11 days in 100 Instagrams: Winter in Alberta- 03.02.15
This post is part of our special NOTCOT Alberta Great Escape series thanks to our friends at Travel Alberta. In Part I, we roadtripped up from LA for a fall adventure. In Part II, we are experiencing all that Alberta Winter has to offer! Follow the series to see what inspires us along the way!
First things first - THANK YOU, Travel Alberta! I’m sad to say our Alberta adventures have come to a close. It has been a fantastic journey - exploring incredible places, meeting amazing people, doing new things, and road tripping to clear our minds, and get reinvigorated for the second decade of NOTCOT! Shawn (and Bucky) and I had a blast - with amazing animal encounters, feeling tiny amongst the stunning Rockies, climbing walls of ice, and so so much more… So a huge thank you, for helping for me to step out of my comfort zone, and get out of my head a bit while still simultaneously working. It has been so much fun to explore and share it all as we went! And we’ll definitely be back! (Canmore, Jasper, and one day catching those northern lights are on my list…)
So while there are proper feature posts on our adventures - for the super preview with all the crazy little details and inspiration along the way - see it as we shared it in real time on the NOTlabs Instagram. You can see Part I rounded up here - 8 days in 100 Instagrams - Alberta Summer, and Part II - 11 days of Alberta Winter in 100 Instagrams on the next page!
1 - Looking cold down there… #exploreAlberta Part II starts now!
2 - Hello, Edmonton!
See the full post about YEG - Edmonton Airport.
3 - Hard not to smile when there’s a green wall upon arrival #YEG
See the full post about YEG - Edmonton Airport.
4 - Waiting for bags is more fun with tvs and impressive sports dioramas (hint hint LAX) #YEG
See the full post about YEG - Edmonton Airport.
5 - Cheers! Thanksgiving + Pelanque Refuge @ampersand27yeg
6 - A taste of Edmonton originals -thanks @exploreedmonton :)
7 - … & magique! @ampersand27yeg last night as she wafts the smokey aromas of the pastrami pork cheeks!
8 - Hehe… Good graphic.
9 - Woke up and this is what @rshawnsims and I imagined the flower saying at the foot of our bed…
10 - Dog sledding + skating at @silverskatefest as we #exploreEdmonton
See the full post about Edmonton Silver Skate Festival.
11 - Snow beast sculpture @silverskatefest
See the full post about Edmonton Silver Skate Festival.
12 - This kid knows how to stay warm @silverskatefest
See the full post about Edmonton Silver Skate Festival.
13 - Bucket of stress bison at elk island national park!!!
See the full post about Elk Island National Park.
14 - Lone bison at elk island… Saw a few dozen on the side of the highway!
See the full post about Elk Island National Park.
15 - Nothing like a maple hot toddy + bbq @meat_yeg to warm up from running around in the snow.
16 - Anyone else see a face in the shadows?
17 - My stress bison came individually bagged… Like pastries?
See the full post about Elk Island National Park.
18 - Brrrr - good morning!
19 - Funky architecture @youraga
20 - [Shawn says] The @youraga building by Randall Stout
21 - Seeing these pretty birds all over - what type are they, @exploreedmonton ? Magpies!
22 - Inspiration @startupedmonton
23 - Fun chalkboard drawing @startupedmonton
24 - [Shawn says] Build It!! Walls full of fun stuff @startupedmonton
25 - [Shawn says] My kind of wood shop @oliverapt
See the full post about Making Cutting Boards with Oliver Apt.
26 - Waiting for glue to dry as we make cutting boards with @oliverapt
See the full post about Making Cutting Boards with Oliver Apt.
27 - Checking out @concretecat pieces - fun to feel them in person!
28 - Look! @rshawnsims is riding down to the basement @oliverapt
See the full post about Making Cutting Boards with Oliver Apt.
29 - Might need a branding iron… Just branded my cutting board @oliverapt
See the full post about Making Cutting Boards with Oliver Apt.
30 - Here’s @rshawnsims checking the facets! My favorite picture from cutting board making with @oliverapt
See the full post about Making Cutting Boards with Oliver Apt.
31 - Wow. My cutting board all oiled up + wrapped! If in Edmonton, you’ve got to catch an @oliverapt workshop!
See the full post about Making Cutting Boards with Oliver Apt.
32 - All this time I thought I needed a rolling ladder for a bookcase… Even better for a bar! @woodworkyeg shelves + bar by @oliverapt
33 - Neon sign museum of @exploreedmonton - so many incredible new + old #neonsign all over the city!
34 - Any ideas? Nice stencil found while we #exploreedmonton #explorealberta
35 - Amazing assortment of hard to find baking ingredients @duchessbakeshop provisions!
See the full post about Duchess Bake Shop & Provisions.
36 - Picking up delights @duchessbakeshop for our roadtrip to #MyJasper - from what we hear, you can’t #exploreedmonton without a stop here!
See the full post about Duchess Bake Shop & Provisions.
37 - Back in the Canadian Rockies! @fairmontjpl
38 - Mmmmm best way to break in the @oliverapt cutting board I made… @duchessbakeshop #macarons curled up @fairmontjpl
See the full post about Duchess Bake Shop & Provisions and Making Cutting Boards with Oliver Apt.
39 - Stunning breakfast lake views @fairmontjpl
40 - Ice walking!!!!!!!!
See the full post about Maligne Canyon Icewalk.
41 - [Shawn says] Wandering Maligne Canyon and walking on ice shelves with our crampons.
See the full post about Maligne Canyon Icewalk.
42 - Always look up! Ice walking thru the caves in maligne canyon
See the full post about Maligne Canyon Icewalk.
43 - Squeezing thru walls of ice… So fun!
See the full post about Maligne Canyon Icewalk.
44 - How beautiful is this ice? Delicious ice + water coming out of the ground…
See the full post about Maligne Canyon Icewalk.
45 - [Shawn says] There are constant waterfalls that pour out of the canyon sides from underground rivers. They splash on the canyon bottom and form these ice patterns.
See the full post about Maligne Canyon Icewalk.
46 - Bridal falls - it really is this loud! Running strong regardless of season.
See the full post about Maligne Canyon Icewalk.
47 - Surreal!!!
See the full post about Maligne Canyon Icewalk.
48 - Missing bucky, but finally got to meet Stanley! The @fairmontjpl canine greeter
49 - Most unique #MyJasper souvenir - @mountainsandmonsters locally made plush mountains!
50 - Snowy morning outside our cabin @fairmontjpl
51 - Stanley is just basking in the sun @fairmontjpl
52 - Off we go down the ice fields parkway…
53 - Skywalk floating over the canyon
See the full post about Athabasca Glacier + Skywalk.
54 - Wow! Ice climber! See the speck on the lower third of the weeping wall? We watched him climb for a bit.
55 - Just got to our little cabin in the woods before sunset - adorable aspen tree house at the Prairie Creek Inn.
See the full post about The Prairie Creek Inn.
56 - Beers in the snow around the fire outside our cabin at the Prairie Creek Inn
See the full post about The Prairie Creek Inn.
57 - Morning! Bed views of snowy trees all around at The Prairie Creek Inn
See the full post about The Prairie Creek Inn.
58 - Wish we could stay longer! Heading out of the treelined driveway of The Prairie Creek Inn.
See the full post about The Prairie Creek Inn.
59 - Breathtaking!!! Ran into these big horn sheep lakeside…
See the full post about Rock Mountain Bighorn Sheep.
60 - Watch the big horn sheep dig in the snow!
See the full post about Rock Mountain Bighorn Sheep.
61 - The Post Hotel knows just what you need after a long snowy drive
62 - The fireplace moose looks like he’s smiling… At The Post Hotel #lakelouise
63 - House on an old international truck at #lakelouise
64 - I had no idea this is how you transport dog sled teams!
65 - How awesome is this huge railway plow?
66 - #LakeLouise pond hockey classic semifinals - what a backdrop!
67 - [Shawn says] It’s been 15 years too long since I played some hockey…messed around on the beautiful frozen Lake Louise.
68 - Nice clean font for the Post Hotel
69 - Good morning, #LakeLouise from the Post Hotel.
70 - Road tripping to go climb some ice!!!
See the full post about Ice Climbing Johnston Canyon.
71 - Ice climbing is awesome!!! Here’s @rshawnsims going up…
See the full post about Ice Climbing Johnston Canyon.
72 - [Shawn says] Tough as hell! Going through photos of our ice climbing adventures yesterday. This is me about 1/2 up the Upper Falls at Johnston Canyon.
See the full post about Ice Climbing Johnston Canyon.
73 - [Shawn says] Go Jean Go! @notlabs ice climbing the Upper Falls at Johnston Canyon.
See the full post about Ice Climbing Johnston Canyon.
74 - Into the Banff cave and basin - the start of Canada’s national parks!
75 - A history of Canada national park logos!
See the full post about Parks Canada Logos
76 - The @rimrock_resort key image matches our room view!
77 - [Shawn says] After a long day just checked into The @rimrock_resort in Banff. What a view from the room!
78 - That is some view to wake up to. @rimrock_resort
79 - Maple latte before dog sledding!!!!!!
80 - Let’s go puppies! @snowyowlsleddogtours
See the full post about Snowy Owl Dog Sledding in Canmore.
81 - Got @rshawnsims all bundled up and it’s my turn to drive!
See the full post about Snowy Owl Dog Sledding in Canmore.
82 - C’mon frodo! Not to play favorites but frodo and legolas in the back are awesome brothers @snowyowlsleddogtours
See the full post about Snowy Owl Dog Sledding in Canmore.
83 - [Shawn says] Well that was rad!!! Spent the morning with @snowyowlsleddogtours
See the full post about Snowy Owl Dog Sledding in Canmore.
84 - Gucci kept either carrying or picking up sticks during our dog sledding! Huggiest dog on our team @snowyowlsleddogtours
See the full post about Snowy Owl Dog Sledding in Canmore.
85 - While some sled dogs are bred for racing - @snowyowlsleddogtours they are bred for loving. When not running, this is all they wanted.
See the full post about Snowy Owl Dog Sledding in Canmore.
86 - Another adorable pup ready to go (last pup, I promise! But way more in the NOTCOT post to come!) @snowyowlsleddogtours
See the full post about Snowy Owl Dog Sledding in Canmore.
87 - Helicopter is the best way to get perspective! Looking down @canmorekananaskis is stunning!
88 - [Shawn says] Then we jumped in a helicopter back to Canmore and got some incredible views of the Canadian Rockies.
89 - Heli view of The Revenant set in @canmorekananaskis - new film of Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu. Town seems excited about DiCaprio being around
90 - [Shawn says] Another view from the helicopter.
91 - Heading out of @canmorekananaskis to #captureCalgary !
92 - Awwww… @theliveryshop is a must stop in #captureCalgary ! He’s rocking the @campbrandgoods cap!
See the full post about The Livery Shop, Calgary.
93 - It’s all about those circles. @theliveryshop counter!
See the full post about The Livery Shop, Calgary.
94 - Happy Camper!!! These tees are ridiculously soft @campbrandgoods :) and I’m totally learning the mini harmonica thanks to @coutukitsch - yay for #captureCalgary #explorealberta adventures.
See the full post about The Livery Shop, Calgary.
95 - This. Lemon meringue deliciousness @corbeauxbake
96 - Happy tiles @corbeauxbake
97 - This cabinet of bitters @silkroadspices is gorgeous! So many options!
98 - How well do you know me? … Guess how these two will be used together when I get home…
See the full post about the Ice climbing screw as apple corer and my Alberta inspired Apple Ribbon Galette.
99 - Farewell, snowy adventures!
100 - Home!!!!!!!!!
See the full post about Flying in over the LA coast.
