M.Burden Photography

Exploring the Natural Bridge and Emerald Lake - Yoho National Park The bubbling sound of a creek seemed a little more intimate as I stood alone in a true winter... wonderland, taking it all in. In nature purity can still be found for those who look with more than just their eyes . . . Jafar Azizi and I had a little more time to explore after a chilly morning accent of a peak in Canmore, so we made a side trip to see the Natural Bridge in Yoho. I have seen it during spring run off and it is amazing to see a firehose blast of kicking horse river water come crashing through an impressive rock bridge formation under the shadow of mighty mount Stephen. In winter interesting blue ice forms on the walls of the rock, and it is sometimes possible to view this from below. (Please use extreme caution if venturing on ice, do so at your own risk ) Winter can be cool - the Wild Canadian Rocky Mountain Hikers M.Burden Photography

As my friends and I under many layers of winter garments, watched the first sunrise of 2022, I recalled the words of a wise Tibetan woman from a documentary I w...atched, a young boy asked her for the time and she responded the time is NOW . . . Overcoming the turbulent weather, the sun broke through. Lying on blue ice, photographing methane bubbles with snow swirling around me, I was filled with hope. 2022 is going to be alright . . . I leave you with a favourite Irish blessing: May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand May the trail rise up to meet you in 2022 - the Wild Canadian Rocky Mountain Hikers Chelly Curlz, Alec Postill, and M.Burden Photography

A few have asked to use my photos as inspiration for art, and this latest rendering by Pat Deyo knocked me off my chair. Wow!! Well done!! I encourage all artists to share their work, we need more of this kind of stuff these days.

HaLing Peak 2407m (7897’) Deep into the night, where the dark spectres of pines reach out to the sliver of a silver moon in the blue light of a chilly morning, ...we set out on an adventure. Upwards through snow we trudged, rising above where birds fly. Step by step, inch by inch, onwards, upwards. Having a vision, having a dream and believing it is possible . . . When I thought of the historical accent in 1896 by HaLing a local cook for the CPR, who made a bet for $50 that he could plant a flag on the summit in less than 10 hours from the middle of town, I said we can do this as a sunrise hike in extreme winter conditions. HaLing came back in time for lunch and many doubted his claim of reaching the top, so he led a party back up to the summit where he planted a second even bigger flag which was now visible from town. We also came back easily in time for lunch, but the -47 temperatures may or may not have had something to do with that!! You don’t always need perfect conditions to make things happen . . . I watched Jafar’s headlamp getting closer and closer as he came up the final slope, a crescent moon above him. The surrounding peaks began to be touched by a warm glow of pink, alpenglow, and despite the cold, the beauty of the world was laid out before us in a wonderful display . . . I never get tired of the view on this peak, and the town of Canmore has a special place in my heart. So it was a nice ending for our final accent in 2021. I’m sure many will agree when we say bring on 2022! May you set out towards those dreams and visions that you have, and may God guide you every step of the way - the Wild Canadian Rocky Mountain Hikers Jafar Azizi and M.Burden Photography

Exploring the Cline River Alec and I set off through snow to view some ice blue formations, frozen waterfalls, and canyon walls near Nordegg on the Cline river.... A great day of exploring after a very chilly night. With guards down we were able to discuss the current world affairs and life in general in a peaceful and non-judgmental environment. I love how mountain places leave us a bit more open and vulnerable to our own emotions, yet because of where we find ourselves, it all feels safe. I have always found that you can learn so much about a person when they are taken out of their comfort zones, you learn how they react in the face of adversity, and I have learned much from my comrades in these places as these mountain lands tend to humble a person . . . When you go through hard times you really notice the people who stand with you, when you fall down, you really notice the people that try to help you up, when you feel like you can’t go on, you really notice the people that urge you on . . . God help me to be one of those people. At a high elevation of 1321m, the Cline river flows from Pinto lake and merges into the North Saskatchewan river and Abraham lake. The river was named after a local fur trader of the Hudson Bay Company named Michel Klyne. Use caution and hike in the area at your own risk, there are extreme drop offs on steep terrain. The Wild Canadian Rocky Mountain Hikers - Alec Postill, and M.Burden Photography

Tunnel Mountain (aka the sleeping Buffalo) - 1692m (5551’) Some history: In 1882, a team of surveyors were surveying the area for the building of the Canadia...n Pacific Railway. It was thought that the easiest path for rails would be to follow the bow river, but obstacles appeared in abundance. Steep cliffs, river crossings, the way forward would be difficult. It was suggested to build a tunnel through the tiny mountain to avoid the worst of the difficulties. CPR General Manager W.C. Van Horne was not very impressed by the idea, exclaiming "Are we going to hold up this railway for a year and a half while they build their damned tunnel? Take it out!" An alternative route north of the mountain later found, which incidentally shortened the railway by a mile, and avoided two long hills, saving the CPR millions of dollars. The mountain is still called Tunnel Mountain to this day. After many miles, over many treks, this small mountain offered up a significant milestone in bone chilling winter conditions for a quick accent for some decent views of beloved Banff Alberta. Bryce and I had the pleasure to witness the proud moment of Jafar’s incredible 100th accent in a year! Well done Jafar!! If you are looking to grab some elevated views in the winter months without having to be outside all day, without having to bushwhack, or route find, then this is the trail for you. Happy hiking - The Wild Canadian Rocky Mountain Hikers (also see Jafar Azizi and Bryce Medeiros posts for some additional pictures and a few laughs) - M.Burden Photography

Thunder Mountain 2367m (7667’) And the mountains in reply . . . Snow blew across the gravel road in mini whirlwinds and the red glow on the ground from my tail...lights cast a sort of eerie haze around me. The full moon was setting behind the dark mass of mountain in front of me and a low whistling moan from the wind helped to set the mood. It seems that the journey today would be a thunderous adventure . . . Doug and George were mountain crazy enough to join me on an accent of Thunder mountain in crazy -25 winter conditions, the day started out bone chillingly cold to the point where electronic devices did not want to work. I watched as snow swirled around balaclavaed faced with squinting eyes and wondered out-loud what the hell are we doing here? HO, HO, Woahhhh!! Balancing with out stretched arms along a rocky snow crusted spine with an airy drop on either side, I was focused on the task at foot. Suddenly Doug stops and brushes some snow away from a stone, looks like a fossil. I love stuff like that, when you hike with people who really love the mountains you will find your own mountain love affair getting deeper . . . Finally we made it to the top. A fresh blanket of snow covered the sleeping valley below my feet, and despite the cold, we had sunny skies and views for miles and miles in all directions, taking it all in I remembered why I do this . . . Gloria! And the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains Gllllllloooooorrrrrriaahhhh In excelsis De-eh-ooooooo On behalf of the Wild Canadian Rocky Mountain Hikers, I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas , let’s all work on spreading good will to all - happy hiking!! Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere - M.Burden Photography with George Palmer and Doug Lutz

There’s something about these old places that sets my mind to dreaming, a feeling of nostalgia, and perhaps it was the season: A Holy Night An abandoned home stood all on its own in an open field. Waves of drifting snow covered the deep grooves of the frozen dirt which rolled off into a vanishing point on the horizon. Inside an old table and a few chairs remained, a little worse for wear and the one on the floor was broken. You could make out where the cupboards and stove ...Continue reading

Some recent photos on the backroads

Forget-Me-Not Mountain Traverse Highest point 2337m Forget-Me-Not ridge (North) > old Forget-Me-Not > Forget-Me-Not mountain Sometimes after a hike I step bac...k and take innovatory, let’s see, 1 missing glove (claimed by excessive gusts of wind), 1 broken pole (claimed by excessive boulders), 1 missing microspike (claimed by excessive deep sticky snow), 2 massive blister on heals and a few blackened toe nails(claimed by 25km and 1800m of elevation gain), 1 near heart stoppage (claimed by two ninja like ptarmigans) = one hike that we will forget-us-not Don’t you forget-me-not, woah, woah, woah, woahhhhh Another great day in the mountains as George Lowen, Jafar Azizi and I decided on a traverse of Forget-Me-Not before the winter gates closed. Even though we had the wind, some rain, an abundance of snow pellets smacking us in the face, and overcast moody views, I think we had the best conditions in all the rockies that day, summit views showed everything else pretty well socked in. Trudging through scattered snow patches, long golden grass, and endless lichen covered boulders we were insured that this would be a hike that we wouldn’t soon forget. We had a great time exploring in this area, and definitely think that for shoulder season objectives, this is the place to be. At one point the sun fought hard to break through the clouds, I turned away from the wind to see Jafar with an incredible backdrop behind him, a winter rainbow! A promise of the many good things yet to come . . . The Legend: Nestled deep in the forest beside a bend in the river, lies a secluded spot, so remote that it has seldom been seen by human eyes. There is a great tree with branches so large that they block out the sky, and at its base lies a treasure. A tiny, tightly packed mass of powder blue flowers with bright contrasting yellow centre’s fought and flourished in the golden patches of sunlight that managed to hit the rocky, moss covered ground. Somehow the ground seemed a little moister there, as if it had constantly been watered . . . Under the shadows of the snowy mountains above us, the warmth of the sun lifted my spirits and I could hardly contain the feelings of joy that swept over me in waves as I held her hand . . . There is something I have to show you. What is it, tell me! Such a sweet voice, I just smiled in reply . . . The crash of rushing waters could be heard in the distance, inside the forest. I pulled my love towards the sound, and like school kids we laughed and bounded off, stumbling and tripping over each other as we excitedly ran into the trees. We were so happy . . . For a few fleeting moments I just watched her, a contagious energy building inside of me . . . Playfully she lifted her arms above her head with the elegance of a dancer, spinning herself with a symmetry indescribable, the supple curves of her silhouette a vision of grace and wonder. She laughed and our eyes locked, my pulse began to rise. Looking into the softest, kindest eyes I had ever seen, I became mesmerized, I just knew that she was the one . . . The sweet smell of pine and the fragrance of the alpine was heavy in the air. Taking her hand once again, I said we are here . . . Streams of light fell down on the waters like a memory, and a great tree’s shadow stretched out over the carpet of moss where tiny flowers took refuge from the elements. They are so beautiful, can you get me some? How could I deny such a request, I went over to the side of the tree where the flowers seemed the thickest. Steep banks dropped off beside the flowers, into the river. The spring runoff was in full force and the waters boiled in a white frothing rage. Bending down I grabbed a handful and gently pulled them from the soil. Here my love, beautiful flowers for a beautiful dove Suddenly the ground gave way under my feet, frantically I held onto a branch that was breaking from the weight of my struggling body. I was going to fall in! She ran towards me and reached out to save me . . . The tips of our fingers locked and I looked into her eyes for the last time, placing the flowers in her hand, I fell backwards, forget-me-not! I cried before being engulfed by the ragging currents and swept down the whitewaters of the river never to be seen again . . . In horror she crumpled to the ground, sobbing. The tears from her eyes moistening the ground where the flowers grew. She shut her eyes and she could still hear my cry forget-me-not! I will never! , She placed some flowers in her hair as a reminder . . . Each spring, around the same time, she would return and repeat the process, placing the flowers in her hair, until the day she died, I will never forget! And so the legend goes . . . Well my inner hopeless romantic has come to love stories like that, and I wanted to tell it my way in hopes of keeping the legends of the Canadian Rockies alive. Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray - Lord Byron Thanks for reading - the journey does indeed . . . continue - M.Burden Photography

Moose Mountain 2437m (7995’) Where angels walk . . . The distant lights of the city sparkled beneath our feet, and a gold band began to appear on the horizon. ... The darkness was in full retreat. We stood where angels walked, taking it all in. Soon the sky exploded in colors, the sun rose and washed everything in warm pinks. So brilliant was the display, that at times I just stopped moving and just stood in awe. Sometimes you make plans and they don’t turn out exactly as you plan them, yet somehow they turn out perfectly . . . Some history: Moose mountain was named in 1949 because the mountain resembles a sleeping moose when seen from afar. There is a fire tower on top and it’s the third one there, the first was built in 1929. We never get tired of sunrises, even if it means little to no sleep, and a chilly hike in a dark forest with icy snow. When I saw all of the glory before my eyes, the questions I asked earlier didn’t seem to matter . . . The Cat Stevens song Peace train was playing in my head and the lyrics offered up a promise: well I’ve been smiling lately, thinking about all of the good things to come So make plans, aim high, try to complete them, don’t worry about the outcome, when you look back, you might be able to see that things can turn out perfectly . . . and if not, you will see them turn out beautiful. Thanks for reading - M.Burden Photography with Jafar Azizi & Bryce Medeiros

Change . . . It’s inevitable. The passing of time and seasons right before our eyes everyday . . . I watched the sky light up on fire, the backroads trailing off into the sun, I thought of the many faces watching that same sun from afar . . . What will the future hold? Who can really say? The words that my grandmother told me long ago stick with me still: live each day as if it were your last, but live each day as if you will live forever