Winter Ghosts

I’ve been travelling to the Canadian Rockies for winter photography each January since 2019. In my first year, I stayed in Field, British Columbia which gave me quick access to the Icefields Parkway back in Alberta. On my way to my Air Bnb night one, I was impressed by the trees along the Continental Divide. They were caked in snow and ice, unlike I had seen anywhere else. Unfortunately, they are on the side of a section of Highway 1 that wasn’t safe to stop along, so I never photographed them that year.

Every year since, I noticed the same thing with each visit. Even in years when the snow quality was poor anywhere else, this section of highway provided a welcome winter wonderland. I’m not sure of the science of what goes on in this mountain pass, but it’s constantly in bad weather and fog, turning the trees into winter ghosts every year. So, you’d think I’d have many images of these trees but, for different reasons, I was never able to stop and capture this area.

This past winter (2024), I finally made it a priority to try and capture what I could of this area and stopped at a rest area along the highway. The conditions changed pretty rapidly between the fleeting low cloud and afternoon light, but I was finally able to capture this scene which feels otherworldly.

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