A Celebration of Western Movies… Pardner!
till the end of time / earl grant
I had a very difficult time with this post. Worked on it for nearly 2 weeks.
I had too many good photos – nearly 80 – or more.
Which ones to pick? Post?
I finally selected these.
Hope you enjoy them.
only time / enya
I confess it wasn’t an easy hike for me.
Had to rest periodically due to pain in my legs.
But it was wonderful to eventually get up here and see this.
We took MANY photos up here. Can only show a few.
The Tarn with Angel Glacier above
Angel spreads her wings
Coming: Mount Edith Cavell: At the Tarn 2
Big Yellow Taxi / Joni Mitchell
I rant. Therefore I am.
– Dennis Miller
Canadians love Socialism. We can’t wait to hand over all our personal responsibilities (Freedoms) to the Government and be taxed to the eyebrows. 3 of the 5 political parties that ran in our last Federal Election were outright Socialist in philosophy: The incompetent and forever stupid Liberals; the insane and laughable NDP; and the complete lunatic Lefties: the Green Party. Absolutely terrifying that this bunch overwhelms any sane Political ideals here.
The damage of Socialism is long, pervasive and impossible to get rid of.
Example: Bilingualism – as Law in Canada. Most signage, packaging, anything! has to be done in both English and French. This has cost us – and continues to do so – untold Millions (zillions?) of Dollars. This single titanic feat of political stupidity alone has cost Canadians an unfathomable fortune in wasted money. Yet almost NOBODY outside of Ontario and Quebec speak French – or need to do so. In my job as a Greeter at Home Depot I believe I’ve only encountered about 2 people in the last 6 years that needed assistance because they only spoke French. (We couldn’t find any interpreters). But this Law persists – to appease the unappeasable Province of Quebec. This was inflicted upon us by that great French Canadian Socialist Pierre Trudeau – who like his son Justin (who now rules Canada) has professed an admiration for Communism. Yeah.
In a country where democracy is corrupted by the reality that 2 Provinces – Ontario and Quebec (out of 10) – can swing any Federal Election vote, we find the need to speak French by any Politician who isn’t bilingual (like from Western Canada) immediately handcuffs him.
Thinking about coming here?
WHY am this bringing this up?
Because the signs at Mount Edith Cavell reflects this mentality.
Apart from the fact that all signage has to be bilingual – in English and French –
there’s a question of whether these signs are need to exist at all?
But apparently, in 2012, there was an “icefall” from the Angel Glacier into
the Tarn (glacier pond) which resulted in some flooding here.
No one was hurt and it was pretty well a freak event,
but now we have signs everywhere.
Signs … signs … everywhere a sign.
Fortunately … nobody was paying attention.
Play videos in HD – controls at bottom.
Next
Mount Edith Cavell: Signs of the times – Part 2
The Adventures of Superman
I used to leap tall mountains in a single bound.
Now there’s a little too much snow on my peak.
The truth is that the pain in my legs is sometimes unbearable
when I try to go hiking.
Diabetes 2.
So my hiking days may soon come to an end.
But I ain’t quite done yet.
Beautiful up here!
A pure mountain stream!
But …
A flood? On a mountain?
Seems there’s a mountain pond up ahead – formed by a glacier. A tarn.
And falling rocks and ice could create a flash flood
and drown you.
And I was worried about bears.
We fearlessly head up the trail.
I’ll be right along.
If I rest periodically I can make it.
It’s just a matter of time.
There does seem to be something blue up ahead … ?
Well … I’ll be tarned!
There is indeed a large pond.
Time for a drink.
Jules Massenet “Thaïs” Meditation / Michael Rabin
We head out for some hiking at Mount Edith Cavell.
There she is.
Majestic!
A lot of people have the same idea.
“But this I would say, standing as I do in view of God and eternity,
I realize that patriotism is not enough.
I must have no hatred or bitterness towards any one.”
– Edith Cavell
Edith Louisa Cavell (/ˈkævəl/; 4 December 1865 – 12 October 1915) was a British nurse. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides without discrimination and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during the First World War, for which she was arrested. She was accused of treason, found guilty by a court-martial and sentenced to death. Despite international pressure for mercy, she was shot by a German firing squad. Her execution received worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage.
The night before her execution, she said, “Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone.” These words were later inscribed on a memorial to her near Trafalgar Square. Her strong Anglican beliefs propelled her to help all those who needed it, both German and Allied soldiers. She was quoted as saying, “I can’t stop while there are lives to be saved.” The Church of England commemorates her in its Calendar of Saints on 12 October.
Cavell, who was 49 at the time of her execution, was already notable as a pioneer of modern nursing in Belgium.
My Mother was also an British nurse – during World War II – and also a devout Anglican – who later became the President of the Red Cross in New Brunswick for several years. Interesting parallels.
wolf / first aid kit
Saw one of these on the way back.
Don’t know what they’re called, but it’s a hole
in the glacier where water goes down.
A few people have gone missing up here over the years.
They just found a body of a guy that had missing for 20 years.
But if you ever fell in one of these holes
I doubt they would ever find you.
The word inuksuk means “that which acts in the capacity of a human.
A manmade stone landmark or cairn built for use by the Inuit, Iñupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America.
These structures are found in northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska (United States).
The inuksuk may historically have been used for navigation, as a point of reference, a marker for travel routes, fishing places, camps, hunting grounds, places of veneration,
drift fences used in hunting, or to mark a food cache.
misty / ray stevens
Seems somebody brought a Canadian Flag up to the Icefields one day.
It was a big hit, so …
… they brought up more flags.
I figure there’s about 20 different flags up here now.
And probably more coming.
Why not?
tender offerings / first aid kit
Glacier Stream!
Perhaps the purest water on the planet.
A tradition to drink.
But who could resist?
Snare some water from the fountain …
A toast …
The cold blood of the Glacier.
Whereby any cup would be a Grail.
HOOOOLY …. !!!
It’s SSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOO …… !!!
Pure.
Cold.
At Heaven’s Gate.
bj thomas
If you’re skating on thin ice, you might as well dance.
– Anita Shreve
Sally forth!
Watch your step. It’s slippery.
Well … it’s ice!
But we came prepared.
Ray bought some of these.
Also …
Our raingear from Niagara Falls.
Keep your powder dry.
I’ve found that wet cameras often don’t shoot well.
There’s some people up here.
Lots of people. 
And misty mountains.
Gateway to the Heavens.
When nobody was looking Rose claimed everything in the name of Canada.
Next: Icefield 3
magical mystery tour / beatles
Many are cold, but few are frozen.
You can only see a small part of the Icefield from below.
It’s HUGE.
The Tour doesn’t go up on top.
We go to the Athabasca Glacier.
Climb aboard!
But first: Melody? Melanie? gives us a prep talk.
Sign behind her says:
WARNING
This tour involves steep inclines, rough roads,
movements and sudden stops.
Hold on.
Off we go!
We rumble along at about 10 mph.
For 10 or 15 minutes …
Arrival!
Disembark!
Out we tumble …
Next: On the ICE …
when i grow up / first aid kit
So … when you get to the Icefield you’ll see this place:
Except it was rainy. Drizzly rain.
The Centre is full of people from every place on the planet.
It has a restaurant/cafeteria; a gift shop; a viewing deck; historical displays; toilets … lots of stuff.
This is also where you buy tickets for the Icefield Tour. They cost over 100 bucks each.
Then you head out back …
… and jump on one of these things.
They’re called buses.
This is Shawn … or Shane?. Our driver.
You can see the drizzly rain.
Below; MAP: Where we’re going ...
On the bus …
10 minute bus ride?
Ice Explorer Depot ahead.
We made it.
The Ice Explorer.
Not your average bus.
VROOOOOM !
Let’s ride !
Next … To the Ice!
Climb Ev’ry Mountain / Peggy Wood
from The Sound of Music / Rogers and Hammerstein
Finally we arrive at our modern Icefield conveyance:
The ICE EXPLORER!
Next … To the ICE !
Rainy Day People / Gordon Lightfoot
Rainy.
But we’ve got an appointment at the Icefields.
Mountains are like oceans.
Even in bad weather
they are beautiful
and mysterious.
At Last!!!
Icefields in sight!
Blue Water / Poco
Day 2: Rain
We head out for our scheduled Tour of Columbia Icefields.
But on the way we stop at
Be careful …
Posted date: August 12, 2011 / https://www.fitzhugh.ca/author/admin/
… Public Safety Warden Garth Lemke … said the individual went over the very top left-hand side of the falls at approximately 3:15 pm.
… “It looked like every solid structure in his body had been broken,” … “It wasn’t a pleasant scene.”
In the past 20 years, the park has reported five fatalities at Athabasca Falls, all of the accidents occurring in a similar location.
… “Chances are the victim died from the impact of the fall into the rocky waters, but hypothermia can also be fatal if a victim survives the fall …”
The area where the individual fell is blocked off by protective railings, along with signage warning visitors to stay back.
Hear the thunder
Ray and Sarah’s video. Thanks guys.
Next: on to the Icefields
The Happy Wanderer / The Obernkirchen Children / 1954
Headin’ for wonders.
‘Neath the guardian peak of Pyramid Mountain
Lies sleepy Jasper town
The jewel of the Rockies
Come! Come see the wonders!
Loaded for bear.
The den if full.
One of the best places I ever stayed.
Charming to a fault.
But first things first:
A pic with Jasper the Bear!
I’ve seen better pics of me.
What could be more Canadian than Jasper the Bear?!
Well how about Jasper the beer?
EH!
Or Jasper on a dollar!
Onward …
Where the Long River Flows / Gordon Lightfoot (1966)
Some critter’s bin rubbin’ on this tree.
Signs of bear.
Let Your Love Flow / The Bellamy Brothers
Heading for Jasper – paused at Tangle Creek
Tangle Ridge Mountain was named by Mary Schäffer in 1907 for the difficulty that climbers had descending down Tangle Creek from the ridge. The mountain’s name became official in 1935 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.
Tangle Falls is a multi-tiered cascade that might be the most often photographed waterfall alongside the Icefields Parkway because of its easy access.
Blue Canadian Rockies / Vera Lynn
The Columbia Icefields seem massive. Yet year by year, the glaciers recede.
Soon to be gone.
Scientists say they will gone in 80 years.
Google Maps image of Columbia Icefield and area
Soon to be the Columbia gravel pit.
Panorama shot
See those dots?
Those are people.
But we missed our scheduled Icefield Tour.
Have to come back tomorrow.
See you then.
