Day
24, September 5 — Finally!
Locations: Mt. Edith Cavell; Highway 93A; Medicine Lake
Miles driven: 150
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I set the alarm for
5:40 and headed out at 5:47. I was heading up to Mt. Edith Cavell for
sunrise again. It was overcast once again, and I was hoping it was similar
conditions as yesterday, as far as being able to climb above the fog layer.
It is impossible to tell how thick it is when you’re right under
it.
At 6:05, just after passing by the Otto’s Cache picnic area on 93A, black bear #8 ran across the road. About a mile up the Cavell road, there was a large patch of open sky and the stars were now visible. Of course, I didn’t think I could be lucky enough for it to last, given the weather pattern for the last who knows how long, yet still, this was the most encouraged I had been for quite some time. The fog was in the valley once again and I had driven in and out of it while on 93A.
It was light enough out at this point from the star light that I could see that Cavell had a real nice dusting of white since I had last seen it, and it was totally clear above it, save for a cloud on its uppermost section. There were quite a bit of clouds to the east, but I couldn’t quite make out how high they went. I was still hopeful that Cavell would light up nicely, but I wasn’t sure if it would receive first light or not.
At the Tonquin Valley trailhead, there were ten cars. There had only been two parked here yesterday. One had its dome light on inside. This gave me the idea that this would be another viable camping option, and I’m not sure why I didn’t think of this earlier. I walked just down the trail to the bridge at Cavell Lake where I shot sunrise. At 8:10, I was still set up and shooting when a guy in a pickup drove across the bridge and said, “There is a big grizzly about 200 meters back down that way (pointing to where the road comes down). You might want to wander in that area and check it out.” I thought, “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ll do! Come on, man!” Being that the trailhead is roughly 100 meters back out, I was rather astute on the walk back up to say the least!
After the morning shoot at Cavell, I headed back down the road and called the folks from Otto’s Cache picnic area, and while on the call, some patches of blue sky appeared as the clouds had yet to lift in the valley. Also, in talking with them, this was the first I had learned of Hurricane Katrina that had hit eight days ago and that this was the reason why the gas prices had jumped through the roof. I don’t exactly keep up to date on current events when I’m out roaming the countryside. Shortly after the phone call, I started to get a bunch of blue sky. At 11:40, there was still a lot of low heavy clouds, but I haven’t seen this much sun in the better part of a week. It was definitely uplifting to see this. I thought things were looking good for tonight, and even for this afternoon.
I stopped at Leech Lake and took a few shots then drove as far as Athabasca Falls where I turned around to check out the other ponds around Leech Lake, but didn’t shoot anything. I then went down the Moab Lake Road about midway at 11:30 and pulled into one of the pullout spurs above the bank along the Whirlpool River. The clouds had filled back in after noon and I got less excited about the potential for this evening’s sunset. I pretty much napped until 3:57.
After waking up from the nap, I headed over to Medicine Lake for sunset. I waited around for awhile as I was parked on the northern shore and had walked up and down the shore in search for where I wanted to set up the camera. I was hoping the sun would somehow find its way through near sunset, but it remained mostly overcast with the sun shining on the mountain above the lake in spots. After I set up the camera just behind the 4Runner, I heated a bag of tortellini, and when I finishing eating, the sun made its first real appearance when it was lighting up the mountains around to the east and south end of the lake and I began shooting off a number of 4x5 sheets. Now this was exactly what I’ve been waiting for, for the past eight days or so! In fact, the conditions were so great, that this image posted below is, I feel, my best shot to date. It all came together for this shot. I even had enough time to get a duplicate and a number of others on the Rebel.
After the light show was over, I drove up to the parking lot just before the lake on the north end. It was now 8:30, and I was needing to change out some film holders. Just as I was getting set up in the back end of the 4Runner, I heard some sort of howl off behind me and to the right. It didn’t sound like a familiar howl. It didn’t sound like a coyote, as this howl had a much deeper tone, not to mention that coyotes generally do a lot of yipping. Still, I couldn’t be too sure after hearing it just once. About 15 seconds later, it did it again, but this time it had moved further to the left. “Okay, that definitely doesn’t sound like a coyote!” I would estimate that it was roughly 100 yards away, which was back in the forest just beyond the parking lot. About 15 seconds later, it did it again. This time, it was directly behind me at the same distance along the same plane. By this point, I was on edge not knowing what I was dealing with, and needless to say, I was NOT going to change my film here! I assumed it was either a wolf or a bear. We don’t have wolves in Colorado, so I had never heard one of those to know what they sound like. I didn’t think a bear sounded like this, but again, what do I know? After the fourth time it did this, still back behind, but to the left now, I finally thought to get my voice recorder out so that when I got back home, maybe someone could confirm what I was hearing. It howled one last time and this is what I recorded. The scratching sound is just my finger barely moving around on the recorder. I learned the howl is, in fact, a wolf.
After I made the wolf recording, I started back to the Kerkeslin Campground for another night, but first made a pit stop in Jasper and fueled up. I arrived at the campground at 9:45, but found the gate was closed and locked. Oh boy, now what?! I didn’t know if it had closed for bears, or if it was the end of the open season for it, though I was guessing the latter. There had been no note indicating when it would close, as I had seen earlier at Waterfowl Lakes Campground. It was getting late (in order to get up early) and I still needed to change film, and I had no idea where I was going to camp, or where I was able to. I finally decided that since I was planning to shoot sunrise at Cavell again that I could camp at the Tonquin Valley trailhead which would be perfect. Duh! I’m not sure why I didn’t think of this earlier. I stopped at the trailer drop-off lot at the start of the Cavell road and changed out ten holders. It was 10:33 when I started up the road, and I hoped I could get up for sunrise. I arrived at the trailhead lot at 10:57 and I was beat.
7:20 AM —
Mt. Edith Cavell eruption
7:33 AM —
Mt. Edith Cavell from Cavell Lake
7:38 AM —
Just a few clouds hanging over the Athabasca River valley to
the northeast as seen from the opposite direction as the above shot.
8:05 AM —
I'm not sure if this peak is named, but I've yet to run across it if it
is
11:04
AM — Whirlpool Peak from Leach Lake
11:12 AM —
Mt. Fryatt from Leach Lake
11:46 AM —
Whirlpool River from the Moab Lake Road
3:40 PM —
What's this?! Why it's blue sky! WHOA!
5:15 PM — Medicine Lake
7:52 PM —
The sunset I had been waiting for comes at Medicine Lake. I consider this
to be my best image to date. Finally, I was at the right place at the
right time.
8:18 PM —
A peak receiving last light as seen from my Medicine Lake perch