The First Days of Winter in the Canadian Rockies

This was one of those trips that felt like it might be over before it even started. I drove 10 hours to the Canadian Rockies expecting winter. Snow-covered peaks, frozen lakes, the version of Banff I'd been picturing the whole drive up. Instead, I arrived to Browns and Greys, the in-between season. The autumn crowds were gone. But winter hadn't shown up yet either. And don't get me wrong, this place is beautiful no matter what. But after four days of waiting, watching the forecast, hoping things would change, it started to wear on me. I so badly wanted this trip to work. Banff was the first place I ever traveled to with a camera almost 10 years ago, and being back here all these years later felt like it should mean something. But at a certain point, all you can really do is let go of expectations, knowing that the mountains have a plan of their own. And then, in just 12 hours, everything changed. I arrived at Lake Louise to a winter wonderland. The world was quiet under a thick blanket of snow. I've always loved the way winter slows everything down and makes the world feel a little bit softer. I wandered along the edge of the lake beneath frosted evergreens, still trying to process this dramatic transformation. It was hard to believe how close I'd come to giving up on this trip altogether. And as the skies continued to clear, I headed further north in hopes of checking something off my bucket list towards one of the most fabled stretches of road on earth, Icefields Parkway. Icefields Parkway winds its way through the heart of the Canadian Rockies, connecting the towns of Banff and Jasper. When I first traveled to Banff back in 2016, Pato Lake was one of the places I dreamed about most. I remember standing here imagining how beautiful that iconic view must be after a fresh snowfall. It felt like an impossible shot, and to be here now after it seemed like all hope for this trip was lost. Truly a bucket list moment. And as I drove back along the snow covered roads towards Banff, a realization began to sink in. There's no way I could have planned a day like today. Some moments just show up when they're ready, not when you are. So here's hoping for a few more of those tomorrow. The next morning started at Two Jack Lake, just outside of Banff. It was the coldest morning of the trip thus far, only about 8 degrees. But honestly, I'm here for it. After the magic of yesterday, everything from here on out is just a cherry on top for me. Not long after, I found myself in the meadows beneath Mount Rundle. And out of nowhere, a herd of elk move through the frost covered grass. Encounters like this aren't unusual in these parts, but when the light is right, and everything just seems to line up, it's hard not to believe there's a little bit of magic in this world. Banff has always felt like a theme park for photographers. With views like this, almost anywhere you point your camera feels special. But there's one shot in particular that people come here chasing this time of year. The train at Morant's Curve. I've stood on this hillside before, waiting for hours in the cold for trains that never came. But today feels different. And after just 30 minutes of frozen hands, it finally happened. The train rounding the curve, right at the peaks of Lake Louise behind it. It was another bucket list shot checked off. Another moment that I couldn't have planned myself. My final morning here in the Rockies started with another sunrise over Mount Rundle. This time from the frozen shores of Vermilion Lakes. Another storm was moving into the Bow Valley, and the forecast wasn't looking great for the rest of the day. Gray skies, shifting weather. It felt like the right time to start making my way back home towards Washington. Still, I had one more stop in mind. Just inside the border of British Columbia, I pulled into Yoho National Park to the majestic shoreline of Emerald Lake. And from here, I had a decision to make. The weather was closing in, and the smart choice would have been to head home. But something told me to turn back. One last chance to see my favorite mountain in the Canadian Rockies. So I found myself speeding up the Icefields Parkway, hoping the clouds would break. As I crested Bow Summit, I saw it. The clearest skies of the day, sitting perfectly above Mount Shefrin. Shefrin has always stood out to me, towering nearly 11,000 feet above Waterfowl Lakes. It's a mountain I've returned to again and again, and one that I've never seen quite the same way twice. From there, I pushed as far north as I'd go on this trip, to the Saskatchewan River crossing, before turning back one final time towards Bow Lake for sunset. And with an overnight drive ahead of me, I felt like the right place to end this adventure. This trip didn't unfold the way I expected, but looking back, I don't think it ever needed to. Sometimes the best moments aren't the ones you planned for. They're the ones that happen when you stay a little longer, take one more chance, and let the mountains finish the story. Thank you so much for watching, and I'll see you next time.