June 2012
Ruth and I headed out to Field BC, planning to hike The Great Divide.
The Grizzlys of the area had a different idea for us...
We pulled up to the entrance of the Lake OHara parking lot and what's left of the old highway that was used prior to the TransCanada being built in the 60's, had a barrier across with this sign.
The bears were roaming looking for food. Just out of hibernation, there was no negotiations, so the wardens had closed the road for safety reasons.
Disappointed, yes but in reality, I certainly was not one to object! Let them have all the berries they want! We would find something else to do.
The road is still intact between Lake Louise entrance and Lake OHara but restricted to vehicular traffic. Looks to be about a six K hike to the actual Divide.
We tried three times in 2012, never successful, always bear warnings.
Never ones to be discouraged we took the opportunity of the day to explore the area.
It was a cool sometime showery day, in my opinion perfect for hiking.
Our first stop was right at the barricade to the hike, as we were pulling away I notice my favorite flower from my travels with Phyllis in the Yukon. I am thinking she was nudging
me on the shoulder to make me see the little yellow nodding heads of this ground cover that apparently has covered all roadsides from the Yukon to Alberta & BC. How encouraging to see!
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| We had to wait for the train anyway! |
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| My Nodding Dryads |
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It was just like us not even to get away from our first destination before we spent about an hour exploring a new discovery, and how nice a train just happened to roll through and block the roadway for us......
The area around Field has plently of things to investigate with a camera. How important it is to get off the highway and really see the country, Didn't matter the bears changed our route or the showers that came and went, it turned out to be a perfect day.
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| Takakkaw Falls Field BC |
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| Mascot "Muffin Joe" |
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| Ruth , tourist shot in front of falls |
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| More faces! |
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| The Falls in all their Spring Glory |
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Interesting faces in the old trees
We spent a few hours exploring the falls and even having our lunch in the back of the car sheltered from the rain.
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Doesn't really matter what direction you watch the falls from, you can stop numerous times on the switchback road up to the site and get beautiful views. This was June, so spring run-off was just starting, I can imagine its the time when the falls are their most powerful. Although I can imagine the ice buildup in the winter would make it spectacular also. I don't know if they keep the road open in the winter. The switchback would be impossible to keep clear of snow and be dangerous......
As mentioned it was raining off and on this day, You wonder how long it would take this snow to disappear.
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| Meeting of the Waters. Yoho & Kicking Horse Rivers |
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The glacial silt turned the Yoho quite Milky whereas the Kicking Horse was clear.
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It is really important to get this photo of an orchid!
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Meeting Point of the two Rivers
Not the most flattering outfit...but appropriate!
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| Bracted Honeysuckle |
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I'm afraid from this point on the blog is going to become nothing other than flowers....
We had travelled down the road to Emerald Lake and as I said it's June, it's springtime. The lake walk in the rain was splendid in all it's flowers. As I did in the Yukon , I was drawn to individuals, unable to identify all of them. Perhaps I will broaden my knowledge over the yrs. but they are still challenging me.....but I will take their photos and marvel at their beauty, even if I don't know their names....
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| Bunchberry | |
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| Might be Solomen's Seal ? |
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| False Huckelberry (a favorite) |
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| Western Meadowrue (male) |
These guys were like hula dancers, the skirts actually twirled and swung in the breeze. I had never seen these before. I have meadowrue in my garden but not like these.
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| Western Meadowrue (female) |
And isn't this just the way life is?
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| Yellow Columbine | |
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This little lady just glowed in the forest bed. She looked like an angel.
Ruth's red jacket overpowered the yellow in the columbine, but after all she was another story that needed to be shown ;-) The story of our day.Ruth at one end of the path and me at another...and yet always saying to each other "Did you get that shot"?
Purple Clematis just like at home uses anything as a prop. In this case a tree hollow.
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| Purple clematis |
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| Pink Ladyslippers | |
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| Emerald Lake Reflections |
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Yellow Ladyslippers and Red Canoe!
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I almost missed this shot of the reflections on
Emerald Lake. Ruth is always the first to notice
Thank goodness she poked me and said Look!
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| Beautiful Columbine |
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| Purple Clematis |
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| Yellow Lady |
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| Calypso Orchid |
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| Homeward bound "A perfect end to a perfect day" |
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