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Published: October 25th 2005
The House Don and Joan Built
This is the house of Don and Joan set on a mountain side near GoldenAugust 19 Golden
Wake up to tea in bed and a beautiful view of the mountains from the window.
On advice we decide to take an easy hike today. Joan and Don do a lot of hiking and have
several ideas of places to go.
We walk through tremendous woods in the Yoho National Park for about 45 minutes ..only
a little up and down... and arrive at a view of Wapta Falls from the top.. Amazing. The pale blue water cascades down with a backdrop of mountains and trees.
A fairly steep climb down using the handy tree roots as steps to the base of the falls.
Once out of the trees the view opens up to spray, a retaining earth mound and the river curving round a small island and continuing it's path back into tree lined hills.
Owen scrambles up the earth mound to get a better view and gets soaked. Rory has to follow. Now have 2 soaked and mud covered boys racing around having the time of their lives.
Steve and I take it at a more sedate pace.
Use a handy fallen tree as a seat for lunch and then more exploring and
Lets get wet
The boys trying to get a good view of the bottom of Wapta Falls from the bank at it's base. The mist is spray. stone skimming.
Deep breath and it's back up the hill, the roots being even more useful in this direction.
Stop to admire views from top again...and to catch my breath..then back through the woods.
Drive through more stunning mountain scenery to Emerald lake.
This lake, surrounded by mountains, really is emerald green. The water is very clear and very cold. I paddled for a couple of minutes. The boys, who are hardier, lasted a good 20 minutes.
The opposite bank rises to a range of high muontains which contain the Burgess Shale beds. These beds hold a great number of fossils and are very important in geological terms.
Round the perimeter of the lake there is a path that we started to follow but we soon met a 'Bear in the area' sign and turned back. Not before we saw an area cleared of trees by avalanches. This indicated just how powerful they must be as it is now meadow.
On the way back to the highway we stop at a 'natural bridge'.
The river drops at this point and it has carved out a hole through the rock which has subsequently lost its' top.
There are some very good
Under the rainbow
The boys running through the rainbow created by spray at Wapta. view points but there are still some sightseers who ignore the warnings and jump across the 'bridge'.
Rory and Owen were just as happy playing on the beach near the bridge as goggling at the
natural wonder of the power of water.
Arrive back at Golden exhilarated.
August 20th (Saturday)
Rory takes on the job of feeding Maggie. This is great as he is not sure of dogs.
Today Joan takes us to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. This used to be the local ski hill until it was purchased and developed into a ski resort.
There are several alpine style accommodations, a bear sanctuary and a ski lifts to the summit.
Steve, Owen and Joan take an open ski lift to the bear enclosure. The lifts are probably extremely safe but their open style persuades me and Rory to wait at the bottom.
According to the billboards there is a 95% chance of seeing the bear here but sadly my family were in the other 5%.
We all took the covered gondola to the summit. The views are incredible (even the ones I saw through squinting eyes and facing away from the valley).
A hike from the
Stone skimming
The river at the end of the falls. summit via a mountain bike path to a ridge and along the valley side was only a little scary and the views were worth it.
We stopped for lunch looking across acres of ski paths and valleys to the peaks opposite. Truly awe inspiring.
One sad site was the top of one of the lower mountains that had been cleared of trees ..logged in Canadian parlance....The bare earth looked like a scar and was totally incongruous.
Rory and I enjoyed the view while everyone else went further round the peak. OK I'm chicken.
On the return to the gondola summit I took the bike path. The ridge the others followed was OK whilst I was travelling upwards but walking down is another matter. You can not avoid seeing the drops.
I had to move to the side a couple of times to allow the bikers to race past me. They get the lift up to the top with their bikes and then cycle down the ski paths, which at this time of year have no snow on them, all the way to the bottom encountering some hairy obstacles on their way. It must count as extreme cycling.
Before braving the
Emerald Lake
It really is that colour lift down we stop at the summit restuarant for a drink. The views are fabulous and the prices quite reasonable really.
Trip down was OK until the lift stopped..why am I always on the ones that stop??
Still it was only for a minute so panic didnt have time to set in. Underneath us we could see the path the bikes took, some of them were very steep. What some people will do for a rush.
On the drive back we are rewarded with a rare sight. A mother bear and her 2 cubs wandered across the road in front of us. At one point Mum and one cub were on one side and the other cub was left on the other side, perhaps the van scared it.
It stood on it's hind legs and cried for it's mum. She looked at them carried on her way..the cub soon followed.
This was not in any park or sanctuary but just the main road down the mountain.
We took photos but they are not really clear, but we know what we saw.
We crossed the bridge at the confluence of the Kicking Horse and Columbia rivers and you could see the
Emerald Lake view of Burgess Shale beds
The fossils are near the top if this mountain two rivers running together. The water was definately two different colours for a short way. Good education for the boys.
Stopped at the supermarket to get supplies for a BBQ.
Don fired up the GOGO and Joan and I prepared salad.
There were too many insects to make eating outside a real option but a good time was had by all anyway.
August 21st
Lazy morning with pancakes for breakfast. These were not the standard offerings we had had before but an old family recipe and they were in a different league...delicious.
Decided to visit The Parson's Fall Fair but we were too late and managed to pass it without realising..I wasn't speeding honest.
We carried on to Radium. Home made ice cream (Mackays) and then turned onto the road that led us through canyons and to the main road back to Golden that we had arrived on.
This is known as the'Golden Triangle' and is apparently a well pedalled cycle route. All 175 Kms of it!
The scenery was everywhere and was huge and beautiful.
We saw areas that had been burned off to allow the forest on the mountains to regenerate and other patches of red
Natural Bridge
The river has forced it's way through trees where there is a virus.
August 22nd
No major excursions today. The boys helped to harvest the friut in the garden It all has to be picked as soon as it is ripe or bears will strip the trees.
I did some sewing and Joan gave me a 'tour' of quilt making. Joan produces some fabulous quilts and I really enjoyed learning what the different styles were based on. I might even have a go myself when I get home.
In the afternoon Steve and the boys went to the local pool while I walked along the river to the town and did some window and book shopping. Canada has many more book stores than the US and Golden has a second hand bookshop where I stocked up.
Owen and Rory discover that Don and Joan have a TV when they catch the theme tune of Coronation Street wafting down from our room.
August 23rd
Set out with Don and Joan to hike to the Mummery galcier.
Passed a homestead at one point that looked like the front yard of the Beverly Hillbillies. Junk and dead cars everywhere. Joan assured us this was
Hair cut
Steve prepares for hike in the mountains not standard.
After a fair way on backroads we found the bridge was out and so had to revise our plans.
We followed a logging road (steep, winding and narrow) past the Kicking HOrse Resort up into the mountains. You really have to know where you are going because there are few signs.
Parked in a valley and headed off to Gorman Lake. The weather was not being kind and the awesome views were shrouded in mist that turned to drizzle and then rain.
After a while walking through woods we wlaked along a valley floor and then over a morrain of boulders. It was fairly tough going and by now not too warm either.
Owen raced ahead as usual. We reached the lake as the heavens opened. No sign of Owen and the views were hidden for the most part. It was still beautiful. A lake so high in the mountains is unusual for us.
Searched for Owen to no avail so set off back to the car park as Steve reckoned he must have gone back a diffrent way. Steve stayed to explore a snow drift that Owen may have been tempted to visit.
Sure enough Owen met
Don's table
A table that Don designed and made for skiers to be able to sit down in their boots us near the car park. Very hard not to be angry with him as we had all been quite worried, there are so many things that could have befallen him, but the arrogance of youth is strong in him these days.
By this time Joan, Rory and I were very cold and wet so we sat in the van awaiting the return of the others.
Despite everything it was a great hike.
Chat and stories over a couple of beers was very enjoyable and Joan played her accordian for us.
August 24th
Owen stayed with Don and Joan and was put to work clearing undergrowth while Steve, Rory and I went to Radium hot springs.
The landscape towards Radium is a little different as it opens out to a wetland.
Still magnificent trees and mountains in the distance.
Car park at the hot springs was full so we had to walk from the overflow one. The walk was alongside a river and the base of mountains. Totally enclosed by trees and I think it would be very eerie in the dark.
Started off in ther cold pool..basically a swimming pool..and it wasnt that cold either.
Then out to
the hot spring.
Thius is a large outdoor pool under the shadow of a mountain filled with cooled water from the local spring. They have to cool the water as it is often 47 degrees or more at source.
There was a faint smell of sulphur and the water was a pleasant 40 degrees.
This is not a pool to swim in...you simply sit on the integral seats and relax in warm water and drink in the view.
Steve and Rory soon got bored with that so they went back to the cool pool.
They then left me soaking and went to have lunch.
I was perfectly happy to sit there all day but all too soon Rory beckoned me to join them from the path back to the car.
Felt very relaxed and reaqlly quite tired once I got out.
Stopped in Radium for another ice cream but Mackay's the local favourite place was shut. Had to make do with the other outlet. Ice cream perhaps not so good but you couldn't argue with the portions sizes.
Last night with Joan and Don. So we went out for tea to the local Diner, Legendz.
Just like Happy Days. Booths,
Kicking Horse Bike track
The start of the ride down for bikes.
Yes it is that steep. jukebox, old model cars etc evrywhere.
Food good but struggled to finish.
More chat, some family memories and Steve and Joan photographed some old photos for me. They had great fun discovering settings on the camera.
Pack the car for an early start in the morning...the boot seems to be shrinking.
Will find it hard to leave this idllyic place. The house is beautiful, the surroundings georgeous and Don and Joan have been so kind and welcoming. Rory is going to miss Maggie loads too. I am waiting for the 'Can I have a dog?' plea.
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Lindsay Freeston
non-member comment
Found you
Hi Steve I have asked and asked for your web address, finally I have now got it.Never did get to see you before you went, I have read with interest and envy your diaries. It seems as though you are having a great time and I sincerely hope you and your family are enjoying it as much as I am reading, lovely pictures. Have fun take care keep up the info. Luv Lindsay