Grassi Lakes Views

I'm coming to terms with not driving through Lake Superior Park right now - witnessing the gloirious fall flood of colour that graces the hills of Northern and Central Ontario - because fall here is kind of pretty itself with snow dusting the mountain tops and the poplars and larches turning yellow.  Hiking season is rapidly coming to the end, especially after a week of wet, cold weather leaving snow on the ground in Lake Louise and twice scuppering a hike to Larch Valley.  Still hoping to get one more big hike in either  Larch Valley or Burstall Pass this week or maybe go back and do Boom Lake or Stanley Glacier or day trip to Yoho and do some puttering around there.

Rawson Lake

Contrary to the weather forcast, it was not warm and sunny, but cool and rainy - but still it made for an amazing 2nd camping trip for little A. and us and a good test run of our new tent - which we can definitively say does not leak.  On our way home, we stopped to do the Rawson Lake hike (about 8 km).  It was a bit of a huff and puff - for the straight up part of the trail - but it was worth it for the view at the top... a gem green lake surrounded by a wall of dark mountain with their tops lost in the clouds.

Molly - Also a rocking Cat

Okay - that evens it up a little.  Molly is really pretty.

As for us, we are slowly getting organized and catching up on all the things we need to be doing - which is what I should be doing rather than posting pictures of my cats on my blog, but I'm headed for sleep soon anyways which means my brains really aren't up to actually getting anything useful done.

Molly-cat - keeper of the wrapping paper

I was feeling bad that I hadn't posted any pictures of Molly lately.  Its not that she hasn't been as cute as Zoe - its just that she tends to move just as I'm about to take a picture or when I only have the mediocre camera on my phone at hand.  Molly is still active and playful and still loves her springs and dips her paws in her water.  If you leave your glass unattended she might dip her paws in your glass.  She loves watching the birds out of the window and sitting on anything that you are trying to use.  She has learned how to get up on top of the kitchen cupboards and can be found looking out over her kingdom.

Comfortable Cat

I'm proud to say that Zoe has lost some weight.  It wasn't even really me - she just stopped gobbling her food suddenly.  I think she finally decided that we would feed her as much as she needed and that she didn't have to gulp down everything there was in case she didn't get fed again for some time.  Clearly, the cat in this picture is comfortable in their home.  She even sat on my lap a bit this evening.  Molly helps keep her shape by giving her someone to chase and be chased by.  But for the most part I think they like each other or at least tolerate each other.

Rock And Roll Cat

Zoe usually picks comfier places to snooze, but I guess the folk fest spirit must have gotten to her as I found her curled up on the guitar lately.  She sings too - when she is catching mice.  I still don't know what she did with the yellow ones... they are totally MIA.

We've survived lots of excitement here - all of the good and intentional sort, but we are glad to be settling down for our normal routine.  It was wonderful to see so many of my favourite people in the last month.

Our small human is learning to babble and smile and play with toys.  She also watches the cats, but the cats have been very good with her.

Currently - Zoe is sleeping on her chair - the comfortable one that all guests have to divest her of if they wish to sit there and Molly is asleep on top of the hideaway, her long limbs dangling over the edge.

And that is the cat report for the day.

Zoe stops to smell the roses

The cat approves of the wedding bouquet!  I'm not sure what it is with our cats and flowers.  Crazy kitties!

Zoe has great taste in Chairs

I tricked Zoe into giving me back my desk chair by feeding her.  She likes chairs - especially comfortable ones... and how can you not love this belly :D.

Plain of 6 Glaciers

After a year of almost no hiking it was amazing to finally go on a real mountain hike and get to see alpine wildflowers and be close enough to glaciers to hear the thunder of an avalanche.

A lovely specimum of columbine

Columbine is a pretty flower in any colour, but this peach and yellow variety is especially charming.

PAINTBRUSH EVERYWHERE

Today was one of those magical days where the weather was perfect and the view was amazing.  We hiked up to the Plain of 6 Glaciers Teahouse - surrounded by stunning flowers.  Lots of colombine, arnica, paintbrush, butterwort, violets, vetch and so much more.  The mountains are amazing, but Lake Louise Area is extra beautiful.  The only slightly irrating thing that happened all day is that people were constantlly trying to run us over - one guy litterally ran between S. and I and pushed him out of the way while he was carrying a baby... Grr... and then there was the guy who wanted the bathroom right now - even though we weren't in there very long - he kept pounding on the door as we raced to change the babies diaper...  which we told him we were doing.... 

Up the Stairs that Said "Climb Me"

Its funny how when you live in a place for a while you get into patterns and don't always know how much there is nearby to hike.  I've walked passed the stairs beside the power plant probably over 100 times and never decided to go up - that is until yesterday - just because the baby was happy in her carrier and the weather was perfect - cool, but sunny with not a cloud in the sky.

So up, up, up we went accross a field and then up a steep hill until we got to the Rundle Forebay, just a bit before the Nordic Center and then I walked all the way to Quarry Lake.  The best part was that there were tonnes of Indian Paintbrush and a few lovely western wood lilies.

Then we finished with a lovely hike down Canmore Creek, back to the Bow River.

So lots of new trails and a much better understanding of local geograhy.

Mountain Morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the view outside my window this morning.  The weird thing is that I'm not facing east - at least I don't think I am because it is generally in the direction of Banff.  Still.  Had to grab my camera and take a few shots.

Shortly after the pictures were taken - clouds rolled in and the mountains disappeared and then an intense thunderstorm rolled in and crazy hard rain fell.

Now it is misty and cool and drizzley.

Naptime in Canmore - Molly-Style

Zoe is all about the curling up and Molly is all about the flopping out.  This was a favourite chair last summer and the cats seem to be returning to their old haunts.  Save that Molly has figured out how to get on top of the fridge and then on top of the cupboards.  She has quite the drive to explore.  I've discovered that the best way to catch a Molly-cat is to open a drawer that I don't want her to hop into and wait a few seconds.  Zoe on the other hand prefers sneaking into cupboards rather than drawers.  Molly has also checked out every empty box and still likes hanging in Lululemon bags and all other nature of bags.

She is even napping after I put food in their bowls... although Zoe predictably ate some out of her bowl and now is sleathily going to the bathroom where Molly's bowl is - thinking I'm not going to notice if she eats Molly's food first and then comes back for hers.  Sneaky kitty.

Naptime in Canmore - Zoe-style

I have to admit to thinking that Zoe is one of the most striking, if a little chubby, cats in the world.  She has the best little white paws (except for one which is black on the backside).  She is very happy to have my deskchair back - to the point where I only keep my computer on the desk to charge, since she seems to be monopolizing my chair.

Hydrograph of the Bow river

This shows the water level measured in Banff during the flood event for any of you engineering types out there.  I wish I had an estimate of the flow rate because not only is the water level higher, but the river is flowing faster than usual.

On my walk this morning the river still looks high, but its dropped a few feet from yesterday at the bridge.  Hopefully things are receding downstream too.

The water under the Bridge St. Bridge is slowly receding on the Bow River

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Snags caught on an island in the Bow River

My favourite nursing bench surrounded by water...

View from the now closed to the public Engine Bridge of the water at bank level

Flooded Riparian Zone

Paintbrush flowering early

Another few days have passed and it sounds like most people can get back in their homes except for 45 houses along Cougar Creek which have been deemed uninhabitable.  Hopefully, it is possible for at least some of them to be made habitable, but I can't imagine how those folks must be feeling right now.  Hopefully, I'll never know.  I remember how I felt when my insured car was destroyed by a drunk driver.  I don't think that even holds a shadow to having your house damaged.

The river levels are slowly falling and life is slowly returning to normal - although town is very quiet with only residents present.  People are being extra kind to strangers.  One resident suggested a medal for the operator of the excavator that toiled for 24 hours straight and managed to save the road.  I'd concur. Bins have been placed in 3 neighbourhoods to allow residents to dispose of flood damaged property.  On the other hand, it is still hard to get in and out of town and it is raining again.  I hope that I'll be able to do something to help in the long run.

However, my main concern is calling for me.. and so I'd better go play and read stories.

I haven't seen as much TV coverage in the last few days, nor have I been to any of the locations where their was significant damage.  I've heard that there was quite a bit of damage in Kanaskis too.

Zoe Bathing

Zoe is her stripy self and has stopped hissing at Molly, but I gather there is still some tiff between them.  She went to her vet appointment and got a clean bill of health except the vet suggested we put her on diet food as she is about 2 lbs over weight.  She isn't a huge fan of the food change, but she'll get used to it.

In the meantime, she has returned to her favourite haunts of the back of the chair and sitting by the window.  She is currently sitting on the single bed.  She has been having fun playing with cat toys and chasing Molly.

Molly and Zoe Test All Surfaces in New Old Digs

We've been busy not only worrying about the flooding, but also moving and painting.  We finally moved back into our place about 2 days ago and the cats are thrilled for the bigger space, big windows near bird filled trees and lots of surfaces to lie on.  Here Molly tests Alekni's dresser.  She also has tested out the top of the fridge, the table, the counter, every chair, above the fire place, the side tables, the beds, the top of the toilet, the desks and several places on the floor.  Yesterday evening she was curled up around the leg of a kitchen chair.  Hard to believe when we last lived here I could pick her up in with one hand.

Canmore Flooding 2

Park near bridge - flooded

Water under the Bridge Street Bridge - normally you can walk or bike under the bridge - not so much today

Hydraulic flow around the bridge piers - downstream side

Policeman's Creek

Sunset over the flooded Bow River - looking towards Cascade Mountain and Banff

The water sounds like it is going down slowly (see hydrograph for the Bow in Banff). Note you have to agree that the graph might be inaccurate and then it should bring you to the graph page.  Miraculously our parkade is dry, but we are lucky to be in a very well built building.  Its beautiful weather out right now - sun - clouds just ringing the mountain tops - as soon as I finish my coffee I think we'll go for a little walk - although the trails we were using last week - a lot of them are closed, but downtown is dry. 

We've been asked to conserve water - and of course - being used to being on trucked water and sewage - this is fairly routine for us.  Although, I wish I'd taken a shower before the conserve water order - I still have paint in my hair.  There is an amazing video of the damage and flooding here on The Globe website.

Looking out our window, there is no hint of the destruction on the other side of the valley where Cougar Creek ran amok - although last night they were pumping water out of the legion's basement and a lot of shops are closed.  We, of course, are trapped here with no traffic east or west save for the escorted busses returning people back to their homes for those working in Banff and live in Canmore or vice versa.  Somehow, they also got food trucks in to the grocery stores.  

I'll try and take a few more pictures today - all the ones in this post are my fiancees. One of the toughest things for me given my Civil Engineering and Water Resource Engineering background has been not being able to go see as my duties as a mom and one who was in the process of moving and painting kept me indoors and away from the action most of the last few days.  Obviously, I wouldn't be one of those people to do something foolish and risk my life, but I might have gone to the safe vantage points to shoot a few pictures.

The pictures from Calgary have blown me away.  Canmore is a small town, but seeing the downtown of the largest city in the province underwater is scary.  On the flip side, I think the mayor of Calgary is one of the most well spoken politicians I've ever met.  I am incredibly impressed by his handling of things and the way he spoke to his citizens.  In the meantime, my heart goes out to all the folks who's home and properties.  I hope that things get better soon and the damage is less severe than it looks.