What's buzzin Hive!
Two post in one week... Whoa! Calm down ladybug! Maybe she found that cup of ambition she was looking for a couple days ago...Haha. Actually I have two more entries about my Banff trip that I was really excited about to make including this one, potentially three but master procrastinator over here is taking off for the mountains again right away here and I didn't even finish the last stuff yet, slippery slope, that's how ideas happen half completed in the dustbin as I get new excitement over new activities that tends to take over and shelf anything prior. I know, I have a short attention span. Later today I have to go to the sports store and get new gear to replace the broken stuff, will I get new boots while I'm there? Who knows, probably not, I'll whine about them one more trip perhaps. With that being said, I'm sorry I have been shitty at answering your lovely comments the last few posts, I promise to get to them but I might not be able to find time for another week, maybe more but I promise I will get to them. I think for now I want to focus on finishing going thru photos and get this series out and completed along with the last minute errands I have yet to do.
Like any day in the Rockies, I tend to wake up at 6 am naturally just before the sun, like my body knows what's going on. It's actually a great place to reset all bad sleeping habits and detox from online and all the magnetic interference from towers and devices. I feel much calmer just detoxing alone. Most people don't realize how our devices affect our health until you take a break from technology for a while. I looked out the glass balcony door and it looked as foggy as every other day, maybe I wont get that magic sunrise on the balcony moment I was anticipating this trip. Can't complain, so far this trip has been pretty amazing already.
The forecast indicated that it's most likely to look like this all day and more snow at least around here. 😑😒 Looking up the forecast, seemed like things were clearing up in the Lake Louise area but we had been there yesterday, how about behind Lake Louise, we have never been there! A few days prior when we were doing our Devil's Gap hike, we encountered a small group of hikers that decided to venture as far as we did and often we have nice little conversation sharing our recent conquest details and other places to visit. They mentioned a place in Kootenay National Park where they just came from. So turns out the route we took would lead us right by the location for a nice short hike and we had to stop in on the way. We wanted to go camping and hiking in the Radium area last summer but covid poo-pooed all over that plan, it might not be a full trip but one day of exploring is an acceptable consolation prize.
Our first hike was Marble Canyon along the Banff-Windermere Highway. It's actually close enough to Banff and takes no longer to get there than it would Lake Louise, it's a reasonable hike to consider if visiting Banff or Radium. The turn-off is just a little before Castle Junction. The further away from Banff we got, the clearer the skies became. By the time we got there we were staring at snow-capped giants in an intense blue backdrop. Gorgeous, my favorite conditions! Easy to forget it was still morning. for summer accommodations in the area, there is a camp-ground right across the street, aside from that bring your own food and water for the day.
Right from the parking lot this place looked phenomenal, the first leg of the trail, we were greeted with a river and a way down to get a full 360 of the view...Mountains EVERYWHERE! I knew we were walking the ridge of the canyon today but I just couldn't see it at all. The beginning seemed like just following the river then right around the bend out of nowhere we were suddenly surrounded by rocky cliffs, it was time to begin our ascent to the top of the ridge. So far the walk was pretty easy, there are stairs to get to the ridge but this time of year they are full of snow, I recommend having cleats for this hike. There is a handrail for protection all along the ridge making it the perfect family friendly hike or for an unexperienced hiker's introduction trail. I still highly recommend it to the experienced hiker and photographers for the view...Thank me later!
Unless you are a slow poke like me who stops to take pictures of everything every 5 feet, it should take about 40 minutes including return hike(1.6 km with a 25 meter el. gain). We manage to still turn these short hikes into several hours and truly take the time to take it all in. Most of it is flat once you climb to the ridge with a little of up and down but minimal elevation gain overall that most anyone with no mobility issues can easily get there. This trail is pretty busy all morning and afternoon, we didn't see much for wildlife for that reason but nowhere near what you would expect on a popular Banff trail.
The trail snakes us along the ridge crossing a series of bridges that took us back and forth alternating sides of the canyon thru most of the walk for a face to face encounter with the incredible depth these what now seems like small rocky cliffs turned into giant walls the deeper we got into the forest. The canyon is narrow and dark but so deep that it's like staring at an abyss, there is nothing but darkness. Even with all this sun, I struggle to see the bottom. I wonder if there is a way down to walk the ice once it's frozen? I'll have to look into if it's safe to do so, I did see an access gate.
All along the trail, there are interactive signs explaining the geology and how Tokum Creek carved it's way so deep into the mix of granite, limestone, shale and sandstone walls of a fissure left behind by the now melted glaciers that once covered the cliffs over 10 000 years ago. In the recent years, the area has gained attention from geologist and the scientific community after never before discovered fossil species in the Burgess shale were found.
I can't believe this place, the entire walk I just wanted to look 360 the whole trail. Completely surrounded by mountains, a large forest fire ravaged thru in 2003 there is no obstruction in the view of the peaks and all the fresh growth is coming in, looks refreshing, might not be too long before the trees begin to obstruct the view. It's certainly a perfect sight this time of year but I would love to come back in the summer during peak fireweed bloom, this would look amazing. The trail leads to the end of the canyon where a colored waterfall that keeps carving into the land can be found. There are 2 observation decks, one on each side of the canyon, for a clear view of the waterfall and the river leading to it. I'm seriously considering camping across the street next summer if things get back to normal.
It reached about -5 C for the afternoon, I decided to take a break from the hiking boots and sport my cleats over my runners since it was a fairly easy trail, surprisingly my feet never felt cold. In hindsight, I'm glad I brought my 10 mm lens, if you are coming here for photography, I suggest you bring one if you have it because the landscape is gigantic and hard to fully fit and frame into one picture.
Is this a gem or what! Well worth the 40 minute hike, except we managed to turn this into a 3 hour + hike. We were completely in awe on our return as well but we were staring at the sun so, not as magical as the way there for photography, good news, I don't think the landscape changed too much since then.
Before we made a full exit, we stopped at the bottom of the stairs to check out what's beyond the gate and took a little walk around the river to the other side. Turns out that trail is a 6 km trail to the Paint Pots, an interesting geological of cultural and historical significance can be found. I was wearing my runners and I had to check if my feet were ok after walking in the snow, I wasn't sure if my feet felt ok because they were too frozen or if they were just ok. We turned around but a good candidate for a nice 13 km hike next summer to do the waterfall loop then head to the paint pots via the forest across the flowery meadows, I see potential everywhere. For this time we opted for the road, we didn't really prepare for a full day hike like that, perhaps if we didn't lollygag so much on the short hike it may have seemed more appealing. You probably don't need bear spray for the ridge walk but if going to the Paint Pots then definitely have it on hand.
Once you get to the view above, that's where you can find the gate. I don't know if you ever felt that anywhere but this place made me feel high on life, full of energy and rejuvenated much like Athabasca Falls does. There is something about these canyon walls, perhaps an ancient healing site? An energy vortex? Indigenous traditionally practice healing ceremonies in places like this all over our parks if you dig deep in history. I'm not sure if this was one or came across anything that would suggest, just an observation the energy was as magnificent as the landscape. Loved every minute spent here and could spend many more.
Once we got back to the truck, I could check the state of my toes, turns out the were just fine after all, my toes weren't even red. I was worried because it felt like they were freezing the first little bit and had gotten numb but felt fine after. The cleats add an extra layer between the bottom of my foot and the snow, it helps a great deal. Continuing down the Banff-Windemere Highway (93) for just a few minutes, we got to the trail head for a shorter hike to the Paint Pots/Ochre beds of 2km return trip. The trail is completely flat the entire way taking you thru a meadow where we found some coper colored streams running down in the snow.
Amazing that this is the water's natural color. Most of the features are frozen by now and covered in snow but once again, next summer, the walk itself offered some nice scenery along with old mining equipment left behind. Historically, local indigenous tribes harvested the clay or red sand in the small ponds or "pots" to make coloring for rock paintings and dyes for clothing, a technique that is still used locally in handcrafted goods for sale in the region. Early settlers also established mines for their own purpose hence all the old mining equipment. My guess this right here makes it a sacred site as I originally suspected. I have yet to do some research on the mining pre and post European contact but I plan to save that for the next post, the museum portion because of it's relevance.
I have to say, for 2 short hikes, they sure occupied a good part of our day. Seriously, if you end up close by, don't skip visiting any of this if it's open, well worth it. I was blown away by our Lake Minnewanka excursion but THIS, it was something else and I can't believe it took me this long to find this gem. Our exploring on foot was pretty much done for the day but we decided to continue down 93 towards Radium for the view...Spectacular might I add. The sun was about to disappear and from the corner of my eye I spotted a turn off to a lookout point on the other side of the road I wanted to hit up while we still had good light. Just a gut instinct I had to go for a little walk.
The lookout point is called Kootenay Valley Viewpoint and it's on the way back towards Banff a little before Radium. At first glance there is a row of trees but something was calling me further. I didn't even wait for @silvergingerman, he did catch up. The river was dried up but I could see what was left of it in the distance. With my cold soggy running shoes I was gone like a fart in the wind after my unicorn climbing up and down in the path carved by the spring and summer glacier run-off that normally rushes thru. Once I got there I started jumping up and down, it was so freaking perfect, all of it. I couldn't of asked for a better last hiking day or a better last picture of the day...All on a hunch...Follow your heart peeps, nature speaks!
The sun was shining the perfect light on the mountain, the river was an intense turquoise, I even caught the waves, one of my favorite shots of the trip. Just thinking about that moment brings a smile to my face yet it was so simple. After posting my pictures on my personal facebook, I was asked for permission to paint 2 of the images, I'm super excited about that and can't wait to see pictures of the paintings of my pictures... That's a tongue twister. Everything else down this road seemed to be closed for the season until the spring melts but still well worth driving down here for the day even if we never made it to Radium. I realize it's a lot for one post but I do strongly believe to truly enjoy this experience, it should be done on one long planned day hike when the sun doesn't set so early but now we are just missing the middle part. 😆😆😆
I hope you have a happy and safe remembrance day. If you serve or have served, thank you for your service. Everyone else, wear your poppy in support of our troops and those who lost their lives defending our freedom.
Cheers my friends! X🐞X