The weather was unkind to me today. Unkind, yet typical of the ever-changing systems that pass through these mountains. Deep snow accumulated underfoot, making each step more arduous than the last. I was defenseless against the strong gusts that raged from the South while white wetness soaked straight through my overcoat.
Still, I persevered.
The weather finally shed its unkindness as I ventured higher. A dense fog lifted and revealed a vista suited only for those who forage for the Earth’s utmost wonders. Yet, I was a lonely traveller in a vast landscape. Overlooking that lake, and the magnificent peaks that flank its shores, I had no companion to take joy in my discovery.
I know others had been there before me. I have spoken to them and read about their journeys. They are the great wanderers, who quest to be the first to survey and climb the Rockies’ crown jewels. What is more, the native Stoney people have shown the way to many alpine lakes. They seem to have a connection with this terrain so deep it verges on magical.
I wonder who will follow in my footsteps and return to this place when the icy lake melts? As I write, I realize that even when I am alone, I am in great company. We – the explorers of the past, present, future – may not share the same timeline of life, but we are bonded by our passion for the magnificent.
We share our stories through words – like the ones I write this very second. And we share our stories through photographs.
Nothing can quite capture the life of this place, but we try.