Three fall photos

The Voyages of RV Shearwater (2)

I have often driven along the Crowsnest Pass, but I’ve never had the opportunity to stop and visit the Lundbreck Falls. A weekend outing with RV Shearwater resolved my deficit. Our arrival coincided with a hoard of visitors in their cars parked up precariously close to the railings around the 12 m high spouts cascading into the limestone gorge below. It was a hot July day, around 34º C. Hardly a cloud in the sky nor shadow to calm the harsh midday light.

Fortunately, we were staying overnight in the nearby campground, and I had time to wait for a different mood to set in over the cataract.

In the evening, I walked back along the south bank of the Crowsnest River. The graffiti-daubed columns of the road bridge framed the falls. Below, besides the gathering deep pools, sat sunbathers. Children navigated inflatable animals into the gentle current, and anglers cast their lines into riffles for trout.

I sat on the rocks, waited and watched. I was prospecting for a photograph of a freight train, and after thirty minutes or so, I was in luck: a red Canadian Pacific locomotive coupled with a yellow partner from Union Pacific sounded its horn as it rolled west into the Rocky Mountains, hauling oil, fertilizer and more, destination Vancouver.

I returned to explore the view again with Aspen the Airedale early the following day. The rising sun behind me cast deep shadows onto the rocks and water. There were no people. Sadly, there were no trains, but a rainbow shimmered through the spray.

Three waterfall photos

Which of these three photographs do you prefer?

The Voyages of RV Shearwater

The Voyages of RV Shearwater is an occasional series that logs my adventures with Shearwater, my Sprinter Van, crafted with care by Yama Vans in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Location

Lundbreck Falls is about 26 km northwest of Pincher Creek, Alberta on the turn-off to Highway 3A from Highway 3, the Crowsnest Highway.