular rolling terrain. The name was first given, by 1858 explorer John Palliser, to the pass over the continental divide, in honour of a Cree amed Kineahkis who is said to have recovered from a blow to the head. Since then the name is given to a lake, a set of falls, a mountain range, an alpine village and a provincial park. The word "Kananaskis" comes from an Indian word that means either "meeting of the waters" or "man with tomohawk in head". From foundlocally.com/Rockies/Travel/Near-Kananaskis.htm .

A very kind friend invited me to go along with him to search for White-tailed Ptarmigan at Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, today. We have tried a couple of times before to find one, but still no luck : ) The day started out around 7:45 a.m. with a gorgeous sunset mixed with a Chinook arch (see photo that was posted after this one), as we headed south of the city. The colour and light were spectacular! As we drove deeper into the mountains on Highway 40, it started to snow, and when we eventually reached Highwood Pass, there was SO much snow - too much to be able to walk unless one had snowshoes or skis. Fortunately, the highway itself was very good. When we got back to the city, it felt good to see clear ground and gorgeous sunshine : ) I so rarely get to the mountains, and I really appreciate a treat like this!

Thought this little mushroom was a bit different - love the unusual pattern on its cap. Seen growing along the Fullerton Loop trail in Kananaskis on 29th August.

This small butterfly landed on a nearby rock when I was walking along a narrow trail at Forgetmenot Pond, at the end of Elbow Falls Trail (Highway 66), Kananaskis, yesterday afternoon and eventually posed with wings spread - after a lot of wing flapping : )