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Alberta in September 2025
These are the photos from Joan and my trip to Alberta in September
2025 to visit family. This is the web version. Most of the photos
were taken with my Sony camera with a small number from my iPhone SE3.
Joan and I left Socorro on Aug. 26, 2025. We spent nights in Green
River, UT and Butte, MT and arrived at my sister Jan's ranch in the
late afternoon of Aug. 28. There was a significant delay at the
border because the truck line had backed up onto the highway and
everyone got stuck in it. Once the lines separated, progress was
quick. We spent 2 days with Jan and Rich. The first day, we hung
around the ranch and went for a walk. The second, we went to a
farmer's market in Millerville. On Aug. 31, we drove to Edmonton and
stayed with Joan's twin sister Jean and husband Ern. That day, Joan's
younger sister Kathy visited. On Sep. 1, we did a walk in the
neighborhood. On Sep. 2, Joan and I took her father Mike to Edson
where we met Joan's sister Marilyn and husband Phil. We visited the
grave of Joan's brother and mother. We also met Mike's friend John. On
return to Edmonton, Joan and I had dinner at Mike's place.
On Sep. 3, Joan an I began our drive home via Jasper and the Icefields
Parkway. We spent the night at Sasketchewan Crossing. The smoke from
distant wildfires was very bad. Much of the way, we couldn't even see
the tops of the mountains. The following day we visited the David Thompson
monument in Invermere, BC (bronze by Rich) and spent the night at Fernie.
We crossed the border, with no delay this time, and continued south with
stays in Butte, MT and Pinedale WY, to Snowmass where we stayed in the
Laurelwood Condos, our favorite lodging at our favorite ski area. We
hiked on the ski hill one day and in the Maroon Bells area another before
heading out over Independence Pass and home to Socorro.
I was somewhat dismayed to find, while making this slide show, that I had
not taken any photos of Rich, Jean, Ern, or Kathy.
Click on the image for a screen size version.
The "2000" and "full size" versions are larger (not available in web versions).
Jan and Rich's ranch between Longview and High River.
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Their barn.
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Rich's studio.
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One of Jan and Rich's outdoor cats. Very friendly.
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The mid level fields at the ranch. The Highwood River is under the cliffs.
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My sister Jan.
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Joan and Jan near the Highwood River on the ranch. The tree in front
of Joan wes felled by beavers.
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The Highwood River. The river forms the northern boundary of Jan and Rich's
ranch.
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A happy cat.
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The main house at the ranch.
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The living room at the ranch.
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The resident deer. She has two fawns who are usually hidden, but
were seen. I got a couple of photos of them with the iPhone.
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The fawns. This is an iPhone optical zoom so the quality is low.
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The deer's favorite hangout.
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The Highwood River as it leaves the ranch. There was a bald eagle on
a tree overlooking this stretch.
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The barn and a gate.
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Mike (Joan's dad), Phil (Joan's sister Marilyn's husband), and Joan. Joan
is holding the bag of flowers that will be placed on the grave of her brother
Brian and mother Jessie.
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Joan placing the flowers.
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Joan, Mike, and Marilyn
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Me (Craig), Joan, Mike, Phil, and Marilyn at the grave site.
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Joan, John, Mike, Phil, and Marilyn at the grave site.
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Joan and Mike at Mike's residence.
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Approaching Jasper in heavy smoke on trip home.
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Mountain sheep along the higway to Jasper.
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Last year I camped at Wabasso about a week before it burned. Here is what
the forest nearby is like now after last year's fire. Wabasso wasn't
even on the campground list this year.
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Mt. Athabaska and the Athabaska Glacier tourist area at about 3pm. This was
better visibility than we had for much of the drive.
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The Athabaska Glacier and the sun at about 3pm, same time as last photo.
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The Saskatchewan Crossing lodge where we spent the night.
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The lodge with Mt Wilson behind.
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Peaks (Mt. Wilson, I think) to the east of the lodge, and our truck.
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The ridge above the lodge.
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Bow Lake, I think.
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Again Bow Lake, I think.
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A bronze in a park in Invermere done by Rich Roenish to commemorate
David Thompson and his wife who explored the area.
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Plaque on the base of the David Thompson statue.
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The interior of the Park Place Lodge where we stayed in Fernie, B.C.
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Fishermen on the Madison (I think) River. The one in back is slowly letting
the dory downstream while the one in front fishes.
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At Teton Pass approaching Jackson Hole. Before here, we stayed in Butte.
This night, we stayed in Pinedale.
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Joan at the central square in Jackson Hole, WY.
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The very nice little BLM campground at Irish Canyon on County
Road 10N (dirt) in northern Colorado, south of Rock Springs WY.
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In Laurelwood Condo room 305 at Snowmass, where we spent 3 nights. We
hiked on the ski area the first day, and to Crater Lake from Maroon Lake in
the Maroon Bells area the second day.
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This photo is taken from the balcony of our room.
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Construction in progress on the Ullrhof restaurant replacement.
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On the Cross Mountain trail at Snowmass.
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Construction in progress on new deck and replacment lift at Elk Camp.
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The Maroon Bells (both fourteeners) from Maroon Lake.
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Another of the Maroon Bells (both fourteeners) from Maroon Lake.
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Closer view of the Maroon Bells.
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The Maroon Bells from the Crater Lake trail.
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Someone wanted food from us!
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Crater Lake (mostly dry) and the Maroon Bells.
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A deer seen along the Crater Lake trail.
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A trout in the inlet stream to Maroon Lake. I'm ot sure what variety it is.
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The Maroon Bells from Maroon Lake.
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Headed home over Independence Pass.
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An Independence Pass beggar.
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