Canada is a land of vast and rugged beauty, boreal forest, prairies and the Canadian Shield, not to mention the many coastlines. But perhaps the landscape Canada is most known for is the Rocky Mountains, a vast and wild land full of wildlife, high mountain meadows and some of the best scenery around. Many people travel here in the summer to enjoy horseback riding and hiking, to see a glimpse of the untamed nature the Rocky’s have to offer.
The Ya-Ha-Tinda Ranch is located in the Red Deer River Valley, and is used for the Canadian Park Service horses. The Red Deer River valley is home to many plant and animal species including Elk, Grizzly Bear, Mountain Lions, Deer and many species of birds. The Ya-Ha-Tinda ranch is located close to Banff National Park, and is accessible by a rough gravel road. In the spring of 2013 the road accessing the ranch was flooded out and repairs needed to be made before the road was again useable. The Rocky Mountains for all their might are fragile, but if they are treated with the proper respect they will be with us for many more generations.
Most of these photos were taken within a three-day period, in the fall of 2014. Organizing a mountain trip is a lot of work and expensive but every cost is paid in full when you step out of your vehicle and take a breath of mountain air.