I love Waterton Park!
Honestly, don’t get me started on how it’s managed — I could go on for hours. I truly believe Waterton needs to be protected for the future. It’s a place that’s perfect in so many ways.
Now, if you ask me about Waterton in the dead of winter, when the wind won’t stop howling and snowdrifts pile up like mini mountains… well, I might have a different tone. But even that — the wildness, the weather — is part of what makes Waterton, Waterton.
On the amazing days, though, there’s nowhere better. And Saturday morning was one of those unforgettable days.
I’d agreed to a shoot in Yoho on Saturday. Then that shoot got postponed — the parkway I was suppose to shoot on wasn’t open yet — so I pivoted and headed for Waterton for Saturday afternoon and Sunday to explore and shoot whatever the park offered.
It started raining sometime early Sunday morning, getting heavier as the morning went on. Around 4 a.m., I got up for a drink and realized I’d left a window open — and yes, the rain had been coming right in. Closed it up and crawled back into bed, listening to the rain patter on the roof.
At 6 a.m., it was still raining. I figured, “Might as well stay in bed.” But by 7, the rain had stopped, and sunlight started breaking through the clouds. Time to get up and go shoot!
WOW. What a morning.
No wind. The clouds were breaking. That golden sunlight just starting to spread. Now the big question…
Where to go??
That’s the only “problem” with a perfect morning in Waterton — there are just too many amazing places to be. After a quick drive up Chief Mountain Highway to the lookout near the border, I turned back toward the townsite.
I passed a bunch of photo-worthy scenes, but I already had something in mind. Nearing the townsite, I made my decision — There is a pull off on a side road that looks down Waterton valley, I’ve always wanted to shoot from this location in the early morning. Today was the day.
But… so much for that plan — two bears were already there enjoying the view! I didn’t think they would let me share their view so I snapped a few shots of them (from a safe distance), then headed to plan B: Driftwood Beach.
The weather held, still perfect. I managed to get a stunning shot of the Prince of Wales Hotel with the mountains and clouds.
Some days, everything just lines up. And Waterton? It’s one of the best places in the world to be when that happens.
