On Saturday May 11th a number of the gang from the Monochrome Guild headed out for a day trip. Six of us met up early in the morning, around 6:00AM, and hit the road in two vehicles. We headed southwest of the city to Nordegg. It had been our plan to shoot at the historic Brazeau Collieries mine site. But, there was an out-of-control forest fire burning nearby, and the hamlet of Nordegg was on a 1 hour fire evacuation notice. We did not expect to be able to get up to the mine site, but set out anyway, hoping to find some opportunities for photography in the general area.
Except for the fact that there were numerous helicopters flying around, and that numerous roads were barricaded, it was not obvious that there was an out-of-control forest fire in the area. There were no flames visible and it was not particularly smoky. Nonetheless we were unable to drive up the road to the mine site so we continued west along the David Thompson Highway towards the Kootenay Plains.
We made a brief stop at Windy Point and on this day it certainly lived up to its name. The winds were just blasting down the valley and photography was made all but impossible. We did find a couple of sheltered spots on the leeward side of some rock outcrops, and managed a couple of photographs. If this wind kept up is was certainly going to make fighting that forest fire difficult.
We finished up here and continued further west, out onto the Kootenay Plains. We all met up at the Siffleur Falls trail and set off on a hike. After crossing the suspension bridge over the North Saskatchewan River, and a second smaller bridge over the Siffleur River, we split up into two groups. Court, Arda and Tanja continued up to the falls. Rob, Mark and myself struck off to the northwest towards an outcropping of hoodoos. The trail that we were following eventually wound its way up onto the plateau above these hoodoos. Once again it was very windy up here and we had to find sheltered locations in order to set up our cameras. There was a lot of deadfall on the ridges up in these areas, what appeared to be both Limber Pines and perhaps Jack Pines.
While I had my view camera set up on the rim of the hoodoos, and was battling the wind trying to make some photographs, I noticed a dark shape down in the forest below me. I watched for a while and soon it began to move. I quickly became obvious that this was a black bear. I watched for quite a while and briefly saw a cub cautiously following the mama bear. I managed a couple of snapshots of it with my little digital camera.
After finishing up my large format photographs I packed up my gear and moved away from the rim of the hoodoos. Behind me was an alpine meadow with some great views of Ex Coelis Mountain. Across this meadow was an area of deadfall that had attracted the attention of Mark and Rob. I wandered over in their direction, stopping to make a couple more photographs. Though it was still early spring and very dry, there were a few wildflowers beginning to bloom... mostly Crocuses...
By the time we packed up and headed for home late in the afternoon, it was a little more obvious that there was a fire near the Nordegg townsite. The wind had been gusty all day and the fire seems to have increased in size. Though we still could not see any flames, the smoke was becoming more evident, and the helicopters more evident. Hopefully this fire can be brought under control before it does any serious damage. It would be a shame to see the historic site at the Brazeau Collieries destroyed by fire. As we understood at the time, the fire was less than a kilometer away.
Nearly two weeks later as I write this, the fire was eventually brought under control. Though it grew in size somewhat before it was contained it never did burn into the mine site or the hamlet of Nordegg. Perhaps we will venture out that way at some point in the not too distant future and witness the damage first hand.
No comments:
Post a Comment