Jasper National Park was established in 1907 and is the largest of the Canadian Rocky Mountain parks. Roche Miette is the mountain peak you see just above the swath of clouds moving in from the right of the photo. The Canadian Rockies are a wild and unspoiled land of rock, ice, forests, endless valleys, and wildlife. Hiking in this mountain land is an incredible experience and one I would not hesitate to undertake if you are given the chance.

On this particular day, we were heading back from a morning hike, and from scoping the slopes of Roche Miette, when we noticed the clouds were setting up for some awesome photos. We moseyed down the parkway looking for the ideal location. Not a difficult thing to do in a place like this. However, some locations are certainly better than others and we had one particular location in mind...Talbot Lake. When we arrived, the situation was far better than imagined; for the winds had died down, and the lighting was perfect. I took about a dozen different shots and felt this one, was the finest of the bunch.

What makes the Canadian Rockies so spectacular? There are so many reasons it is hard to summarize, but let me say this. We had spent this day hiking into an Indian Summer spectacle of color. We also had seen numerous grizzlies, and black bears, feeding on the various slopes of Roche Miette and elsewhere. Elk and moose were no stranger this day, and bighorn were observed as well. To top it all off, we had plenty of days ahead of us to really take in the backcountry. So, I suppose the Canadian Rockies are special for an infinite number of reasons, to so many of us, that it doesn't really matter why. What matters most is that the Canadians found it in their hearts to preserve this incredible land for all of us to enjoy. Thank you Canada!