Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park

Completed in 1927, the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta is one of the great Canadian railway hotels. Interestingly, it was actually built by an American railway company, the Great Northern Railway. This landmark property became the sole Canadian link in the Great Northern's chain of resort hotels. Fittingly, the Prince of Wales was used as an attraction for affluent tourists visiting from Glacier National Park in Montana.

Today, the Prince of Wales Hotel is still a big draw, not only for the structure itself, but because of the unbelievable views the location offers. Unlike many other historic properties in the Rocky Mountains, the exterior of the Prince of Wales appears almost unchanged from how it looked when it was first completed. The architecture echoes that of a European alpine chalet, and the original timber-framed interior still remains. Appropriately, the Prince of Wales Hotel was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995.

Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park ca. 1930s

Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park ca. 1930s

That Alberta Life on Instagram

Travel photography and photo essays have always been a big part of the Editing Luke website and brand, however I've never really done anything quite like what I'm about to do with my latest project, That Alberta Life. I've launched a brand new Instagram account and facebook page with a singular purpose in mind; to curate and share my stylized and broad view of this amazing province so many of us call home. 

You might be asking yourself what makes this different? Well, unlike a lot of the top travel Instagram accounts that reshare pictures, this account is a way of curating my own massive library of Alberta content. So it's already starting out with a giant collection of original imagery shot with a singular vision in mind. More specifically though, this isn't part of a corporate venture or a tourism group, so I can focus on the details of the collection and the look of the gallery as a whole in ways that not a lot of other Alberta specific accounts have. 

I'm also an Albertan from the prairies, and while I absolutely love the mountains, the prairies (and a lot of smaller communities for that matter) don't usually show up on popular feeds the same way. Think of That Alberta Life as an online exhibition where I'm not just trying to showcase Alberta locations, but to a larger extent, all of those interesting, innate, visual details that seem to say "Alberta".



Unlike my Instagram account for Editing Luke, for instance, That Alberta Life is specifically about building an original gallery of Alberta, and much less about myself as a character in the feed. The gallery then is like a photo magazine to not only encourage exploration of Alberta, but to present visuals as a way of showcasing what That Alberta Life even is. As an individual project I know this is ambitious, but I also think it could be something incredibly unique - and yes, a great way to make new connections in the process.

I want to invite you all to come along for the ride and to follow That Alberta Life on Instagram. Above you'll see a live gallery and collage of this brand new account, and a small taste of what to expect as it continues to evolve. This is going to be a lot of fun!

Alberta's Rocky Mountains in 100 Images

Snow capped peaks, pristine lakes, and groups of enthusiastic explorers set the scene in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. The area lends itself to adventure seekers and weekenders, nature enthusiasts and relaxed admirers. Alberta's Rockies are home to some of the most impressive scenery around, and the list of things to experience here is practically endless. 

On a recent road trip, I drove the length of Alberta's Rockies from Waterton Lakes to Banff to Jasper. My goal was to photo journal the experience and capture a slice of some of the most notable attractions that the region has to offer. My 100 images are a mere introduction to some of what you'll find in Alberta's Rocky Mountains - the point is, I saw all of this in just one week. 

*Click the title above each image for the expanded photo essay of that location.

1. Exploring Canmore, Alberta.

2. Crowds at Lake Louise in Banff National Park.

3. Moose head in the Banff Park Museum.

4. View of Waterton Lakes from the top of Bear's Hump.

5. Jasper Bound!


6. Policeman's Creek Boardwalk in Canmore, Alberta.

7. Glacier Skywalk in Jasper National Park.

8. Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta.


9. Horseback riding in Waterton Lakes National Park.

10. Walkway to the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station.

11. Stacked rocks on Whistlers Mountain in Jasper National Park.
12. Kicking Horse Pass.


13. Big Head in Canmore, Alberta.

14. Hiking in Waterton Lakes.

15. Entrance to Frank Slide Interpretive Centre.

16. Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park.

17. Jasper Park Information Centre in Jasper, Alberta.

18. Athabasca Glacier.

19. Lake Louise.

20. Driving the Icefields Parkway.

21. Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park.

22. Banff Gondola.

23. Athabasca Mountain.

24. Driving the Icefields Parkway.

25. Lake Louise.

26. Cave and Basin in Banff National Park.

27. Abandoned Train Car in Kananaskis.

28. Me on Whistlers Mountain in Jasper.

29. Interior of Chateau Lake Louise.

30. Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park.

31. Hiking on Whistlers Mountain in Jasper.

32. Canoes at Cameron Lake in Waterton.

33. Banff Park Museum in Banff, Alberta.

34. Nakiska in Kananaskis Country.

35. Ram / Bighorn Sheep horns at Cave & Basin.

36. Bar U Ranch National Historic Site near Longview, Alberta.

37. Bighorn sheep in Kananaskis.


38. Athabasca Falls in Jasper National Park.


39. Rockies in Banff National Park.

40. Whitewater rafting in Kananaskis.


41. Cave & Basin National Historic Site in Banff National Park.

42. Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park.

43. Jasper SkyTram.

44. Fur trader's camp at Cave & Basin.

45. Driving the Icefields Parkway.

46. Pine needles in Kananaskis Country.

47. Chateau Lake Louise in Banff National Park.

48. Exploring the Columbia Icefield.

49. Entrance gates to Banff National Park.

50. Mineral spring at Cave & Basin.

51. Columbia Icefield.

52. Red Rock Canyon in Waterton Lakes.

53. Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park.

54. Leitch Collieries in the Crowsnest Pass.

55. Riding the Jasper SkyTram.

56. Waterton Lakes National Park.



57. Black bear in Jasper National Park.

58. Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes.

59. Cold Sulphur Spring in Jasper National Park.


60. Rain over Kananaskis.

61. Riding up Whistlers Mountain in Jasper.

62. On top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff.

63. First oil well in Western Canada in Waterton.


64. Glacier Skywalk in Jasper National Park.

65. Train station in Jasper, Alberta.

66. Driving through Waterton Lakes.

67. Exploring the Leitch Collieries in the Crowsnest Pass.



68. Frank Slide.

69. Trail ride through Kananaskis.


70. Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station.

71. Lake Louise.
72. Train in Jasper, Alberta.

73. Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park.

74. Dining in downtown Canmore, Alberta.




75. Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station.

76. Lundbreck Falls in the Crowsnest Pass.

77. Banff Springs Hotel.

78. Waterton Lakes National Park.

79. Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park.

80. Park stickers in Lake Louise.

81. Cameron Falls in Waterton.

82. Driving through Jasper National Park.


83. Tree roots at Sunwapta Falls.

84. Athabasca Glacier.

85. Exploring Banff, Alberta.




86. Banff Gondola.

87. Whistlers Mountain in Jasper.

88. Red Rock Canyon in Waterton Lakes.


89. Posing for pictures in Lake Louise.

90. Banff Gondola.

91. Icefields Parkway.

92. Raiding the pantry at the Bar U Ranch.

93. Road into Waterton Lakes.

94. Reflections of the Rockies.

95. The view from the lobby of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton.

96. Hiking in Jasper.

97. The Rockies in Banff.

98. Dining room at the Bar U Ranch.

99. Glacier Skywalk.

100. Me in Alberta's Rockies!