Halfway on the 1 hour flight ... the Rocky Mountain trench laces N-S through the mountains.
Once a flat, inland sea, the earth's crust has heaved to form mountains.
As we enter Alberta and approach Calgary, we meet clouds.
The Calgary Airport has wild stallions racing across the prairies
On the road to Canmore with the foothills and Rocky Mountains ahead -5 C.
Along the way a memorial bench to sit and contemplate ...
The cutest little springer spaniel was eager to pose. 
On the second morning, we walk downstream. Ice clings to the shallow areas along the shore.
At night ice freezes and then thaws as the day goes on.
Little bunnies hop in and out of the bushes in town and country.
Nature's paintbrush works its magic.
Near the end of our walk, a farm had a small herd of horses.
This is my first photo of the sun creating a halo like a rainbow, reflecting off the ice crystals. It is called a Sun Dog and often indicates a change in the weather.
Blue shadows fall on the snow as the sun falls behind the mountains.
Nature carves through the ice - showing the current flowing beneath.
Lavender Sunsets come early in the mountains.
From Eagle Ridge we look south to the town of Canmore and the other side of the valley.
We followed a trail through the woods. 
A sad note: pine beetle has arrived. The only sure cure is -25 c for weeks at a time to kill the larvae. British Columbia forests are suffering both from the pine beetle and the spruce bud worm.
Nearby, we hike part way up Cougar Creek. There are also hikes on both mountains that flank the creek bed.
Rock walls along the canyon show how violent this creek can be in flood.
Below our feet the water gurgles and shows up occassionally in open ice holes.
More of natures beauty! 
Trees along the edge of the path had a delicate moss that gathered frost.
Rather than walk, you can take a ride on a sleigh pulled by two draft horses.
At the far end of the lake are two waterfalls. The tiny specks on the waterfall are men climbing the ice (with ropes and gear) ... not my cup of tea! Gigantic icicles could break off at any time.
Meanwhile back at the hotel, ice blocks were being carved into ice. Chainsaws, drills and files whittle away the ice. Slush 'glues' them together. The Promise is below, coated with snow.
Thumbilina rides her butterfly into the night.
The winner: The Snow Fairie waves her wand and delicate snowflakes float down.
After a wander through the lobby with jewellry stores and exclusive clothing, I bought a small skein of yarn with muskoxen hair. And, back to Canmore we go ... with a lavender pink sky reflecting off the snow ... a winter wonderland.
We flew out of Calgary, a fast growing city that is the hub of the oil and gas business. The blue foothills and Rocky Mountains lie to the west. 
The Bow river runs through it ... looking at city center. After spending time working in absract design, I see beautiful line everywhere!
The center of Canada was once an inland sea, plate tectonics pushed from the west, cracking the crust and forcing layers to pile on one another. Dinosaurs once walked here.
Ridges of Rocky Mountain backbone run north-south. Most of our trip was at 40,000 feet and was sappire blue with white clouds below:
As we came down from Calgary, 4,500 ft. above sea level, we were met with layers of clouds. The Vancouver area has had snow in the last two weeks and a little was still visible on the farm fields of Abottsford. Grey skies, warm temperatures and misty rains greet our return.
