by Trixie Pacis
See this article and find more great Alberta content on Travel Alberta.
Magic on Minnewanka
As winter unfolds in the Canadian Rockies, lakes freeze into picturesque skating rinks encircled by snow-capped peaks. Enthusiasts know that timing is everything. They watch for ideal conditions, which exist for a fleeting window when the ice is thick enough, but snow hasn’t fallen yet. This makes wild skating more like a thrilling chase than a pastime.
The chase for wild ice is also what brought Banff-based photographer Paul Zizka and professional figure skater Elladj Baldé together to make some magic.
The pair connected unexpectedly through Instagram. Baldé was creating a piece about the evolution of his relationship with ice but had never skated in the wild before. He reached out to Zizka, who had been posting skating adventures all season long. Plans hatched organically. All they needed was some fresh ice!
So, Zizka went on a search. After a cold night scouting new ice along the banks of Lake Minnewanka, he landed on a natural rink that could do the trick. Would Baldé think the ice was smooth enough to pull off his signature backflip?
There was only one way to find out.
Elladj Baldé finds fresh ice on Lake Minnewanka during his first-ever wild skate. Photo: Paul Zizka
Sharing the Magic
Baldé may have been late to the outdoor skating party, but he is certainly making up for lost time. Now that Baldé calls Calgary home, the pair have met on several occasions to create images and skate. Baldé even joined Zizka’s annual 50-kilometre round-trip traverse of Lake Minnewanka this January.
Moments before setting off, Baldé called his first wild skating experience a “transformational moment” in his life.
“I grew up with my career being based in the competitive world and being on the ice in order to be the best,” he said. “Having the opportunity to come out here and skate on a lake has just totally shifted this perspective I’ve had on what I do when I’m on the ice. I realized I could actually be on the ice and just play and be free and create.
Moments after capturing the backflip, Zizka and Baldé reflect on the magic of skating outdoors. Photo: Paul Zizka
For Zizka, the highlight of their first Minnewanka skate was introducing Baldé to the experience. “Many people are familiar with that sensation, that freedom that you get from effortlessly gliding across pristine ice. It’s almost like floating,” Zizka explained. “But once you add the green and blues below, and some of the most spectacular skylines reflected all around you, it really takes the experience to another level, and it’s something you can’t help but want to share with the rest of the world.”
The Banff community is made up of people from all over the world and all walks of life, drawn together to these remarkable mountains. It is a community connected by invisible forces, like a sense of pride for this place, seasonal traditions like skating and the bonds formed out in nature.
These invisible forces are just the kind of “magic” that needs to be shared.
As for Zizka and Baldé, rest assured they have more ideas, adventures and magic up their sleeves.
Baldé and Zizka continue to skate and shoot, even as the sun dips behind the surrounding mountains. Photo: Paul Zizka
Find more incredible Alberta content at TravelAlberta.com.
Trixie Pacis is a freelance writer and digital creator who travels the way she sips her coffee — slowly. After leaving Vancouver to explore and freelance abroad, she is thrilled to call the Canadian Rockies home. Her work has been published by Passion Passport, Mapped, Inside Himalayas and more. She also assists Paul Zizka Photography with all things social media. Follow Trixie’s wilderness adventures on Instagram (@trixie_).