A Bad Day With A Camera

McKinnon Flats Trail

The AllTrails app shows a good hike at McKinnon Flats and rates it as moderate. Their idea of moderate is different from mine, and perhaps my wife’s as well. We still gave it the good old college try. Oof.

At loggerheads, McKinnon Flats, Foothills County, AB, 2024-19-05

McKinnon Flats is a valley, or depression, that the Bow River runs through. You have to go down a very steep hill to reach it. The hike requires you to go back up that hill. And down. And up again. You get the idea.

The two of us, McKinnon Flats, Foothills County, AB, 2024-19-05

It didn’t help that I had new shoes I hadn’t broken in and the wrong clothing (too hot). My wife wore the wrong jacket and shoes as well. I think we could have managed it if we weren’t trying to sling a jacket and camera gear and fight with poor footwear. We did get 4.5 of 7.4 km done, so that wasn’t awful. The area itself is very pretty.

Panorama with hoodoos, McKinnon Flats, Foothills County, AB, 2024-19-05
They come in threes, McKinnon Flats,
Foothills County, AB, 2024-19-05
But that texture, McKinnon Flats, Foothills
County, AB, 2024-19-05 copy
Getting stoned above the river, McKinnon Flats, Foothills County, AB, 2024-19-05

I did float down that chunk of river the very next day on my paddle board, and even managed to go into the drink about two minutes to the right of where the river goes off the image above. It was really neat to see the river from above one day and then experience it from below the next. It’s a wonderful trip.

Nice view from above, McKinnon Flats, Foothills County, AB, 2024-19-05
The wide view, McKinnon Flats, Foothills County, AB, 2024-19-05
Walking trail panoramic, McKinnon Flats, Foothills County, AB, 2024-19-05

I am hoping I can talk the Missus into taking one last run at this before the snow flies. I have found the walking sticks and I think we can get the footwear sorted and the clothing. I am limiting myself to a point and shoot on the next walk so I’m not fighting with photography gear.

This one is on my to finish list. I don’t like losing.

Images courtesy of Ray’s Canon EOS 7D and 17-40mm EF L USM f4-5.6 lens he bequeathed me.

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© 2024 Sean D. McCormick

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