The Lake Agnes Tea House can be reached by a very well maintained 3.5 km pathway that starts outside the Château Lake Louise. The climb is only 400 meters (1300 feet). Lake Agnes is located at an altitude of 2134 meters. From there, it is possible to continue the ascent up to the Big Beehive, which tops at 2270 meters.
No road allows an access by car to the Lake Agnes Tea House. This means that a part of the products needed for the tea house have to be brought up by foot by employees. The garbage is disposed in the same way, when employees go down the mountain. Customers can help by bringing down a little bag of garbage when they are ready to head back to their hotel. That eases the employee’s task. The tea house menu offers only a few choices, since there is no electricity. But the experience is always interesting.
The picture above was taken during summer 2018 with a Canon 5DSR camera equipped with a Canon EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. The focal length was adjusted to 200mm and the ISO to 2500 for this photo taken with a hand held camera.
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A view of the Columbia river near Revelstoke, Alberta 2018.
While passing by Revelstoke, in British Columbia,walking along the pathways near Columbia River is a must. The surrounding mountains offer a very interesting view and the changing colors provide great photo opportunities.
In the picture above, I thought appropriate to add a touch of life by waiting for a duck to reach the center of the frame and by including the two bikes in the foreground.
Since I was not walking with a tripod, I adjusted the shutter speed to 1/250 and the ISO to 2000. The aperture was set to 9.0 and the exposure modified to + 1/3 to compensate for a bright background. The 50.6 megapixel RAW file allowed for further adjustments with Photoshop.
A Canon 5DSR full frame camera was used, coupled with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens. The chosen focal length was 70mm.
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If you are spending some time around Lake Louise, in Alberta, a very interesting outdoor activity is to go hiking on the 10 km trail that leads to the Big Beehive. You start from the Fairmont Lake Louise and slowly walk up to the Lake Agnes Tea House. There, you can get a simple meal and rest before walking around Mirror Lake and heading for the Big Beehive trail. The view on top is absolutely superb.
I have included a link that provides you with commentaries and informations from people who actually did the trail:Alltrails.com
Once you have tried the Big Beehive trail and are ready for a more relaxing activity, you might consider renting a canoe at the Fermont Lake Louise Hotel facility and head for the lake for an hour. The color of the Lake Louise water is amazing and the view stupendous.
Canoers profit from the beautiful surroundings of Lake Louise, Alberta, in 2018.
The pictures above have been taken with a Canon 5DSR full frame camera. I carried a tripod and some equipment up the mountain as it was obvious that there would be great photo opportunities. Using RAW files helped a lot when came the time to work with different levels of luminosity.
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Airmail Estevan Winnipeg CLP5 semi official stamp front cover
The CLP5 semi-official stamp was issued on October 1st,1924 and put on airmail covers for the first airmail flight planned from Estevan, Saskatchewan to Winnipeg, Manitoba. What initially seemed to be a publicity stunt toward the use of airmail was instead a marketing operation planned by two promoters of a local industry, coal mining.
The Estevan to Winnipeg flight promoter and his associate had personal interests in the Eureka Coal and Brick mining company. On the back cover, we even have a commercial invitation: « Buy Estevan Brick ».
Airmail Estevan Winnipeg CLP5 semi official stamp. Back of cover.
The pilot, E.A.Alton took-off from Estevan under nice weather on the morning of October 1st,1924 and headed east toward Winnipeg. He was supposed to do a stopover in Brandon, to refuel, but engine problems forced him to land in a field in Bienfait. During the landing, the wheels hit hidden rocks and the aircraft was wrecked.
The pilot quickly transferred the mail to the Bienfait Post Office where it was put on the Souris train to Winnipeg. The mail arrived late but on the same day at destination.
A virtual C-130 belonging to the Blue Angels is taxiing at the High River airport, in Alberta.
Wanting to add an almost impossible flight in the “unhinged virtual flights” section of my web site, I tried a flight with the Blue Angels C-130 Hercules (Captain Sim) where the aircraft gradually lost all of its engines.
The Blue Angels C-130 Hercules waiting in line behind a single engine aircraft at the High River airport.
I am aware that the Blue Angels mechanics are real professionals, so I assumed that the engine failures were caused by an unknown reason.
A virtual Blue Angels Lockheed C-130 Hercules takes-off from the High River (CEN4) Canadian airport in Alberta.
The take-off was made without problem from the Canadian High River (CEN4) airport. This free airport was designed by Vlad Maly and is available through ORBX. The aircraft leaves the 4150 feet runway heading to the Coeur d’Alène airport (KCOE) in United States.
Eventually, the first engine stops. This does not cause a problem. The propeller is feathered and the gradual climbing continues.
The C-130 Hercules loses its first engine.
The second engine stops. The pilot must forget the initial destination. Bonners Ferry (65S) becomes the alternate airport since the 4000×75 feet runway is good enough for the C-130.
The second engine has just stopped on this C-130 Hercules.
Double engine failure for this virtual Blue Angles C-130 Hercules.
The third engines gives way. A slow descent starts. Bonners Ferry is not very far. The airport is at an altitude of 2337 ft asl.
The aircraft is volontarily flown at a higher altitude than what would normally be requested for a normal approach, just in case the fourth engine stops. When three engines stop after the same refueling, the pilot has the right to think that what feeds the fourth engine can also cause problems.
Three engine failures on this virtual Blue Angels C-130 Hercules.
The highest mountains are now behind the aircraft.
Virtual C-130 Hercules aircraft with three engine failures enroute to the Bonners Ferry airport.
The Bonners Ferry (65S) runway is in sight.
Virtual C-130 Hercules aircraft with three engine failures, by the Bonners Ferry’s runway.
The fourth engine stops. The flaps will not be functional for the landing.
From now on, the pilot should save the virtual flight a few times since it is possible that several trials will be necessary to glide sucessfully to the airport. This is the fun of virtual flight.
The four engines have now failed on that virtual C-130 aircraft.
The C-130 Hercules has become a big glider. When the speed is maintained, the aircraft loses more 1000 feet per minute. It is easier to feel the aircraft’s inertia.
The wheels will be brought out only when necessary since the gear adds a lot of drag.
From the position indicated in the picture below, it is impossible to arrive to the airport in a straight line: the aircraft will glide over the airport. In the picture, the aircraft seems to be on a good path for landing, but it is an illusion caused by the wide-angle format chosen for the screen capture.
The aircraft is definitely too high. It is impossible to use the flaps to increase the rate of descent.
Lockheed C-130 Hercules virtual aircraft with four engine failures on the approach to the Bonners Ferry’s virtual airport (65S).
One must choose between 1) sideslips 2) a 360 degree turn to lose altitude or 3) multiple steep turns perpendicular to the runway to increase to distance to the airport.
What would you choose?
There is no universal method. The 360 degree turn is riskier but can prove efficient. An Airbus A330-200 flown by Quebecer Robert Piché that had lost all of its engines landed successfully in the Açores in 2001 after attempting a last minute 360 degree turn to lose altitude. But here, I did not believe there was enough altitude to safely complete the turn and reach the runway.
A few steep turns were made to extend to ride to the airport. Why steep turns? In order to avoid getting closer to the airport before an acceptable altitude was reached. This method helped keep an eye on the runway at all times to verify if the slope to the airport was still acceptable.
Fourty degree turn to the right on the approach to the Bonners Ferry’s airport.
Steep turn to the left to extend the distance to the Bonners Ferry airport.
I tried the three methods, always starting from the same saved flight (photo 10). After several sideslips, the aircraft was always approaching the airport too quickly. There was not enough time to lose altitude. The final speed always happened to be too high to stop a C-130 without flaps or thrust reversers.
The 360 degree turn, be it right or left, with different angles and a reasonable speed, always incurred a loss of altitude that brought the aircraft 200 to 300 feet short of the threshold.
Finally, after a few steep turns, the aircraft was positioned on final with the appropriate speed and altitude.
View of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules with four engine failures, on the approach for Bonners Ferry (65S).
A few last seconds adjustments, to reposition the aircraft in the center of the runway.
Speed 150 knots. End of the turn for the Bonners Ferry’s airport.
At 140 kts, but without any reverse thrust, the whole runway should be necessary to stop the aircraft.
Speed 140 knots, aligned with the Bonners Ferry’s runway.
The landing was smooth and the aircraft stopped short of the threshold.
For an unknown reason, the anemometer was still indicating a 10 kts airspeed, even when the aircraft had stopped.
C-130 cargo aircraft on the Bonners Ferry’s runway.
Lockheed C-130 Hercules virtual aircraft after landing at the Bonners Ferry (65S) airport.
C-130 Hercules aircraft in Bonners Ferry.
Try such a flight in the virtual mode. The worst that can happen is that you have fun!
Robert A. Milton managed Air Canada during the most tempestuous period of the history of air transport.
I translated the quotes from the French version of the book.
“It is all right to say to a Crown corporation to operate, starting tomorrow, like a private enterprise, but it’s like saying to a dog to walk on its hind legs from now on. The dog can succeed, but it will need time to adjust to this new idea”.
“Rod Eddington, the British Airways CEO, made everybody laugh when talking about the resistance to change of middle managers. He said: “As it is said for staff reductions, turkeys have never voted in favor of Christmas”.
“The most efficient system in the world can only work properly if the people who apply it want it to work”.
“No air transport society has ever succeeded in reducing its activities, except in the context of a restructuration under judiciary supervision”.
“One day, as I was walking through the department of technical operations, I looked around and noticed that some people were working in a cubicle fitted out along an outside wall. There were many windows in the wall, but they were all covered with brown paper. I was curious to know why. Was the outside view so terrible that nobody wanted to look through the windows? Or was it so beautiful that it could distract the employees? I checked and the view had nothing really special. It was not more beautiful nor uglier than the other views from the building.
When I asked for explanations, I was told that the employees working along that wall belonged to a group where the salary level did not allow access to a window. But, for different reasons, it had been necessary to position them near a wall with windows. A bureaucrat of the organization had been afraid, I suppose, that making an exception to the rule would lead to anarchy, and he ordered that the windows be covered to correct this unacceptable situation. Useless to say that the brown paper disappeared a few minutes after I received the explanation”.
“Quite often, people who progress slowly in their career without having to take decisions inevitably end up by having to take one. At that moment, they freeze like a deer being blinded by a car headlights, and they get knocked out”.
“If someone puts one finger in my eye, I react by putting two fingers in both of his eyes”
“The VISA Aerogold card is nothing else than a money making machine for the CIBC. It represents 20 to 25 % of the market capitalization of the bank”.
“It is necessary to respect the rules of the game, but to play in all seriousness by using all the tools that are available to you”
Here, Robert Milton quotes a former Minister of Transport of Canada: “He raised the governance problems and the airports inability to control costs, to show interest in customers and to build only the needed infrastructure, instead of the luxurious installations that are now appearing all across the country”.
“In the future, I see Air Canada recognized as one of the six best airline companies of the world, with connections in all regions of the globe and with an interior service representing a smaller, but all the same important part of its total income”.
The Canadian Craig Dobbin built the world’s largest helicopter company
“One hell of a ride” book cover about Craig Dobbin and the world’s largest helicopter company: CHC Helicopters
His view on management
“I’m not an expert on anything” he explained. “Whatever the job, whatever the challenge, somebody can do it better than I can. True entrepreneurs surround themselves with professional managers who share their vision and put form around it. Not only can you not do it all yourself, it’s not necessary, and it does not make sense. I believe in being a good casting director of people who work together and share together”.
Handling pressure
“It’s been a good week” Craig Dobbin might comment to his personal secretary late on a Friday afternoon. Then his face would cloud over and he’d say, “Get Keith Stanford on the phone and ask him for my financial summary. That’ll fuck up my weekend”.
A capacity to take huge financial risks
“The hell with the contract”, he grinned. “Let’s buy the buggers out and we’ll get the contract that way! We’ll start with Toronto [Helicopters].”
“One morning, shortly after the deal to purchase Toronto Helicopters was completed, Craig Dobbin strolled into Robert Foster’s Toronto office. “Robert” he said “I want you to get on a plane, fly to Calgary and buy Okanagan Helicopters for me.” “But Craig,” Foster replied, “you don’t have any money.” Dobbin shrugged and said “That’s your problem.””
On the importance of relaxing and have fun
“Over time, Dobbin introduced initiation rites for first-time visitors [to his fishing lodge]. Steve Hudson’s [a pilot] initial visit to Adlatuk involved a helicopter flight over the ocean in search of an iceberg drifting down from the Arctic. When a suitable iceberg was located, the initiate was given his instructions. “They handed me a hammer and an ice bucket,” Hudson explains. “My job was to jump out of the helicopter onto the iceberg and fill the bucket with chipped ice for our drinks back at the fishing lodge”.
Icebergs, Hudson discovered, are very unstable and riding one in the North Atlantic with a Super Puma hovering a few feet over your head is like trying to keep your balance while walking across a trampoline. “It was a lot of fun for the guys in the helicopter,” he says, “but not so much fun for me, trying to knock enough million-year-old ice of the berg to fill the bucket.” Back in the camp, the ice chilled several glasses of Jameson raised in a toast to the new crew member.””
“One hell of a ride”, from John Lawrence Reynolds
A genuine interest in people
“When he talked with you in social situations,” one business acquaintance recalls, “he was focused totally on you. He wasn’t looking over your shoulder or around the room, searching for someone more important. He was really interested in what you were saying. Everyone sensed this about the man and was drawn to him”.
Dobbin’s humanity
“Dobbin’s business acumen rarely overrode his humanity. On a flight to his fishing lodge in Long Harbour with a group of friends, Dobbin asked the helicopter pilot to set the craft down for a washroom break. The pilot chose an open area adjacent to a shack and tower where a provincial wildlife officer was spending the summer on fire-watch duty. The officer, a grizzled veteran of wildlife work, kept the group laughing for some time with his stories and anecdotes, and the short rest break extended into an hour’s impromptu entertainment.
“How long have you been here?” Dobbin asked the old timer as the group was about to board the helicopter and resume their journey. “Ten weeks,” the officer answered, with about another ten weeks to go before returning home. “Anything you need?” Dobbin inquired, and the man said he was out of sugar; it would be nice to have something to sweeten his tea, but he would get by.
An hour later, when everyone had disembarked at Long Harbour, Dobbin instructed the helicopter pilot not to shut down the aircraft yet. He entered the cookhouse and emerged with a two-kilo bag of sugar, ordering the pilot to fly it back to the wildlife officer they had met.
“Are you kidding?” the young pilot said. “I’ll spend about two thousand bucks in fuel alone to fly it there.”
Dobbin gripped the pilot’s arm. “Son,” he said, “that sugar will mean more to that old fellow than two thousand bucks will ever mean to me. Now get going.””
Children are playing on a beach in Parksville, British Columbia
The children in the picture above immediately reminded me of my youth. In the ‘60s, video games had yet to be invented and we were often outside trying to create new situations in which we could take risks without serious consequences.
The kids are playing on a beach in Parksville, British Columbia. For how long will the boy be able to stay dry in his rubber boots? His sister seems to realize more than him the situation in which he has put himself. Maybe it is already too late to return to the beach before the next wave…!
The scene was caught with a Canon 5DSR full frame camera.
The pictures below have been taken in Ottawa, Canada, with a Canon 5D MKII full frame camera. This model is aging a bit, but it has always and still provides the photographer with great colors.
Autumn reflections in Ottawa in 2015
Trees with autumn colors in Ottawa in 2015
Autumn colors on an Ottawa street in 2015
Jogging session early morning in Ottawa
Autumn scenery in Ottawa in 2015
Autumn colors in an Ottawa park in 2015
View of part of the National Gallery of Canada from a park in Ottawa during autumn 2015
United States Embassy in Ottawa
Below is the interesting Canadian Museum of History, in Hull, and few sculptures. I find the Canadian Museum of History’s architecture particularly interesting because of its rounded shapes. It certainly is more expensive to build, but the result is superb.
The Canadian Museum of History, located in the Province of Québec and seen from Ottawa during the autumn 2015
Artwork located in Ottawa, Canada
Peacekeeping Monument (Reconciliation), located in Ottawa, Canada
Ottawa Parliament in autumn
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Each one in his own bubble in the Willows Beach Park, Oak Bay, Victoria
In the foreground sits a man in the Willows Beach Park of Oak Bay in Victoria, British Columbia. He is totally in his bubble, absorbed by his book. I have been looking at him for few minutes wondering how I should position myself in order to get an interesting picture.
Suddenly, a bubble, very real this time, appears in the viewfinder of the camera. The bubble is moving, thanks to the efforts of a child that is walking inside of it. An adult is monitoring to situation to prevent accidents.
Street photography sometimes requires luck. For every successful photo, many opportunities are missed. The fraction of a second offered to a photographer to capture an unusual scene always imposes to have the camera settings already set for the ambient light and the expected use.
The picture was taken with a Canon 5DSR full-frame camera.
