We’re pleased to announce that the winner of our first-ever Mountain Parks Selfie Contest picked up her prize this week! Tricia Read stopped by The Camera Store when she was in Calgary on Tuesday. As the Grand Prize Winner, Tricia received a Nikon D3400 camera (valued at $649), courtesy of The Camera Store. We’d like to express our hearty appreciation to The Camera Store’s store continued support for our photo contests over the past 12 years.

2017 EMP Selfie Winner Tricia Read with Ron Bubnich

Check out The Camera Store’s Boxing Day sale from 9AM – 5 PM Tuesday, December 26 for some great deals on your own gear. In addition to having a huge sale on major brands, they will also hand out gift certificates valued between $10 and $500 to the first 50 people in line. For extra festivity points, wear your Christmas PJ’s or ugly Christmas sweater. If you do, you’ll also be entered into a draw for a boxing Day prize pack!

Thank you to everyone who entered our Photo Contests and Selfie Contests in 2017. The Dinosaur Trails Photo Contest, the Calgary’s Parks ‘n’ Paths Photo Contest, and the Experience the Mountain Parks Photo Contest and are all still open. Enter them for the chance to win other great prizes! Here’s a bonus tip: the first two contests also feature prizes from The Camera Store!

Tricia Read’s 2017 winning entry: “Big smiles”

This blog post is written by our editor Bob Harris.

My wife, Karen was able to get away from her business at lunch on Friday, so we made it to the Sunshine base parking lot by 3:30.  The Sunshine staff at check in were very friendly and helpful, especially our driver Emanuel. Your front desk staff (Karam) greeted us warmly and before we knew it, we were in Room 110 along with our bags. One of the nice features of this room is the direct access to the Standish & Strawberry Chairlifts. But we thoroughly enjoyed the sunrises, too (see picture below).

We decided to stretch our legs on Friday before dinner, so we hiked up the trail towards Rock Island Lake to the Lookout just past the Continental Divide. We learned on Saturday, when we repeated the hike just how close we were to Rock Island.  It was a beautiful day on Saturday. The skies were clear, as were all 3 alpine lakes. I think we managed to hike every foot of marked trail at Sunshine Meadows on Saturday, and took lots of pics as well as a short video clip of the 2 new friends (picas) we made that day.  It may have been the perfect weekend to explore the Meadows.  We weren’t lone, but there weren’t crowds, either. And the larch were turning a spectacular golden yellow.

Thoroughly enjoyed the food selection and service in their restaurant. Nick stood out as an excellent server, and although I tried to finish the full rack of pork chops that I ordered on Friday evening, and the meat fell from the bones, my eyes were bigger than my stomach.

On the drive back down the hill on Sunday at about noon, Karen & I agreed that we felt quite refreshed and would love to return next year and bring along a couple with whom we do a lot of hiking.

Does the upcoming Labour Day weekend have you longing for some reading time? Then enter our railroad history trivia quiz! If you correctly answer the multiple choice question of the month, then you’ll be entered into a draw to win a copy of The Spiral Tunnels and the Big Hill.

This book by Graeme Pole is anything but a boring textbook! It’s filled with exciting stories about the challenges of building and operating the second-steepest mainline track ever operated in North America. Maps, diagrams, and archival photos bring history to life. This recently revised version of the book also provides up-to-date information on railway operations, locomotives, and rolling stock.

Entries for the August Trivia Quiz will be received until 11:59 pm MST on Thursday, August 31.

Alberta and British Columbia are home to thousands of amazing places just waiting to be explored. The summer is the perfect time to take in the beauty of the Canadian Rockies, to soak in the hot springs, and more! In our 2017 Experience the Mountain Parks guide, you’ll find a detailed itinerary for exploring Canada’s legendary national parks.

Food at the Banff Ave Brewing Company
– Courtesy Travel Alberta / Jamie Walter @jwalter1337

In honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary, we’ve compiled a tour that will introduce you to some of the greatest highlights of the Canadian Rockies. Embark on this seven day journey to see some of the country’s most stunning scenery, to enjoy some delicious food, and to soak in history at historic landmarks. Of course, you can feel free to modify the tour to your preferences. You can use it as a starting point to create your own adventure!

If you’re searching for ideas for celebrating Canada Day, then consider embarking on part or all of the Canada’s 150 Heritage Tour. Click here to read the tour itinerary!

Whitewater Rafting in Golden, BC – Courtesy of Tourism Golden

We’ve extended our May trivia contest through June! To enter, simply answer one multiple choice question about the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway. If you answer correctly, you’ll be entered in a draw to win a prize. Graeme Pole has generously donated one of his books titled The Spiral Tunnels and the Big Hill on the Canadian Pacific Railway for a prize. It’s a great book to add to your summer reading list.

The Spiral Tunnels and the Big Hill chronicles tales of daring, disaster, and defiance on what was the second-steepest mainline railway track ever operated in North America. You’ll learn how a safer grade was created for today’s trains, and how railways are operated today. Maps, diagrams, and archival photographs depict the evolution of railroading through Kicking Horse Pass.

Best of luck!

Congratulations to the winner of our March Railroad Trivia Quiz, Monique Dyck. She correctly answered the following multiple choice question: “What was the maximum grade on the Big Hill?”(The answer was 4.5 percent.)

To enter the April Railroad Trivia Quiz, simply answer a true/false question about railroad history. If you answer correctly, you’ll be entered into a draw to win your own copy of The Spiral Tunnels and the Big Hill on the Canadian Pacific Railway. This book by Graeme Pole contains fascinating stories about the second-steepest mainline railway track ever operated in North America. Maps and diagrams reveal the operation of the Spiral Tunnels, and help you to understand how they create a safer grade for today’s trains. Archival photographs depict the evolution of railroading through Kicking Horse Pass. Revised in 2016, the book also provides up-to-date information on railway operations, locomotives, and rolling stock.

Monique wrote that she is eager to read her copy of The Spiral Tunnels and refer to it this summer when her family stops at the lookout point over the Spiral Tunnels. We look forward to giving a copy of the book to our April winner, too!

An eastbound passenger train at the #1 safety switch, ca. 1890

On Wednesday Moe Haimour (the 2016-2017 Experience the Mountain Parks Photo Contest Winner) received a $1,500 Gift Card at The Camera Store in Calgary. We’d like to thank The Camera Store for sponsoring the Grand Prize for our Photo Contest. Moe also had the opportunity to meet Chris Niccolls, Host of The Camera Store TV, and photo instructor at both SAIT and The Camera Store. In fact, Chris presented Moe with his $1,500 gift card!

Our publisher Bob Harris was also privileged to meet Moe and congratulate him in person on Wednesday at the Camera Store, too.

Thanks to everyone who entered our 11th annual Experience the Mountain Parks Photo Contest, too. We received so many beautiful entries that it was difficult for the judges to choose a winner! Stay tuned for the details about our 2017-2018 contest. Please enter again next year and tell all your friends about the contest, too

If you’d like to enter another Photo Contest while you wait for the 2017-2018 EMP Photo Contest to open, then be sure to check out the Experience Calgary’s Parks ‘n’ Paths Photo Contest.

Left: Moe Haimour winner of our 11th annual Experience the Mountain Parks reader photo contest. Right: Chris Niccolls, Host of The Camera Store TV, and photo instructor at both SAIT and The Camera Store

View Moe’s Grand Prize winning photo “Athabasca Falls” below.

“Athabasca Falls” by Moe Haimour

We’re pleased to announce the winner of the Most Votes Award for our 2016-2017 Experience the Mountain Parks Photo Contest. Katherine Kelly’s photo “Baby’s First Family Vacation” won with a whopping 1,586 votes!

Babys First Family Vacation – entry by Katherine Kelly’

For her prize, Katherine won a 2 Night Getaway to Kananaskis Country with a retail value of $450.

Her prize package includes:

2 night’s accommodation at Nakoda Resort & Casino
· voucher for buffet dinner for 2 people
· continental breakfast

Plus, a $200 Gift Certificate for a heli tour, courtesy of Rockies Heli Canada

We’ll be announcing the Judges Choice Awards later this week. Stay tuned for the winners!

Meanwhile, try your hand answering this month’s railroad history trivia question (with an easy multiple choice format).

Also, be sure to enter our Cowboy Trail Photo Contest and vote for your favourite picture!