Camp Life: A Whole New World

On January 25, 2015, I got on a bus in Edmonton and made my way to Grande Prairie in northwest Alberta. I was to be picked up by the company vehicle the next morning and would spend that night in a hotel before heading out. I was glued to the window for the entire four-hour bus ride. The prairies are stunning and the skies here blow my mind.
 

 

From my hotel room in Grande Prairie, I discovered where the town got its name. It's very grand... and very, very prairie.
 

 The next morning, I headed to the dining room for breakfast at the hotel before my ride arrived. The room was packed full and there were very few empty seats. I chose one at a table with the only other female in the room. "First time in camp?" she asked. "Yes." "I've been going for years. The van will be here soon. Which camp are you going to?" and when I told her, she, to my absolute surprise, replied, "Me too. I'm Brandy. I'm your Camp Manager."

So THAT's how this is going to go.

I spent the next three weeks here:
 

I worked dayshift, 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 7 days a week, cleaning rooms, stocking shelves, and learning about life in isolation. My camp was small: it housed about 60 people, most of whom were men, and all of whom were tradespeople aside from the 7 or so of us who were there as staff.

Despite having 12-hour shifts, I did get a few minutes outside with my cameras, where I fell in love with the pure white beauty of the untouched snow that is northern Alberta in the winter.

This is the road that goes past my camp. It's actually straight, but the panoramic nature of the photo makes it appear curved, but other than that, this is it: this stunning reminder of just how much world is out there is where I lived day in, day out.

It's a life that is not for the faint of heart, but I learned that I am made to live out of a suitcase, to be constantly moving, not knowing where I will be living from week to week. It's stressful and exhausting, and it's not a life I could live on a long-term basis. But I'm here for the adventure, and that makes it all worth it in the end.