Tour lets stargazers capture night sky over Crowsnest Pass

A tour company is offering a unique way to photograph the Crowsnest Pass

Most outdoor enthusiasts tend to go on hikes during the day, but a tour company in the Crowsnest Pass is offering something a little different.

Meeting up before sunset on Saturday, the group with Uplift Adventures ascended as the sun sank, allowing them to photograph the night sky.

“It’s a little bit more intimidating to go at nighttime,” said Heather Davis with Uplift Adventures.

“You have more animals coming out.”

But the results are more than worth the time and effort, said photography instructor Lisa Kinnear.

“It’s a great feeling and it’s a little bit addictive,” she said.

“You’ll want to get out more to do it when you start to see the stars show up in your images.”

Kinnear takes into account things like weather, cloud cover and the moon’s phase when choosing the right evening. Location is also a big factor.

“There’s very limited light pollution here in the Crowsnest Pass and the area in general,” she said.

The area is often dark and clear enough that the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye.

The group stayed on the mountain until about 2 a.m. Sunday, returning with empty batteries and full memory cards.

The next trip is scheduled for early August and more information can be found online.

(With files from CTV News Lethbridge's Mason DePatie)