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Spring in the East Kootenay
The winter of 2018 was a long and generally normal one. We didn’t get as much snow as the year before but Old Man Winter still had his cheeky fun.
It made spring’s arrival all the more welcome.
The following collection of images/video depicts how spring unfolded for us up here in Gold Creek and in the East Kootenay.
There is also a small collection of images from Waterton Lakes National Park, located in Alberta’s very southwestern corner, abutting the southeastern corner of the East Kootenay.
A favourite haunt for more than 30 years, Waterton was hit hard by wildfire last year. The Kenow Mountain wildfire raced east from the Flathead Valley and scorched much of the western edge of the park, coming to rest at the base of the village.
The old visitor information centre was razed but spectacular effort resulted in the grand old Prince of Wales Hotel being spared, as well as the village, national park staff housing and the golf course.
Cameron Lake and Red Rock roads are now closed to the public for safety reasons, meaning only the village and lake area, as well as the east side of Waterton Lake and the back reaches near the Montana border remain open.
It is sad to see such larges swathes of forest burned away but Waterton (right), less than a three-hour drive from Cranbrook, remains a gorgeous jewel in the crown of the Canadian Rockies.
The rest of the images were captured in the following East Kootenay locations: Cranbrook and area; Invermere; Columbia Valley; Elk Valley; Kimberley; St. Mary Valley; ?aqam; Wardner and Windermere.
There are also a few snaps of Pablo, a puppy that lived with us for part of the spring.
Lead image: Wild roses in front of Gold Creek.
Photos by Ian Cobb and Carrie Schafer/e-KNOW
