Um, I took 190 photos/videos today - it is just that BEAUTIFUL and GRAND!! (Don't worry, you won't be seeing all of them.) I had to scrap my windshield in the parking lot - we'll see how many layers to put on when we get to the trailhead. I had estimated 3 hours up the Icefields Parkway, but with all the "photo ops", it took 4:
Fog set in in the middle-third of the Parkway, so I thought I would be able to make good time (not stopping EVERY 5 MINUTES!!). But then the fog cleared:
looking north on the west side of the Parkway, immediately after entering Jasper National Park:
Some glaciers:
I LOVE these mountains with their FLAT sheer planes of rock:
It is fascinating to think about the geological forces that thrust these mountain sheets up into the sky.
11:19 in the morning - the trees are golden, the sky is blue, the water is turquoise, and the view is stunning:
The Parkway ended at Jasper at noon, so I turned right and went east on 16 for a half-hour, which has its own special beauty:
I then turned up Miette Rd for another 1/2 hour, which had its own beautiful views (this is Ashlar Ridge):
Ansel Adams would have a GREAT TIME up here in the Canadian Rockies! As a matter of fact, HE DID:
Ansel Adams in the Canadian Rockies is on my bookshelf at home!
The trailhead is at the Miette Hotsprings parking lot - sure there are hikers, but there are also a lot of people who just want to soak in the hot springs.
The Sulphur Skyline Trail is about 6 miles round-trip:
I've gotten better at taking pictures-of-my-computer:
The info kiosks at the trailheads have excellent topo maps - I want to get one/some/a set. They will show the locations for Fiddle River Valley, Utopia Mountain, and the Ashlar Ridge. Although the trail might seem a bit steep, it is relatively easy-going:
After 1 mile you come to a fork where the trail to Mystery Lake goes off to the left, so stay right/straight. You have some switchbacks in the forest for another mile, and then break out above the treeline:
Those mountains in the distance with the shear sides is Ashlar Ridge.
You still have to hike up to the top of the ridge/mountain:
It is PRETTY COOL at the top!!:
That is the Fiddle River Valley behind me to the southeast:
On the summit area (the "Sulphur Skyline") looking northwest at the Ashlar Ridge:
Utopia Mountain is southwest, and the glare of the sun prevented me from taking a good picture, so here is the group of us up on the Sulphur Skyline:
Back down at the picnic area there was a ?big-horn sheep? and her baby:
But hey, everybody's got to eat.
Even Platt and Nancy and Dennis!!!
They were at the hotel when I got back to Jasper, so we went out for a wonderful dinner! Wow, another day for the Record Books! Thank You God for these wonderful adventures!
Music today was from my big iPod, continuing in the W's:
actually, I started by listening to last Sunday's sermon at CTR: Fr. Alex Cameron - You Cannot Serve God and Mammon
and then into the W's
various artists - Woodstock 94, 1994
various artists - Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More, 1970 3 albums
In New York City once upon a time (late 1970's), Dave Herman on WNEW-FM had a segment on his show where listners would submit thier list on the Top 3 Albums To Have On A Deserted Island. One list had this Woodstock soundtrack, not so much for the musci, but for the crowd noises and stage announcements - hearing people would make them a lot less lonely on the deserted island.
Lyrics: John Sebastian - "Rainbows All Over Your Blues":
I can show you the prettiest mountains
that you've ever seen
various artists - Woodstock 2, 1971 2 albums
I only heard the three Hendrix and 2 Jefferson Airplane tracks today.
Still playing "Check Off The License Plates". Today I saw: KY and AZ.
Temperature-wise, it was 30º F at 8:15 AM, and peaked at 61º F at 4 in the afternoon.
Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine (On Sept. 1, I joined Deede and Tad hiking Mt. Katahdin [Hunt Trail] - his final day on the AT!)
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/
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