Explorations

2-17 September:  Explorations in Kootenay, Lake O’Hara, Jasper

What could be a more perfect holiday for this author than one which includes all these elements:  dams, tunnels, bridges, ferries, abandoned steam trains, disused and active railway lines, crazy mountain roads, fire lookouts, ghost towns, cable cars, glaciers, lakes, canoes, bikes, tents and, of course, great hiking?  In the space of about two weeks, I experienced all these, and lots more.

“Explorations” is a good word to describe my extended camping vacation this September.  For much of the time I was retracing the steps of the silver miners in the Selkirk Ranges of BC, and then exploring spectacular areas of the Rocky Mountains.

I was kept busy, as these statistics will show:

Total Distance (foot/bike):    138.8 km

Height Gain (foot/bike):        9,080 ft.

Max. Elev. reached:              8,310 ft.

Time on trails:                        38 hrs. 37 mins.

What follows is a brief photographic record of some of my favorite pictures.  I have a separate diary for those who may be interested.

It's not just bear and elk you have to watch out for, as this sign indicates, on the Mt. Revelstoke road

Historic firetower on Mt. Revelstoke

Meadows in the Sky - 4,700 vertical feet above Revelstoke BC

Once the site of the world ski jumping championships, now abandoned

Looking up at the gigantic wall of the Revelstoke Dam, on the Columbia River

Heron, beside the Upper Arrow Lake

New Denver and Slocan Lake from 5,700 vertical feet above:  fires burning in Valhalla

Idaho Peak (7,479 ft) and Slocan Lake below

Good advice - but not needed today

Abandoned train at Sandon ghost town

Beside Slocan Lake in New Denver

Valhalla and smoke from the fires

Driving crazy mountain roads, over 5,000 vertical feet from the valley floor

In the Selkirks below Mt. Dolly Varden, heading for Alps Alturas

Alps Alturas, Marten Mountain, 9,010 ft.

The Sandon to Kaslo line, now a bike trail

SS Moyie at Kaslo:  launched in 1898, dry docked in 1957

This looks like a crossing of the Irish Sea!  But it's Kootenay Lake, between Balfour and Pilot Bay

Magic mushrooms - very tasty

Cable car over Carpenter Creek on the Galena Trail near Three Forks

Alamo Siding, abandoned silver mine

Idaho Peak, floating in the air 5,700 vertical feet above Rosebery

Racing along the Rosebery to New Denver railway line, beside Slocan Lake

At the Hills Garlic Festival at New Denver

Rosebery to Nakusp railway line beside Slocan Lake

Huge log truck ahead of me on the Galena Bay to Shelter Bay ferry

Low cloud above Galena

Mt. Seven hang glider slip, 3,845 vertical feet above Golden BC

Above the clouds on Mt. Seven (6,445 ft.)

No mushroom picking!!!  Sign in Yoho National Park

Emerald Lake on a stunning day

Emerald Lake, looking to the President Range (10,249 ft.)

Climbing the trail from Lake O'Hara to Wiwaxy Gap

Wiwaxy Gap (8,310 ft.), looking towards Lake Oesa

Lake Oesa

Looking back to Wiwaxy Gap.  The Huber Ledges trail cuts across the mountain face 

Lake O'Hara from Yukness Ledges

Opabin Plateau

Mary Lake and Lake O'Hara from West Opabin Trail

3 p.m. at Lake O'Hara Lodge means a "Hikers Tea"!

Early morning mist at the Elizabeth Parker Hut

Above Lake McArthur

All Souls' Prospect

All Souls' Ledges, looking towards Opabin Glacier

Lake O'Hara: Lodge at right, Opabin Outlook at centre

Biking beside the Athabasca River in Jasper

Christine Lake, Jasper - a jigsaw puzzle challenge

Long distance shot of a black bear strolling beside Maligne Lake, Jasper

Spirit Island on Maligne Lake

Stark evidence of global warming - the Columbia Icefields in retreat