Lifestyle
Wild Jobs: Glacier Guide
“A new world was spread at our feet: to the westward stretched a vast ice-field probably never before seen by the human eye, and surrounded by entirely unknown, unnamed and unclimbed peaks.” […]
Parks Canada
History
Old Photographs of the Skoki Area (1903-1942)
It’s difficult to say with certainty but James Foster Porter, an American from Illinois, was likely the first non-Indigenous person to explore the Skoki Valley near Lake Louise in the early 1900s. Eventually the name […]
Lifestyle
Hidden Lake: A Conservation Success Story
Our story begins 10,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. As glaciers and ice sheets melted they retreated, carving the landscape and leaving the Canadian Rockies in their current rugged form. […]
History
Old Photographs of the Banff Wildlife Paddock (1895-1940)
Along with the rest of North America, wild bison were once plentiful within Canada’s Rocky Mountains. Bison numbers at their peak are estimated to be between 30-60 million animals. After being hunted to almost extinction, […]
History
Historic Photos of Skijoring from Banff and Jasper
Skijoring, a winter sport with roots tracing back to Scandinavia, has a rich history as a method of transportation during harsh winter months. Its name, roughly translating to “ski driving,” aptly captures its essence as […]
History
Curated Collection of Historical Photos from Marmot Basin
As with the majority of skiing and mountaineering history in western Canada, Marmot Basin can also trace its roots back to Swiss guides. In this case, Joe Weiss guided clients into the area using cross-country […]
History
Vintage Photos from Banff’s Sunshine Village
There is evidence to suggest that skis were being used in what is now Banff National Park as far back as the 1880s. Sunshine Village, one of the premiere winter resorts in western Canada, got […]
Lifestyle
Wild Jobs: Warden Service Dog Handler
Back in early 2015, before the Wild Jobs concept was even an idea, I wrote a story called Rescue Dogs: More Than Man’s Best Friend where I detailed the work of avalanche rescue dogs. For […]
History
Historic Photos of Num-Ti-Jah Lodge
Jimmy Simpson was born in England in 1877 and emigrated to Canada in 1896. After landing in Winnipeg and farming for awhile, Simpson left town by stowing himself away on a westbound train. He was […]
History
Vintage Photographs from the Bar U Ranch
With Parks Canada’s recent announcement and the Calgary Stampede just around the corner, we thought we’d bring you a post with some western flavour this week. Officially known as the North West Cattle Company, the […]