nature wandering

On a beautiful Fall day, my husband and I meandered around the Cincinnati Nature Center.  We inhaled October's loveliness and delighted in its abundant gifts.   

Here are a few snippets from that hike.

                                              

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

~ L M Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

LINK:

Cincinnati Nature Center

photos by me © 2016   all rights reserved

Plain of Six Glaciers

a favorite hike
in three installments

Part Three

The hike continues from last week's POST.

It's time to leave the wonderful teahouse with its delicious food and refreshing drinks and head down the path.  Going down is SO much easier!

Lake Louise is in the distance.  Can you see the 2 people?  Their size will give you an idea of the scale.  (hint:  They're on the middle left blending into the rocks.)

The path goes through this talus field but it has been cleared of rocks, so no climbing is required.

back down at the edge of the lake.  We've crossed the rocks-in-the-water path (6th photo).  The water really is silvery gray.


a truly wonderful hike with Jaw dropping scenery the entire way!  Then at the end of the upward/downward path, at the far end of the lake, I was totally enthralled by the colors.  the COLORS!  I took a bazillion photos.  I could have spent hours here just absorbing the beauty.  Joyful!

The silvery gray glacial water feeds into the lake turning turquoise.  It's September and Fall, so some of the leaves are becoming golden.  The yellow contrasts with the deep forest green of evergreen trees.  (Those are tall trees across the lake!)

The water is luscious and clear but oh so cold!  Later we dip our feet in but can bear it for only seconds!

commentary from the first week:
Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada is one of the most spectacular places on Earth.  My husband and I were privileged to visit twice in 2 consecutive years.  The Plain of  Six Glaciers is my top, number 1 favorite hike I've ever done.  This is because the scenery is breathtakingly spectacular every single step of the way!  My photos do not do justice.  Yet I offer them as a small taste of possibility.

There are links in the first week's POST.  You can also see a map of this hike and will note that it is basically straight up.

The color of the water is due to the suspension of fine rock ground by the movement of the glacier and called glacier flour.  The milky silvery gray water has the most glacial flour suspended in it. 

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is  "J."   --for Jaw dropping and Joy--  Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun!  


 
 
photos by me  © 2013   all rights reserved

Plain of Six Glaciers

a favorite hike 
in three installments

PART ONE

Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada is one of the most spectacular places on Earth.  My husband and I were privileged to visit twice in 2 consecutive years.  The Plain of  Six Glaciers is my top, number 1 favorite hike I've ever done.  This is because the scenery is breathtakingly spectacular every single step of the way!  My photos do not do justice.  Yet I offer them as a small taste of possibility.

The hike begins on the far side of the lake after walking on the paved pathway.

The lake is a beautiful turquoise or emerald depending on sunshine, clouds, and time of day.  We're aiming for the valley between the mountains at the back of this photo.  

Looking back, see The Fairmont Lake Louise hotel, where this hike began.

 nearly at the far end of the lake now
NOTE:  We did not have to climb over these rocks.  They were beside the path which is still flat at this point.

a popular spot for rock climbing.  See the climber?  (turquoise jacket)

The path continues on and is still fairly level and even.

Now we must cross over the silvery water on a path of rocks.

The path begins to rise, traveling through forest and meadow.

aaahhh... the intense beauty!  (oops..that's next week's post!)

the intersection of several paths.  2nd to last arrow says Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House--that is where we are heading!  (Yes a tea house high in the mountains!  more on that next week)

The scenery is constantly breathtaking!  The silvery strip is the glacial stream that feeds into the lake.

I will leave you with this view and continue the hike next week.

source:  google maps from this website

The large blue lake is Lake Louise.  The hike we took is the long, rather straight yellow one that extends down and to the left.  (The path is basically straight up with some switchbacks.  3.3 miles [5.3km] one way, 1198 feet [365m] elevation gain)

LINKS: 
Parks Canada--Banff
Banff Lake Louise--map of Lake Louise area with hikes indicated and brief descriptions below
photos with descriptions of Plain of Six Glaciers hike (Steve Hall)

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is  "H."   --for Hike--  Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun!  


Thank you, Ms Jenny, for hostessing another round! 
 
photos by me  © 2013   all rights reserved

narrow

somewhere in Utah...

 in a slot canyon looking up

A stream runs through it.  

 

Yes, we did climb up here. (But this is not us.)  a short, but tricky ascent.  We are wearing hiking sandals and the water is oh so cold!


 

Here we are, the four of us.  (I'm on the right.)

beautiful Kanarra Creek just before arriving at the slot canyon

NOTE:  Kanarra Creek runs through a beautiful canyon west of the northern part of Zion National Park.

LINKS:
hike details and a couple photos 
information with links to photos and a topo map

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is "N."  Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun!
 


photos by me © 2010

Angels Landing

Angels Landing is a towering 5785 foot monolith gracing Zion National Park in Southern Utah.  The hike, with an 1488 foot elevation gain, up this narrow fin is one of the most thrilling in the National Park system.  

The trail up to Angels Landing starts at The Grotto.  Farther along, the trail begins to get steep.

The trail up this exposed ridge is steep and narrow with long drop offs sometimes on both sides.  The views, however, are spectacular!

looking back.  still near the beginning.

Looking up, there is spectacular beauty!

After hiking through Refrigerator Canyon, we begin the portion of the trail called Walter's Wiggles, a series of 21 tight switchbacks going straight up.  (Check out the links below to see photos.  One is starred.  Look quickly to see what this really looks like.)

looking up at the last few switchbacks of Walter's Wiggles  

(To get a sense of what this is really like, check out the links below!)

After making it to this point, we come to Scout's Lookout, a large flat area with restrooms.  Many people stop at this point because the next section is scary as you will see.  Here we stop to eat our sandwiches. 

Next up:  the chains!  The last half mile is across a narrow ridge with drop offs on either side.  Along most of this section, chains are anchored into the rock.

Don't look down!

There is a section about a quarter mile long of scrambling up rocks, holding on to the chain.  We made it!  The end of the hike!  NOT!  Look ahead and above--there's the last quarter mile!  up that fin!  (You can see part of this trail under the pine branch.)
Disclosure:  I stop at this point and take photos of the brave souls continuing on.  That would include my husband and our friend Pam.

See the narrowness and drop offs on either side?!

coming back down from the very top.

Actually, coming down was much easier and less scary than going up.  If I had known that, I may have continued on at least for a bit.

On our way back down now.

 

the end of the trail--the bridge over the Virgin River

LINKS:
Zion National Park Angel's Landing information

National Park Service virtual hike

Joe's Guide to the hike complete with topo map 

great trail photos --see Walter's Wiggles 2nd row 3rd from left

*great photo of Walter's Wiggles-- a must see!

another Zion POST with some links

good trail information

Walter's Wiggles were named after Walter Ruesch, the first superintendent of Zion National Park.  He oversaw the construction of the West Rim Trail as well as the trail up Angels Landing.  He wanted a trail that was functional yet melded into the landscape.

I'm so happy Ms Jenny has decided to do another round of Alphabe-Thursday! This is such a fun meme!  Thank you, Ms Jenny!  Come and join in the fun!  You will be charmed and even enlightened in a delightful way!  See more entries HERE. This week we are at the beginning of the alphabet with the letter "A."

I'm also participating in SkyWatch Friday, another fun meme with lovely photographs from all over the world!  SkyWatch Friday is hosted by Wren, fishing guy, Sylvia, Klaus, and Sandy.

photos by me © 2010