Lower Sunwapta Falls

September 10, 2011

This is the final 4 meter drop before the river calms and nourishes the many species downstream.  The trail will take you straight to the viewpoint of these pictures, where the waterfalling journey ends for this river shed.

Middle Sunwapta Falls

September 10, 2011

The Middle Sunwapta falls are much easier to see during the summer.  In the winter these falls are mostly covered by snow, though your still able to hear them and the rushing water beneath the white blanket during the warmer months.

On this summer trip, I managed to see the Middle falls in all its glory.  The pathway you stand on goes right up to the cliff where the falls tumble its sheet of water.  This makes it slightly difficult to photograph, but gives you full view of the 5 meter drop up close.

Upper Sunwapta Falls

September 10, 2011

I returned to these falls to capture the summer version of what I remembered last winter.  On this trip out I planned to capture many falls in the Jasper and Banff regions.  Sunwapta was the first on my journey.  I awoke from my night's camp bright and early to be at these falls for 6:30am.

The Upper Sunwapta falls has what almost looks like a punchbowl on top of it before the falls plunges 10 meters to the river basin. During the summer these falls are raw with power which your able to hear from the parking lot.  The river it feeds is wide and relatively deep at some points.  This goes to show that there is a lot of water rushing through this part of Sunwapta falls.

Upper/Middle Sunwapta Falls

Middle

- Upper

April 23rd

As in my post for Lower Sunwapta Falls, this day was surprisingly warm for the weather as of late. However unlike the Lower falls, there was no hike involved to the upper part of the falls. The roundabout parking area is next to the falls, where the walkways are well padded down even during the winter. The Upper waterfalls are really two separate waterfalls, both at the time of my trip were well frozen. Sadly these falls were both relatively covered with snow, and offered little photographic chances.

Lower Sunwapta Falls

April 23, 2011

It's been some time since I've last set out for waterfalling. I was waiting for the weather to show better signs of summer. The last month was anywheres from a warm summer like day to a snowy blizzard. This weekend started to show signs of summer again and so I capitalized on my opening before it decides to snow again.
I set out on this journey for Stanley Falls, in a location closer to the Banff--Jasper border. Naturally I decided to stop at another waterfall on the way. I noticed the sign on the main road which pointed towards the falls. The area to the Upper waterfall is easy access, even during the off season. The path is padded down from a good number of people walking through, and on this +10 degree day, my travel group wasn't alone observing the frozen falls. My group managed to run into a tourist from the United States, in Alberta for work.