Discovering the Canadian Rockies with Paul Zizka Photography

Every new assignment is an adventure — but this rings especially true when the job starts at the same time as a global pandemic and requires keeping up with Banff-based adventure and landscape photographer Paul Zizka.

Stars aligned when I landed a Social Media Assistant role with Paul Zizka Photography just as the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding. The job brought a dose of certainty to uncertain times and connected me with a team of inspiring creatives—which goes a long way in times of self-isolation and physical distancing. Working face-to-face with this team has been a careful balancing act from day 1 involving careful navigation of ever-changing restrictions. While much of my work is done at home, a handful of days working hard and playing hard in the field have been the highlights of my year.

As the Social Media Assistant, my reacquaintance with the Rockies began virtually. I learned more about the area’s history and geography through Paul’s images each day. By our first team meeting in Banff, last visited when I was 13, I had a general lay of the land. I visited iconic spots including Vermilions Lakes, the Banff Springs hotel, Castle Mountain, and Lake Louise, soaking it all up with fresh eyes.

Our first team hike took me off the beaten path—to the backside of Bow Lake, up to the crown of Bow Falls. From there, we traversed from the shores of Iceberg Lake to Bow Hut, discovering an ice cave and spotting a mountain goat along the way.

A multi-day trip to Egypt Lake brought us even deeper into Banff’s backcountry. We set off from Sunshine Ski Village, hiked towards the continental divide, and set up camp at Egypt Lake in time for dinner and a dip. The next day, we hiked a loop connecting Talc, Mummy, and Scarab Lakes, taking an icy plunge in each. We even found some tin can artifacts from old mining camps!

Our next backcountry trips took adventure to the next level. A 3-day trip to Drummond Glacier at the peak of larch season was my introduction to the Skoki area. We found turquoise lakes set against a backdrop of golden larches. We also summited Mount Drummond (3,149 m), the 7th party to do so in 2020, and camped beside a waterfall at the toe of Drummond Glacier. We hiked an average of 20km a day over those three days, earning a variety of remote and rugged terrain.

After a day spent catching up on work and resting our feet, we were immediately off again to shoot some larch season material for Travel Alberta at Taylor Lake. This time, I got a taste of what it’s like to be in front of the camera instead of behind it!

By winter’s arrival, returning to the Rockies felt familiar. Unsurprisingly, keeping up with Paul led to yet another first in the form of wild skating. I’ve only skated a handful of times since a little accident in the third grade but when perfect skating conditions arose, we scrapped our plans in favour of a wild skating day. We caught Bow Lake, Waterfowl Lake, and Lake Louise on the first day of a major freeze, meaning glassy untouched ice before an imminent blanket of snow could cover it. I started the day like Bambi on ice but by the time darkness fell, skating felt second-nature. I will forever remember gliding across Lake Louise in shimmering moonlight.

It’s hard to express the gratitude I feel towards finding work that aligns so deeply with my spirit and values. Through Paul Zizka Photography, I am surrounded by adventurous people who inspire me to explore and create. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to what 2021 has in store!

Be sure to check out Paul Zizka’s work if you haven’t already!