Early Autumn

It has been very pleasant so far this month. It feels more like August than September. I went out early this morning looking for signs of fall and not surprisingly, the autumn colours have yet to appear in profusion. I did get some pictures however as I traveled along Highway 1A in Banff National Park. My first stop was Hillsdale Meadows, where I set up to photograph the sunrise. The sky was very clear with some light cloud which showed some vivid colour. I was able to take pictures facing south and then north, getting quite different light in each direction. This first picture was taken facing south, just before sunrise. It shows Pilot Mountain and you can see the very warm, pink colour cast upon the entire scene by the early morning light.

The light changes quickly at this time of day. The next shot was taken a few minutes later, this time facing north. The light was becoming a more yellow/orange colour and the intensity was greater. This scene features Mount Ishbel, prominent in the center. A couple of things worth noting: no snow on the mountains on this side of the valley and although the shrubbery’s leaves have begun to change colour, the aspens remain cloaked in greenery. Snow is now prevalent on the mountains down to a level of 1800 m (5900 ft). The snow cover is still quite light so in areas that get more sunshine, the snow quickly melts.

The Hillsdale Meadows area is a favourite of mine and I expect to return soon in the hope of catching the aspens in full autumn colour. Stay tuned.